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Castleton Great Ridge & Mam Tor from Hope

Peak District Walk

Nat Park - Peak District - Great Ridge Castleton

County/Area - Derbyshire

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 8.5 miles / 13.8 km    Ascent - 1900 feet / 576 metres

Time - 6 hours 10 minutes    Grade - moderate

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Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Castleton Great Ridge & Mam Tor from Hope
Click image to visit gallery of 6 images.

The Great Ridge of Castleton is one of the finest walks in the Peak District. The walk starts from the village of Hope, where parking is available on the south side of the A6187 (Grid ref. SK171834), and ascends Lose Hill before following the Castleton Ridge to Mam Tor. It then descends to Castleton vis Winnats Pass before ending with a pleasant riverside stroll back to Hope.

From the centre of the village, walk north along the Edale road to reach a signed footpath on your left (Grid ref. SK 171838) which is just before the lane down to Kilhill Bridge. Follow this for a short way to a cross path and turn right. This path leads without any further navigational problems to Lose Hill Farm from the where the path continues rather more steeply on to the summit of Lose Hill. A topograph provides details of the extensive panorama that is available from here, which includes Kinder Scout, Win Hill and the length of the Great Castleton Ridge.

Continue along the ridge to Back Tor, Hollins Cross and Mam Tor. The views are good on both sides with Edale to your right and the Hope Valley to your left. Reaching MamTor, you can retrace yoiu route along the Castleton Ridge. Descend from Mam Tor to the road. Turn left and left again down a footpath to reach a road (Grid ref. SK 125831). Go straight across the road to join a footpath taking the left fork when the path divides. Go straight across the next road and continue on the path to Winnats Head Farm.

Follow the road down through Winnats Pass past the entrance to Speedwell cavern to locate a path on your right (Grid ref. SK 139827). Take this path and follow to Castleton village with an excellent view on the left to the Castleton Ridge. Continue through the village and follow the A6187 towards Hope. In under half a kilometre from the village centre take a signed path on your left (Grid ref. SK 153831). Continue on this path crossing a railway line to reach a lane (Grid ref. SK 171832). Turn left up the lane into Hope village.

Note - This walk was undertaken during the Hope village "Well Dressing" and it is worth exploring the village to see the dressed wells. Check with the local tourist information offices for dates.

Other walks nearby

Walk 1087 Mam Tor & Cave Dalemoderate6.5 miles
Walk 1519 Catleton & Speedwell Cavern Circulareasy4.3 miles
Walk 1521 Cave Dale and Winnats Passeasy4.5 miles
Walk 1665 Hollins Cross & Lose Hill easy/mod6.0 miles
Walk 3426 Lose Hill & Hollins Cross easy/mod5.0 miles
Walk 1080 Shatton Moor and Offertoneasy/mod7.5 miles
Walk 2588 Win Hill & Hope Crossmoderate7.5 miles
Walk 1688 Old Dam & Sparrowpit from Mam Nick moderate9.0 miles
Walk 3620 Bretton Clough & Abney Mooreasy/mod6.0 miles
Walk 1270 Abney Circulareasy/mod7.2 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

Dark Peak Walks

Dark Peak WalksGuidebook to 40 walks in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park. 35 circular routes for most abilities, from 8km to 19km, around Edale, Marsden, Fairholmes, Baslow and Castleton, including Kinder Scout and Mam Tor, and 5 longer (25km to 45km) routes highlighting the best of the Gritstone Edges, High Moorland and Deep Valleys.
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Walking in Derbyshire

Walking in DerbyshireWalking guidebook to 60 circular day walks in Derbyshire and the Peak District. Includes the Derwent, Wye and Trent river valleys, near Derby, Matlock, Glossop, Bakewell and Ripley. Routes range from easy to moderate and are between 4 and 14km (2 to 10 miles). Walks focus on places of interest, from Stone Age forts to castles to grand estates.
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