Mam Tor Walk via Winnats Pass and Castleton – Must Visit Places in the Peak District

This blog post will describe an iconic Mam Tor walk through the most visited village, Castleton, and the most picturesque gorge in the Peak District, Winnats Pass.

You’ll learn some interesting geological facts about Mam Tor and why a large section of the old road had to close. After reading about the legend that surrounds Winnats Pass you can decide whether the gorge is haunted or not. Last but not least, you can read about the history of Castleton with plenty of tips included on the top things you can do in this picture-perfect village. 

If you’d like to see our Castleton, Winnats Pass and Mam Tor walk with some epic drone footage then make sure to watch our YouTube video by clicking here.

How to get to Mam Tor, Winnats Pass and Castleton

By Car

Since it’s a circular route you have a few options for parking. You can park in Castleton’s Visitor Centre Car Park. Use S33 8WH in your SAT-NAV to find it. You can pay £4 to park there for a maximum of 4 hours or £6 if you’d like to park there up to10 hours. There’s also a car park at the bottom of Mam Tor (SAT-NAV: S33 8WA). It’s a National Trust Car Park, so if you’re a member you can park there for free. Otherwise it’s £3.50 for 7 hours and £5 for anything above that.

You can also park along the road across from Mam Tor Car Park or a bit further up, just before you would turn onto Winnats Pass Road. These spaces are free of charge, but they get full quickly.

Top Tip – Just to emphasize how popular this area is, we arrived to Winnats Pass at 7:15 in the morning and the road-side spaces and even Mam Tor Car Park was busy already.

If you don’t have your own car but would like to enjoy the freedom of a private vehicle, then you can always hire a car to get to Mam Tor, Winnats Pass and Castleton.

By Public Transport

You can arrive to Castleton by catching Buses 173, 271 or 272 that run between Castleton and Bakewell or Sheffield. Bus stops are located along the A6187 How Lane. You can then just start and finish your circular walk from Castleton. You can also reach Castleton via train if you’re coming from further afield. There’s a train Station in Hope from where you can catch Bus 272 and travel to Castleton. There are hourly train services between Manchester and Sheffield.

Make sure to plan your journey with Trainline which also provides information on bus fares.

By Bike: If you enjoy cycling than there are plenty of local cycle trails running around Mam Tor and Winnats Pass. In addition, National Cycle Route 6 actually runs through Castleton. 

Learn About Mam Tor

Mam Tor (coordinates: 53°20′57″N 1°48′38″W) is located north-west of Castleton on the southern edge of the Dark Peak area of the Peak District. The Tor actually overlooks the White Peak area of the national park, including the picturesque gorge of Winnats Pass. The 517 m (1,696 ft) hill, together with Rushup Edge and the Great Ridge, separates Hope Valley and Edale. 

The name Mam Tor means ‘Mother Hill’ due to the landslips that happen frequently on its eastern side, creating many ‘mini-hills’ beneath the Tor. These landslides are caused by Mam Tor’s base of shale, earning it the alternative name: ‘Shivering Mountain’. This phenomenon is actually very common in the Dark Peak area, such as at Alport Castles, which is the largest landslide in the UK.

The clearest evidence of these landslides is Old Mam Tor Road which was built in the 1800s connecting Sheffield and Chapel-en-le-Frith. The road was damaged and had to be resurfaced so often that the tarmac in some places can be nearly 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) thick. Finally the local authorities decided to close it in 1979. This also helped to divert heavy vehicle traffic out of this area.

Today Mam Tor is one of the most visited places in the Peak District. It’s well liked by walkers, runners, dog walkers, photographers and it’s a great spot for paragliding. 

 Did you know? – In the 17th Century, the philosopher Thomas Hobbes described the Seven Wonders of the Peak in his book called De Mirabilibus Pecci. According to his book one of the Seven Wonders is Mam Tor. 

Learn About Castleton

Sitting on the boundary of the gritstone ‘Dark Peak’, and the limestone ‘ White Peak’ Castleton is one of the most popular villages in the Peak District. Castleton was first mentioned in 1086 after Peveril Castle was built.  It was on the main packhorse route, and it was also an important market and lead mining village. This is the only place in the world where the semi-precious mineral, Blue John is mined. 

This Mam Tor walk wouldn’t be complete without exploring picturesque Castleton. So, below are a list of things you can do in Castleton:

Things to do in Castleton

1. Visit Castleton Museum

If you’d like to learn a bit more about Castleton then visit its museum. It’s located inside the Visitor Centre and managed by Castleton Historical Society. 

As you walk through the display cases and interpretation boards you’ll learn about Castleton’s archeology, geology, industry and its significance as a Norman fortified town. You’ll also learn about the famous Garland Ceremony and see the garments that are worn by the Garland King.

There’s no admission fee to visit Castleton Museum. 

2. Visit one of the show-caverns

There are 4 caves at Castleton accessible by guided tour: 

• Blue John Cavern which is named after the Blue John that’s still mined here. Miners work during the least touristy season then work as the guides. Admission fees are £18/£11 for adults/children respectively. 
• Treak Cliff Cavern is the only other site where Blue John is still mined. The Blue John you see in the show cave isn’t actually mined. Instead it’s extracted from other parts of the cave. You can also see a fantastic mixture of  flowstone, stalagmites and stalactites. Admission fees are £14.50/£8 for adults/children respectively. 
• Peak Cavern or the Devil’s Arse actually has the largest cave entrance in Britain. This cave is almost entirely natural, unlike the others. Just like with Mam Tor, Thomas Hobbes declared Peak Cavern one of the Seven Wonders of the Peak. Admission fees are £20/£12 for adults/children respectively. 
• Speedwell Cavern is an old lead mine and the tour includes an underground boat ride along the flooded tunnel. Admission fee varies depending on the size of the group. 

The tours aren’t cheap but they definitely offer great variety, especially if the weather isn’t super nice.

3. Visit Peveril Castle

The ruins of the 11th Century Peveril Castle stand above Castleton. It was built in 1086 by William Peveril who also owned Bolsover Castle.  Later, William’s son forfeited the castle to King Henry II who built the keep and added additional buildings in 1176. 

The castle changed ownership over the centuries before it fell into disrepair in the 16th century. For a long time it wasn’t even considered picturesque enough to attract any visitors. Only recently has it become a popular spot for walkers, hikers and day-trippers. It has been owned by English Heritage since 1984. 

Since Peveril Castle is an English Heritage Site, you have to pay to visit it. Admission fee is £7 for adults and £4.20 for children and can be booked in advance by clicking here.

4. Walk Around the Picturesque Village

One thing to know about Castleton is that the village is incredibly picturesque. I mean, the cute cottages, pubs and cafes with Mam Tor and Winnats Pass as a backdrop is a match made in heaven wouldn’t you agree?

So be sure to walk around the village and find the iconic photo spots. The ultimate one with the house and the river in front of it is on The Stones Road. Another one is at the Castleton War Memorial but the buildings along Cross Street are just as photogenic. 

5. Check Out Blue John Products in the Local Shops

There are plenty of gift shops you can browse through in Castleton. The majority will sell creative ornaments and jewelry, made from the famous Blue John. Just a warning, depending on how big the semi-precious mineral is that you’re buying, it can be pretty pricey. 

Even if you don’t want to spend your money on the mineral I still recommend you look around and just admire the creative and sometimes massive items they make out of Blue John. 

Learn About Winnats Pass

Winnats Pass, located to the west of Castleton, is an impressive limestone gorge in the White Peak area of the Peak District. Its name is short for ‘wind gates’ due to the constant swirling wind through the gorge.

Can you imagine that once this place was the bottom of a tropical sea? Yes I know it’s not easy, but during the Carboniferous period the Peak District was indeed covered by a tropical sea. As proof, there are still millions of old fossilised sea creatures in the limestone rocks.

When the Old Mam Tor Road finally closed in 1979, the pass was heavily used by traffic. Luckily, due to the combination of the narrow road and the 28% gradient it’s now unsuitable for heavy lorries, buses and coaches.

Did you know? – According to legend, Winnats Pass is haunted by a young couple who eloped in 1758. On their way to a local chapel they walked through Winnats Pass where they got mugged and murdered by miners. The miners disposed of their bodies in one of the mine shafts where they were discovered nearly a decade later. The final resting place of the couple is now in the church in Castleton, however many suggest that the screams of the young couple can still be heard after sunset. What do you think? Is that the wind people hear or the two lovers? 

All You Need to Know About the Mam Tor Walking Route

Length of the Mam Tor Walking Route

The Mam Tor walking route via Winnats Pass and Castleton was about 9 km (5.5 miles) long. Depending on your speed and how long you are spending taking photos or stopping for a picnic, this route could take around 3 hours. 

We started from the free on-street car parking spaces just above Winnats Pass and climbed to the top of the southern edge. Then we headed back to Mam Tor. Our intention was to take photos and video footage at Winnats Pass first, so you can easily start your route from Mam Tor. We walked along the ridge of Mam Tor until we reached Hollins Cross gate. From there, we started descending Mam Tor and walked along the Old Mam Tor Road. This led us into Castleton. After walking around Castleton we headed back to the car via the northern ridge of Winnats Pass. 

You can extend your walk by walking along the Great Ridge all the way to Hope then walk back to Castleton. You can also walk to Edale from Hollins Cross. Of course, you can also shorten your walk by only walking up to Mam Tor or just seeing Winnats Pass and Castleton. 

Top Tip – Make sure you start your walk as early as possible if you come on a weekend. Alternatively, I suggest coming on a weekday if you can. This is a popular area, so expect Mam Tor, Winnats Pass and Castleton to be jampacked with people especially on a nice day. 

Level of Difficulty

The route we did is relatively easy and you can complete it with a basic level of fitness. I recommend wearing the right footwear like trainers or boots. The footpath along Mam Tor is paved but can still be uneven. It’s steep ascending Mam Tor and Winnats Pass and the path can be slippery and muddy when wet. 

Please Note! – The wind is constant along both Mam Tor and Winnats Pass even on a beautiful day. 

On this particular route you’ll be exposed the majority of the time, so wear appropriate clothing. I think this walk could be a great activity even on a slightly windy day but I wouldn’t suggest doing it in the pouring rain. 

Facilities in Castleton and along the Mam Tor Walk

Cafés and picnic spots: I highly recommend packing your own lunch and if the weather is lovely stop for a picnic. You’ll be treated with some pretty epic views on top of Winnats Pass and Mam Tor. It will be a bit windier and colder up there even on a nice day but trust me, it will be worth it. You can also find a less windy spot around the Old Mam Tor Road overlooking Hope Valley. Alternatively, there are some picnic tables around Castleton’s Visitor Centre if you wish to properly sit down with your lunch.

Please Note! – You cannot have BBQ’s or any kind of open fire in the area, so make sure you pack an appropriate picnic.

If you’d like to grab a coffee or tea and a light bite or a full meal to eat, you can do that at the many cute cafés and pubs in Castleton. I’ve been to Three Roofs Café just opposite the Visitor Centre a few times and to the Rose Cottage and I enjoyed them all.

Toilet facilities: There are free public toilets available at Castleton Visitor Centre. There’s also a water fountain at the toilets, in case you’d like to fill up your water-bottle.

What to Wear and Bring With You?

You are in the north of England so weather conditions can change quickly. At the time of our visit it was dry, but very cold in the early morning. The sun came out later on, but it was still windy on top of Mam Tor. Therefore, I recommend weather appropriate clothing when going on this particular walk. Make sure you check the weather forecast before you set off and have a few layers with you. 

I also suggest wearing supportive walking shoes or boots especially if you’re planning on hiking up Winnats Pass. Even Mam Tor’s paved path can be uneven. Although, if you’re only planning on visiting Castleton and the caves then you’ll be fine wearing something a bit more casual.

I suggest packing some snacks and having water with you. There are plenty of beautiful places to stop for a picnic or a quick break. Obviously, you can grab something to eat and drink in Castleton.

Please Note! – Whatever you bring with you, make sure you either take it home with you or dispose of it responsibly. Enjoy your time in nature but Leave No Trace!

Mam Tor Walk via Castleton and Winnats Pass

This area of the Peak District is full of amazing walking routes and things to do therefore it attracts a large amount of people daily. 

It doesn’t really matter which way around you complete the trail. One thing is certain though! You will be treated with some beautiful landscapes, views and features! However, if you’d like to do the exact route we did, I divided it into 3 sections following the main attractions.

1. Mam Tor Car Park to Mam Tor

If you parked at the foot of Mam Tor, then your first part of the Mam Tor circular walk is to get to the top of Mam Tor. It’s a steep ascent but you’ll reach Mam Tor Trig very quickly. The path is well paved but can be uneven and the way up contains a series of steps. You’ll likely see paragliders taking off as you make your way up.

Top Tip – About halfway up, make sure to walk towards the left edge of the ridge to have a view of the iconic road snaking towards Edale.

Once you’re on the top make sure to spend some time admiring the view over Hope Valley and the Great Ridge. It will be windy on the top no matter how beautiful the weather is. 

From the top just follow the paved path all the way to Hollins Cross. From the gate start descending Mam Tor. The path here will be narrow and muddy after heavy rain so be cautious. You’ll go through a little section of woodland which is the only time you’re not so exposed on this walk!

Soon, you’ll reach Old Mam Tor Road where you can see the damage the frequent landslides did to the old road and how thick the tarmac is. You’ll also see all the ‘mini-hills’ these landslides caused.

2. Mam Tor to Castleton

Old Mam Tor Road will turn into Buxton Road and will join with the main A6187 Buxton Road. You’ll pass Treak Cliff Cavern, one of the four caves you can visit in Castleton. After passing the Welcome to Castleton sign the road will lead you to the village centre. You can stop by the Visitor Centre, use the toilet facilities, grab a drink or something to eat, shop or just wonder around the picture perfect village. If you have more time, there are a list of cool things to do summarised above. 

3. Castleton to Winnats Pass

Once you’re ready to leave Castleton and finish your Mam Tor walk, head towards Winnats Pass. Winnats Pass is just to the west of Castleton, so just follow the main road and turn onto the narrower Arthurs Way. 

You’ll pass Speedwell Cavern, which is located at the base of Winnats Pass. From here you have three options. You can walk next to the road through Winnats Pass, walk along the southern ridge or walk along the northern ridge. From Castleton the northern ridge is the most popular route up to the top and that’s the route we chose to do too. However, the southern ridge is where the majority of the coolest photos are taken. We actually walked along the southern ridge first thing in the morning before heading to Mam Tor. 

Both sides are steep but once you’re on the top it flattens out a bit. If you choose to just follow the snaking road through the gorge you’ll have the chance to appreciate just how impressive this gorge is. Just a warning, whilst this option seems easier, there’s still a 28% gradient so take your time and enjoy the view. 

Once you’re at the top you’ll have to walk through some fields before heading back to the car park. Make sure to follow the footpath signs which will direct you through the fields and avoid walking along the road which is narrow and busy!

Additional Walks in the Peak District

There are many amazing places and trails located near Mam Tor, Winnats Pass and Castleton. So, if you’d like to see more of the Peak District then make sure to check out the 10 Best Hikes in the Peak District or browse for more hiking trails in the UK and around the world in my Hiking Adventures Series.

For now, here are some hikes in the Peak District that are either walkable or approximately 30 minutes’ drive away from Mam Tor, Winnats Pass and Castleton: 

Bamford Edge and Ladybower Reservoir – A 7-mile circular trail with stunning views from the top of Bamford Edge looking towards Ladybower Reservoir and the Hope Valley. Click here to read it.

Stanage Edge and Hathersage – A 6-mile circular trail that takes you through the historic village of Hathersage, literary locations, beautiful landscapes and a secret cave called Robin Hood’s Cave. Click here to read it.

Derwent Edge and Derwent Reservoir – A 9-mile circular trail with rich history of the Upper Derwent Valley reservoirs, myths, legends, stunning views and crazy rock formations along Derwent Edge. Click here to read it.

Padley Gorge Walk – A magical walk in the Peak District which will make you feel like you’re walking through an enchanted forest. Click here to read it.

Monsal Dale and Wye Valley Walk – A 10 km circular route in Monsal Dale and the Wye Valley along the River Wye and Deep Dale, stopping at Monsal Head and Ashford-in-the-Water.  Click here to read it.

Final Thoughts on the Mam Tor Walk

Although this area is super touristy, I absolutely love it! Needless to say that I enjoy walks that provide me with panoramic views as a reward for my efforts. The Mam Tor walk via Castleton and Winnats Pass is definitely a scenic one but there’s also much more to it. There’s a lot of history, legends and unique things to do that make this walk both picturesque, educating and entertaining. The best part is that this trail can be done all year round, and every season the landscape changes slightly which keeps the same walk fresh. 

Have you ever been to Mam Tor, Winnats Pass or Castleton before? If so, how much of the area did you manage to explore? If not, would you want to complete this Mam Tor Walk? Let me know in the comments below.