Castleton Mam Tor Walk | 4.5 Miles
This walk from Castleton heads up Winnats Pass for some of the best views in the Peak District before heading over to Mam Tor, along the Great Ridge to Hollins Cross. It then heads down the old coffin route back into Castleton where there’s plenty of pub stops to choose from. This Castleton Mam Tor walk is a steady 4.5 miles, perfect for a morning hike.
The route starts from the centre of Castleton. We had stayed in the village so headed up from Ye Old Nags Head, but you can park in the Devil’s Arse car park and start the walk from there. The route heads out of Castleton and takes the left hand fork in the road, passing Speedwell Cavern toward Winnats Pass.
Winnats Pass is one of the Peak District’s most dramatic spots – a steep limestone gorge that looks like something straight out of a fantasy film. The road twists and climbs between towering cliffs, with sheep grazing impossibly high above. Its name is said to come from “Windy Gates”, which makes sense when you feel the breeze rushing through the valley. It’s also surrounded by local legends, from ghostly sightings to tales of doomed lovers.
We climbed the (very) steep right hand side of Winnats Pass, pausing to take a lot of photos of the view (and definitely not to just catch our breath!). The path eventually levels out and crosses a field behind Winnats Head Farm. Crossing the road, we took the Windy Knoll footpath across the fields to reach the road near the Mam Nick car park.
Heading up the field we passed a gate onto Edale Road, then another gate leading to the path up Mam Tor. The path is really easy to navigate – there are lots of stone steps and a rail to prevent erosion to the Bronze Age hillfort which sits near the summit.
Mam Tor (524m), known as the “Shivering Mountain”, is one of the most popular places to walk in the Peak District – and for good reason. The views from the summit trig point are incredible, stretching over the Hope Valley and Edale. The name Shivering Mountain comes from the way the hillside continually slips and shifts, leaving behind broken tarmac from the Broken Road below.
From the summit of Mam Tor we continued along the stone flagged ridge path to reach the marker at Hollins Cross. There is a gate here with a choice of two paths, and we took the left path which leads down the hillside to the Liggate. This is what used to be the main route from Edale to Castleton and is known as the coffin route, where people from Castleton used to take their dead to be buried in Edale churchyard before Castleton had it’s own church.
The route follows the track back into Castleton, heading along Hollwford Lane to meet the junction with the main street in Castleton. Passing The Bay Tree on your left, you’ll soon come to Ye Old Nags Head. The Devil’s Arse car park is a short distance further along this road, Cross Street, after the roundabout.
Castleton Mam Tor Walk Details:
Walk Map (Opens in OS Maps): Castleton Mam Tor Walk Map
Parking: The Devils Arse Car Park, Buxton Road, Castleton S33 8WN W3W:///moss.geek.rational. This is a pay and display car park.
Dogs: The route uses footpaths and areas of Open Access Land, so dogs need to be a short lead between 1 March and 31 July, and all year round near farm animals.
Facilities: There are public toilets near Castleton bus station towards the end of the walk.
Walk Time: 2-3 hours
Difficulty: ▲▲
Distance: 4.5 miles (7.2km)
Elevation: 1250ft (381m)
Trig Points Bagged: Mam Tor
Peak District Peaks Bagged: Mam Tor
Peak District Ethels Bagged: Mam Tor
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