Trails
Castleton, Mam Tor & The Great Ridge Walk
An exhilarating 6½ mile walk with the option to extend to 8 miles. It includes one of the best ridge walks in the country, with superb views of the Edale and Hope Valleys and the edge of Kinder Scout.
About
Things to do in Castleton, Mam Tor & The Great Ridge Walk - Visit Peak District & Derbyshire
This is a 6 ½ mile walk starting in Castleton and walking through some of the most admired and stunning parts of the Peak District. Known to be one of the best ridge walks in the country, this Peak District walk gives stunning views over Edale, Hope Valley and even the edge of Kinder Scout. There is also an option to extend this route to an 8 mile walk to include a stroll by the river on the way back.
This walk starts in the main car park at Castleton, and passes both Treak Cliff and Blue John Cavern, which are unique show caverns and two of the most-loved attractions in the Peak District. If you have time they are definitely worth a pre or post-walk visit!
From Castleton this walk takes you to the summit of Mam Tor, another very famous part of the Peak District. Also known as the ‘Shivering Mountain’, the views from the top of Mam Tor are some of the best in the country and iconic in Peak District landscape photography.
From Mam Tor you’ll walk up to the top of Back Tor and then onto Lose Hill Pike, all of which have superb views of some of the most idyllic parts of the Peak District.
The slightly longer route takes you back to Castleton along the riverside, via Hope. Both Castleton and Hope are wonderful villages in the Peak District, perfect for enjoying tea and cake or even some traditional pub grub! One of the most well-known pubs in Castleton is the Cheshire Cheese Inn.
Download the attached PDF for more details, descriptions and a map of the walking route. Always remember to take a map and compass with you and come wearing a good pair of walking boots!
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Trail directions
From the car park turn left up the main road, then first right by the Castle Inn, then right again on a narrow lane just past Castleton Hall (formerly a Youth Hostel). Beyond a bridge the lane curves up to the left then heads straight on to become a stony path beyond cottages. Follow this path until you reach a road. Cross the road and go through a gate (or over the stile) and follow the path that leads to the left, running parallel to the road. This joins a track which leads to Treak Cliff Cavern. Take the steps beside the cavern and turn right to walk along the hillside -to arrive at Blue John Cavern.
Cross the car park in front of the cavern entrance and go through a gate to follow the path uphill to a farm, turning right at a signpost. Follow the wall and go through a gate at the corner of the field, then straight on across the next field. Cross the road and go through a gate, then across the field to another road, through the gate opposite and up the hill. Go through another gate and up steps to the road.
Go through a gate on the right and follow the stepped path to the summit of Mam Tor. From the summit, as you look down towards Castleton, go down the obvious path to your left until you reach Hollins Cross, the junction of several routes. Go straight on here towards the craggy top of Back Tor, crossing a stile and climbing the short steep slope to the summit. Continue along the path to the next high point, Lose Hill Pike, with excellent views all around.
From here bear right down the stone path to a stile. Cross the next stile, just ahead, then follow the fence/old wall on your left. Soon the path curves right past a group of trees; just beyond them turn right, down to a stile and along the field to a track. Follow this down to Spring House Farm.
At this point decide whether you want to head directly back to Castleton, or follow the longer route down to Hope with a riverside walk back to Castleton. If going directly to Castleton, turn right after Spring Bank Farm along another track. Bear left at the junction but at the next one go straight on, over a stile. After the next stile bear very slightly left over a field and join a stony lane, emerging soon into a surfaced lane, gradually curving left down into Castleton.
If taking the slightly longer route, via Hope, turn left when you get to Spring House Farm, before the stable block, and pass through two small gates. Follow the route in an easterly direction across several fields,until you reach the footpath sign to Mam Tor via Lose Hill. Follow the sign to ‘Hope’, along a route which is obvious, through fields and gates until you reach a small gate before some buildings. Pass through the gate but do not turn right.
Keep straight on to walk behind the house. Go through the squeeze stile then on to cross a stile and over the railway to cross the next stile. Continue ahead across five small fields and gates. Turn left along the road and at the T-junction turn right and follow into Hope.
On meeting the main road, turn right then in a few metres left, down Pindale Road. After 250 metres, turn right at a footpath sign (no. 36) to cross a stile onto the path above Peakshole Water. Follow this path for about ½ miles crossing four stiles and the railway, then keeping straight on. Cross the fifth stile and continue ahead through more four more stiles, into a track which takes you down to the main road. Turn left here and walk back into Castleton.
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