walking | Chinley Churn
What and where is Chinley Churn?
Chinley Churn is a small hill just north of the town of Chinley in Derbyshire. Most noted for its previously quarried edge known as Cracken Edge, the centre of Chinley Churn has a large mass of loose rock and a number of small broken stone huts. Great for climbing and wild camping if you can get permission.
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There are also some pretty good views across to Kinder Scout and the wider Peak District plateau from the top.
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Remember to stick to The Rules and have fun!
2 hours
4 miles
Peak District
Get this route
Download our route and follow this yourself from either OS Maps or ViewRanger. OS Maps requires a subscription, which luckily you can get 10% off with Northern Stroll on any 12 month subscription. Check out our blog post for the code.
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ViewRanger is free and much like OS Maps doesn't require any data to work. All you need is a GPS signal, especially if you have downloaded your maps beforehand. It also has OS Maps available as a layer inside the app.
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Don't have ViewRanger on your phone yet? See our guide, or download it in your app store.
Route overview
Once you arrive in Chinley park either near the war memorial on the road or the station car park. On a weekend the station is free and has always been fairly quiet when we've been.
In any case, start your walk at the war memorial, across the bridge over the rail tracks. With the bridge directly behind you, turn right and head up the lane that slowly banks to the left.
About 200m up (and very easy to miss) is a public footpath on your left. You'll need to climb one or two steps to get to it and it is well hidden between bushes but it is there. Take it and let it lead you out into a field with a short but decent incline onto a small hill.
Once you have ascended cross the wall and turn left and follow the path along until it naturally banks around to your left. Keep following it to be led into the very middle of 'the Chinley Churn'.
Once you hit this area of loose rock take any path you like but keep the rock face on your left and keep walking north until you reach a road. Turn left onto the road and follow it with some buildings coming and going on your right. This track is the one you want to stay on till the end. Keep following this track and do not deviate. It will curve you back down towards Chinley and into the back of the village.
Eventually after a long while you will meet a road. Turn left and let it lead you back into Chinley.
Key things to know:
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Time: About2 hours, 3 at an amble
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Distance: 4.09 miles
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Elevation: 971 feet
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Nearby pubs: A few in Chinley itself, sadly we don't know enough tio recommend one.
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How to get here:
Postcode: SK23 6EW
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