Winnats Pass and Mam Tor Circular Walk | 6 Miles
This Winnats Pass walk is a short walk along Winnats Pass and then heads off over The Broken Road to Hollins Cross before heading along The Great Ridge to Back Tor and Lose Hill, before returning along the ridge to Mam Tor. This walk is 6.3 miles.
After our amazing sunrise at Win Hill, we got up extra early again and headed to Winnats Pass, eager for another stunning sunrise. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t on our side and we ended up with just mist, fog and more mist as the sun came up. We had planned to walk along The Broken Road and up to Hollins Cross before walking back up Mam Tor as a little walk before we set off home from our staycation, but we ended up walking along the whole ridge to Back Tor and Lose Hill before heading back along the ridge to Mam Tor. After we’d walked the ridge and got back to the car, the mist looked like it was clearing so we headed back to Winnats Pass, just in time to catch the last of the mist as it rolled away down to Castleton. The map only shows one trip along Winnats Pass though!
We parked in a lay-by near the top of Winnats Pass and walked down the road to the cattle grid. To the lower side of the cattle grid is a muddy path which climbs up onto the top of the Pass, giving you amazing views down the road towards Castleton.
From Winnats Pass we headed back down to the cattle grid and across the road to Winnats Head Farm and followed the path through the fields. The path leads past the Blue John Cavern, up onto the non-broken part of The Broken Road. We then turned right to follow The Broken Road, which is really eerie. The Broken Road is the former A625 which collapsed numerous times in the 1970s due to landslides and was finally abandoned in 1979.
We wandered along the road until we reached Mam Farm then headed up the hillside towards Hollins Cross. We joined the path that runs along the ridge at one of the gates along The Great Ridge and then walked along past Hollins Cross, climbed up Back Tor and on to Lose Hill before turning around and walking back along The Great Ridge to Mam Tor. It’s really easy to follow the path along here. Large parts are now paved.
From Mam Tor we walked down the steps to the car park, then headed across the fields back to the car. From here we headed off to Winnats Pass again (much to Joel’s annoyance) and managed to watch the mist rolling away down the valley!
From here you could walk down into Castleton to one of the pubs or cafes.
Walk Map:
Walk Map (Opens in OS Maps): Winnats Pass, Mam Tor and The Great Ridge
Parking: Lay-by near the top of Winnats Pass – be sure to park in the one with a dashed white line and not the one with a double yellow line! W3W:/// salmon.founders.unzips
Facilities: None
Walk Time: 3-4 hours
Difficulty: ▲▲
Distance: 6.35 miles (10km)
Trig Points Bagged: Mam Tor
Peak District Peaks Bagged: Mam Tor, Lose Hill
Peak District Ethels Bagged: Mam Tor, Lose Hill
For more Mam Tor walks, why not try:
Castleton to Mam Tor Circular Walk via Cave Dale
Mam Tor and Rushup Edge Circular Walk
Castleton, Mam Tor and The Great Ridge Walk
