The 61 bus departed from its stop close to Glossop station and we alighted at the Monks Road junction right next to the stile onto the footpath. Memories of Kinder approaches from the Hayfield side are distant and vague but this path was definitely a new one. It descends to a footbridge in Hollingworth Clough, bearing a plaque in honour of Thomas Boulger who served the Peak District and Northern Country Footpaths Preservation Society, and ascends around Middle Moor to cross a long footbridge and approach Kinder reservoir. On this section we saw a profusion of Green Hairstreak butterflies.

At the next fork we took the upper path that gave a good view of Kinder reservoir.

There was nobody around as we entered William Clough and started the ascent, a typical well worn clough path with enjoyable Peak scenery though slow and tiring in its very warm sheltered confines. Other walkers began to appear higher up as we neared the head with a view to the western end of Kinder. Eventually we arrived at Mill Hill and rested in the cooling breeze.

Easy walking now on the paved slabs of the Pennine Way (PW) as we watched for a branch point to walk out to Featherbed Top. The obvious point on the map suggests a line of stakes but there are none, however a faint but discernible trodden line heads eastwards from that point on the right of a small channel. Surprisingly this is very easy walking on short coarse grass, heading somewhat north of the mapped stake line onto the broad flat top. Deserted of course, this turned out to be a very good pitch spot and the ground was flat and firm, gripping the pegs well.

After a cold night, the temperature quickly rose as we took the safe option of retracing our steps back to the PW, rather than aim more directly for the car parking point on the A57 which would risk bad terrain. Across the road the first walkers were already out as we left the PW to descend to the edge path along Crooked Clough, a fine walk in the morning sun.

Arriving at the small waterfall, the path continues around the clough head though a steep side path has also been forged directly across the ravine. On the far side is a rather chaotic mess of very wet, gloopy ground but we found a nice grassy bank nearby for a bite to eat. Several groups had appeared already bound for the trig point of Higher Shelf Stones and the nearby aircraft wreck.

Most popular ascent routes in the Dark Peak have been relentlessy paved but not here: this one is cursed - or blessed, depending on your point of view - by a total lack of it: the 'path' makes a beeline for the summit, a wide swathe of bare trampled peat. In these quite dry conditions it was easy walking and we soon arrived at the trig.

More walkers were arriving sporadically from the west as we set off along the Shelf Moor path, soon arriving at Lower Shelf Stones with a fine view over the deep valley of Shelf Brook, the very shallow dome of Featherbed Top barely noticeable in the topography.

The path descends past the rocky escarpment of Shelf Benches to join with the Doctor's Gate path, an ever increasing number of walkers and groups making their way up. Rarely have we seen so many, certainly not for a very long time - probably in the Lakes - and they were still coming all the way to Shepley Street at the road head.

We followed our route through Manor Park to Glossop station.