Cown Edge

Rising above the village of Charlesworth, this gritstone escarpment offers a rugged alternative to the higher moors of Bleaklow. Walking its rim provides an airy sense of space and expansive views across the Etherow Valley towards Manchester. It remains a quieter, local favourite for those seeking dramatic gritstone scenery and Tump-bagging opportunities.

• •The name Cown is likely a local dialect derivation of 'cold,' a fitting description for a gritstone edge that bears the full brunt of weather blowing in from the Cheshire Plain.
• •Cown Edge serves as a prominent milestone on the Peak District Boundary Walk, a 190-mile circular route that follows the perimeter of Britain's first national park.
• •The summit provides a stark visual contrast: look east for the wild, peat-covered plateau of Kinder Scout, or turn west to see the urban skyline of Manchester and the white dish of the Jodrell Bank telescope.
• •The distinctive 'steps' in the landscape below the main crags are the result of massive prehistoric landslips, where sections of Namurian gritstone sheared away from the underlying shale.
• •Nearby Monks’ Road is an ancient packhorse track once used by Cistercian monks from Basingwerk Abbey to travel between their estates in the Peak and their home in North Wales.
• •It is one of the few places in the Peak District where you can experience a genuine sense of mountain exposure while remaining within sight of a suburban bus route.