Get Lost Mountaineering

Mam Tor Ridge from Castleton

Start/Finish

Castleton village. Free parking is available on the E side of the village. Otherwise the best pay car park is the Visitor Centre on the W side of the village where there are information and toilet facilties.

Distance/Time

11 km     Approx 4 - 5 hours

Peaks

Lose Hill, 476 m, SK 153 853.

Back Tor, c 430 m, SK 148 851.

Mam Tor, 517 m, SK 127 836.     OS Outdoor Leisure 1: Dark Peak

Introduction

This is a short but very fine ridge walk in the Dark Peak which, in good weather has good views of Win Hill, Edale and Kinder as well as the local area around Castleton. The return route from Mam Tor uses the old road which has landslipped and worth seeing. The return route goes past the now disused Odin Mine as well as the Blue John Cavern, the Treak Cliff Cavern and passes very close to the Speedwell Cavern. These three caverns are commercially developed show caves. Because of its frequent land slips, Mam Tor is often referred to as “The Shivering Mountain”. Route finding should not be a problem even in bad weather but high winds can be very unnerving, especially on Mam Tor.

Route

(1) Walk out of the back of the Visitor Centre car park following the stream along a path which becomes a minor road. At the first junction go left which is Hollowford Road. Follow this, ignoring the path which soon forks off left, until a fork is reached at the Training and Conference Centre. Go right here, heading roughly NE on a stony track. When the track swings left, almost due N, go straight on across a grassy field. There is a sign post but it is not very obvious. On the far side of the field, a small stream is crossed and one soon emerges on a lane. Follow this for about 150 m until a sign post indicates a path on the left going NNW. Follow the path, on the left, W, of a stream. The path can be boggy in places. After about 600 m, the path makes a right turn and heads roughly E, initially below a wall. After about 450 m, a path goes left, N, to avoid Losehill Farm. This climbs to soon reach a good grassy track. Turn left, uphill and NNW, on to the track and follow it up the SE flank of Lose Hill. Higher up, it merges with another track coming from Townhead Bridge in lower Edale. The higher part of the track/path is slabbed. Within 500 m, reach the summit of Lose Hill which is a splendid viewpoint. There is a small grassy hollow on the E side of the summit which can give shelter from strong westerly winds.

(2) Descend, roughly SW, on the obvious path which soon follows a wall. A shallow dip is reached followed by a short ascent to reach the top of Back Tor which is slightly to the N of the path.

(3) Retrace to the path and follow it down into a deeper hollow. Note that to the right of the path, Back Tor has a cliff which is well worth looking back to. Continue along the crest, on the obvious path. Pass over a minor top before descending into a shallow dip known as Hollin's Cross which is another good viewpoint. Continue along the crest, gradually ascending until the trig point which marks the summit of Mam Tor is reached. This is the highest point of the walk and the best viewpoint. The path is slabbed on the summit of Mam Tor.

(4) Continue along the path, descending slightly, to reach steps between two fences. Descend more steeply to reach the road. Do not join the road but stay left, S, on an obvious path which soon diverges from the road. Take the first path going off left which passes below Mam Tor's south flank. This eventually leads down to a gate on to the old road. Turn left on to the road, bearing in mind that this section is till open to traffic, and follow it roughly NE past the Blue John Cavern. Soon the end of the current road is reached and the old land slipped section is reached. Follow the road through the land slipped area. At one point, the road drops about 3 m and “crevasses”are starting to appear in places. After a hair pin bend, the road doubles back on itself and soon the current open road is reached at about the Odin Mine. Continue down the road, past the Treak Cliff Cavern then pass close to the Speedwell Cavern before reaching the western end of Castleton just after the Winnat's Pass road is joined. Continue to reach the entrance to the Visitor Centre.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 11^th December, 2011, 23rd December, 2012, 22nd December, 2013, and many times previously.