Forget joining a gym, giving up alchohol or even going vegan, the only resolution for 2026 that is worthwhile is to complete the Marsden-Edale on the 10th January!
The annual winter challenge of 22 miles across the finest of the Dark Peak, pioneered by The Rucksack Club around a hundred years ago, has been a yearly event for the last 80+ years! Now is your chance to continue this tradition, to stretch those legs and burn off the Christmas & New Year excesses. The last couple of years have been done in perfect weather and in great company – let’s make the 2026 M-E another one to remember.
No more making excuses to yourself that it’s just too complicated to get to/from the start/finish – get on WhatsApp or the phone and talk to each other, organise lifts, share taxis… If you can get to/from the airport for your holidays, then you can manage to get to Marsden and back from Edale!
Here are a few photos from last year:
The details:
Start – 7:45 at the end of Wessenden Rd (GR SE048107 OS South Pennines OL 21 map) – finish at The Ramblers in Edale.
The route I’ll be taking is:
- From the start of the Wessenden track we’ll head up to the conduit path (flat for more than two miles) and up to Wessenden Head, then via Pennine Way to Black Hill.
- From the trig point down via Crowden Meadows to cross Crowden Little Brook at SE074023 then to pick up the shooting track to Crowden Great Quarry and round to the car park on the start of the old road to Glossop SK082993 for a lunch stop.
- South along the Trans Pennine Trail to the stile at SK071985. Up the Western Edge of Wildboar Clough following the fenceline. Pick up the main path higher up the stream and then follow to pick up the Pennine Way at SK092966 and on to Bleaklow Head.
- Pennine Way down Hern Clough and Devils Dike to the Snake summit.
- Following the quad tracks south over Featherbed Top and down to pick up the small path along the grouse butts at the side of Upper Gate Clough.
- Cross Ashop Clough at the footbridge and then follow the shooting track up via the grouse butts to climb diagonally up to Fairbrook Naze.
- Follow the edge path round past Fair Brook to SK099891 then following the high ground south via point 623 to pick up the water course down to the top of Grindsbrook (a lovely bog-free crossing of Kinder).
- Over Grindslow Knoll and down to Edale.
According to OS-Maps it is 21.5 miles and 4160ft of ascent. Alternative routes via Tooleyshaw Moss, Lawrence Edge and/or Seal Edge are of similar length for those who prefer them.
Trains are reported to be running OK and the new timetable is much better. If travelling from Manchester, the 07:00 train gets into Marsden at 7:30 – which is perfect for the 7:45 start at the Wessenden Road!
Trains back to Manchester from Edale are at 47 minutes past the hour e.g. 17:47. 18:47…