Nestled in the breathtaking landscape of the Dark Peak region of the Peak District National Park, the Trinnacle Trail near Dovestone Reservoir offers a fantastic blend of hiking and scrambling, along with stunning views that make it all well worth it. This guide will provide you with everything you need to know to venture to the Trinnacle and discover the unique rock formation that has become an iconic location for hikers and photographers.
Trail Details
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Distance: 8 km / 5 Miles
- Duration: 3-4 Hrs
- Elevation Gain: 350 M / 1,150 ft
The Trinnacle Trail is a relatively short 8 km circular hike that takes about 3-4 hrs to complete. It is usually considered a moderate hike as it involves 1,150 feet of elevation gain, though that’s mostly confined to the Birchen Clough waterfall scramble. However, the Trinnacle Trail can change drastically depending on the weather conditions and becomes rather challenging after heavy rainfall when the rocks near the waterfall are slippery.
That said, the difficult scramble up the waterfall will reward you with stunning views over the reservoirs and lead you to The Trinnacle, which is a three pronged rock formation that is the highlight of the hike and the reason so many hikers and photographers come to the area.
Dovestone Trinnacle Trail Map
How to Get There
Getting to the Trinnacle Trail is relatively easy. While most people choose to start the hike from the Dovestone Reservoir car park, I’d highly recommend starting at the nearby Binn Green car park which is often quieter and actually a bit closer to the Trinnacle.
To get there from Greenfield, you’ll simply drive past the main Dovestone Reservoir car park and continue up Holmfirth Road. You’ll soon reach Binn Green car park on your right-hand side.
The Trinnacle Trail - Route Description
Starting at Binn Green car park, the trail leads down the hill through a beautiful little forest and onto a narrow road. Turn left and you’ll follow the road down the hill for about 0.5 km. It will lead you onto the Dovestone Circular Trail, where you’ll get your first look of Dovestone Reservoir to the right and Yeoman Hey Reservoir to the left.
The Trinnacle trail then follows the western shore of Yeoman Hey Reservoir on a wide and relatively flat gravel path. About 2 km into the hike, you’ll reach the bottom end of Greenfield Reservoir where the path begins to climb a little more steeply. If you look up, towards the cliff edge on the right side of the valley, you’ll get your first glimpse of The Trinnacle.
After another 1 km or so, you’ll arrive at a bridge where the trail shears off to the right. This is where you’ll begin the scramble up Birchen Clough waterfall, often referred to as the Dovestone waterfall.
While it may be tempting to stick to the right hand side of the waterfall, don’t! It’s a common mistake that many first-timers make! The right bank becomes progressively narrower until you hit a wall, and getting back down is even harder than the way up.
Instead, cross at the bottom where it’s still just a river. You may have to hop over a couple of rocks and even get your feet a little wet, but it’s significantly easier than trying to cross further up. From the, the next 500 metres or so are a scrabble up the left side of the valley and may take 15-20 minutes to climb, but take your time as it can be a little tricky even in the best of conditions. The terrain should be relatively stable, though do watch out for the odd bits of gravel or slippery rocks. In the rain or after heavy rain, the trail can get pretty muddy, making it very difficult to ascend.
When the path begins to flatten, keep an eye out for the footpath continuing on the other side of the river, which is where you’ll cross. Again, you might have to get your feet wet.
Once you’re on the other side, the trail leads up the hill until it reaches a “plateau” and begins to lead you back towards Greenfield Reservoir. Soon enough, you’ll reach the highlight of the hike: The Trinnacle.
Warning: please do not attempt to climb or jump on the Trinnacle as it can be very dangerous. The photo above involves a very experienced climber and we strongly recommend against trying to recreate it.
From The Trinnacle, the path remains relatively flat for the next 1.5 km and follows the edge of the cliff closely and provides a great overview of all three reservoirs below. On a clear day, you’ll also likely be able to see the city of Manchester in the background behind Dovestone Reservoir.
After that, you’ll begin a steep descent down a grassy hill back towards the circular path around Dovestone Reservoir. At the bottom, you’ll cross between Dovestone and Yeoman Hey Reservoir and back up the hill to Binn Green car park, returning full circle back to where you started.
Alternative Routes
- Starting at Dovestone Car Park – As I mentioned previously, we prefer to start this hike from Binn Green car park as it’s slightly quieter. However, you could start the hike from the main Dovestone car park and walk along Dovestone Reservoir, which is particularly nice during the early morning hours.
- The Direct Route – if it’s rained heavily and the scramble up Birchen Clough becomes too much of a challenge, you could still consider taking the more direct route. Starting at Binn Green car park, you would drop down to the reservoirs, cross between Dovestone and Yeoman Hey reservoir and hike up the hill the normal route comes down. That way you’ll avoid the waterfall scramble altogether.
- The Full Dovestone Circular – if you’re visiting the area for the first time and fancy a slightly more adventurous route, the full Dovestone Circular is an extension of this trail that will reward you with fantastic views over Dovestone Reservoir and lead you to other highlights in the area including Indian’s Head and Alphin Pike.
The Trinnacle Trail - FAQs
Here are some of the most common FAQs about the Trinnacle Trail:
Personally, we prefer to park at Binn Green car park as it’s often quieter. However, you can choose to park at the main Dovestone Reservoir car park, though it will mike the hike a little bit longer.
In terms of difficulty, the Trinnacle Trail is considered to be a moderate hike involving a fairly basic scramble. However, it becomes a lot more difficult after heavy rainfall or during poor weather conditions as the rocks can become slippery, making the scramble more complicated.
The Trinnacle is at an altitude of about 450 metres or 1,480 feet.
