Higher Shelf Stones
622m (2041ft)
The Dark Peak Area, The Peak District, Derbyshire, England
The summit of Higher Shelf Stones is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
The plane wreckage 150m north-east of Higher Shelf Stones belongs to a Boeing RB-29A Superfortress No. 44-61999 which crashed about 11am on 3rd November 1948 while descending through the clouds. All 13 crew members died. It belonged to the 16th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 91st Reconnaissance Group, 311th Air Division, Strategic Air Command, USAF.
You can find Higher Shelf Stones & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (the ones with pink/magenta covers):
See Higher Shelf Stones and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
See Higher Shelf Stones and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Map:
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 5.25ml (8.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 630ft (192m) |
| Time: | 2½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Easy) |
Route Summary:
Snake Pass - (A57) - The Pennine Way - Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill) - The The Wain Stones (or Kissing Stones) - Higher Shelf Stones - A57 Snake Pass.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 7.25ml (11.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,526ft (465m) |
| Time: | 4.25hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Old Glossop - Shittern Clough - Lightside - Yellow Slacks - Dowstone Clough - Dog Rock - Higher Shelf Stones - James's Thorn - Doctors Gate Path - Shelf Brook - Moss Lea Farm - Old Glossop
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9ml (14.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,850ft (564m) |
| Time: | 5.25hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Old Glossop - Shittern Clough - Lightside - Yellow Slacks - Dog Rock - Dowstone Clough - Yellowslacks Brook - The Wain Stones (or Kissing Stones) - Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill) - Higher Shelf Stones - Crooked Clough - The Pennine Way - Old Woman - Doctor's Gate Path - Shelf Brook - Moss Lea Farm - Old Glossop
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Higher Shelf Stones
Michael Rygol walked up Higher Shelf Stones on August 28th, 2021 [with] Steadies
Tony Halliday climbed Higher Shelf Stones on July 23rd, 2021 [from/via/route] Parked up at snake pass & took Pennine way [with] Only went with Jimmy my boarder terrier [weather] Cloudy start & cool the higher we got the worse the visibility not great for views - Dry but in cloudy great under foot but zero views
Mark Hazelton bagged Higher Shelf Stones on August 2nd, 2020 [from/via/route] snake pass, Roman Road, Bleaklow Head & Higher shelf [with] Family and Pepper [weather] Sunny
Mark Pritchard hiked Higher Shelf Stones on October 1st, 2020 [from/via/route] Moorland path from Snake Pass [with] Tim and Andrew walking colleagues [weather] Started off low cloud but cleared to a bright sunny but chilly day - Added in to a walk to see the plane wreckage at Higher Shelf
Nicky Kelly summited Higher Shelf Stones on July 25th, 2020 [from/via/route] D172 Bleaklow head & higher shelf stones walk from old glossop [with] Grace [weather] Overcast but no rain
Angela Moroney conquered Higher Shelf Stones during 2020 [with] JL
Mike Walker scaled Higher Shelf Stones on November 28th, 2003 [from/via/route] Walk d266 Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill) from Woodhead Tunnel [with] Alone [weather] Bit crap - misty on the tops
Kevin Foster walked up Higher Shelf Stones on April 5th, 2019 [from/via/route] Old Glossop [with] Henry. [weather] Sunny, high cloud, fresh breeze. - The crossing from the Wain Stones to higher Shelf Stones across 'a boggy morass' as described in some books again wasn't half as bad as expected. The first objective was the Hern Stones for more photographs & clambering about. Then making a beeline for Higher Shelf Stones a fairly decent path was picked up which went past the rather sad scattered remains of a super fortress bomber that crashed just short of the summit here in 1948. The steep drop just past the summit rocks of Higher Shelf Stones meant the views were much better than from the flat table top of Bleaklow Head. The lengthy but pleasant return to Old Glossop was first via Crooked Clough before joining the obvious path known as Doctor's Gate all the way back to the town.
Margaret Richards climbed Higher Shelf Stones on August 15th, 2011 [from/via/route] d122 Bleaklow Head & Higher Shelf Stones from the Snake Pass [with] Don - Interesting walk
Wayne Linley bagged Higher Shelf Stones on September 10th, 2017 [from/via/route] Old Glossop-Bleaklow Head [with] Simon fleming mate from work [weather] very windy.poor visibility, Low cloud, prolonged rain showers - Good Navigation & good compass work won the day, visited the B29 wreck, found it very poignant.
Tony Rogerson hiked Higher Shelf Stones on September 25th, 2016 [from/via/route] Birchen Clough Doctor's Gate Higher Shelf Stones Bleaklow Head Bleaklow Stones Grains in the Water Alport Moor Birchin Clough [with] Caz Floss [weather] Windy & mostly dry
Caroline Winter summited Higher Shelf Stones on May 6th, 2016 [from/via/route] Reaps Farm, SE Pennine Way, Bleaklow Head, Higher Shelf Stones trig [with] Solo [weather] Very warm & dry - Purpose to Higher Shelf Stones to view "Over Exposed" wreckage. Fellow walkers met at Trig had walked straight past & not seen plane & were searching in wrong place. So easy to do if you're in an adjacent trough!
Darren Mortimer conquered Higher Shelf Stones on April 2nd, 2016 [from/via/route] Glossop [with] Dermot Palmer [weather] Rained all day
Iain Cocks scaled Higher Shelf Stones on July 11th, 2015 [from/via/route] glossop [with] pete jones and dave slater [weather] misty, rain ,sunny
Christine Shepherd walked up Higher Shelf Stones on October 18th, 2014 [from/via/route] A57 using walk d122 [with] On my own [weather] Windy but pleasantly warm. Moisture in the air but rain stayed away. - A short but enjoyable walk. There are quite good paths across the peat from Bleaklow Head to this peak if you look for them.
Kevin Bloor climbed Higher Shelf Stones on December 29th, 2013 [with] Max latto
Nicola Parkinson bagged Higher Shelf Stones on December 22nd, 2013 [from/via/route] d122 from Snake Pass via Bleaklow Head & the Wain Stones [with] Stu [weather] Windy & cold but fairly bright. - Visited b-26 superfortress "overexposed" crash site near Higher Shelf Stones. Number of times I fell down: 2
John Gehrke hiked Higher Shelf Stones on July 29th, 2013 [from/via/route] Used walk d122. [weather] Sunny; scattered showers.
Eric Perry summited Higher Shelf Stones on April 20th, 2011 [from/via/route] Snake Pass, Pennines Way [with] Eric, Lynne & Ollie [weather] Great
Ray O'hara conquered Higher Shelf Stones on April 23rd, 2012 [from/via/route] Snake Pass & Bleaklow Head [weather] Low cloud & drizzle. Odd bits of snow still on the ground - Left it rather late to start this walk & ended up here in the dark. I imagine that the views would have been nice if I could have seen them.
Andrew Joss scaled Higher Shelf Stones on October 14th, 2012 [from/via/route] Woodhead Tunnel Car Park, Bleaklow Head then on to Higher Shelf Stones [with] Barbara [weather] Sunny
Patrick Rogozinski, Steve Lockett, Iain Ballard, Daniel Wynn, Ron Blundell, Martin Greenwood, Geoffrey Robertshaw, Mark Davidson, Louise Sandwith and Matthew Thomas have all walked, climbed & bagged Higher Shelf Stones.
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Higher Shelf Stones
Plane Wreckage from the crashed flying fortress on Higher Shelf Stones.
The Northern Edge of Kinder Scout taken from Higher Shelf Stones, looking SW to the Snake Pass (A57).
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Higher Shelf Stones
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