Mam Tor and The Great Ridge

Difficulty : EasyDuration : 2.5 HrsDistance : 8 Km

Full route description for this walk

The walk is started from the Mam Nick car park, situated on the A625 Rushup Edge road. From the car park take the route out of the back of the car park up the steep and rather large steps. The path will head upwards and eventually reach the road that passes over the col between Rushup Edge and Mam Tor. As the path meets the road you will see a gate on the right hand side of the road, walk through the gate and up to the steep but extremely well laid path that leads up to the summit of Mam Tor.

The summit of Mam Tor is surrounded by a complete and extensive ditch and rampart of a historic and grand fort thought to have been of the late bronze or early iron age. The oldest remaining features on the summit are two bronze age burial mounds, one is just before the summit and one is under the actual summit. Not too much is known of the actual dates of the fort or the people who either lived in it or protected it, it is the second highest such fort in Britain and could well be one of the oldest. The fort was built in a prominent position looking over the Edale and Hope Valleys however the isolated position means it would have been a volatile place in the cold seasons. The hill is also known locally as the Shivering Mountain, but the reason for this is not as obvious as it first seems.

Mam Tor is a part of The Great Ridge, a long and high ridge that separates the Dark Peak and White Peak, the two areas of the Peak District named for geological reasons. The Dark Peak to the north being made up of mainly dark gritstone and the White Peak to the south being made up of mainly light limestone. The ridge itself is however a mix of layered shale and gritstone.

Mam Tor is most unlike the rest of the Peak District's gentle rolling hills. From certain angles it can seem like a gentle rolling hill but from others it shows its extremely fragile interior. The best analogy of Mam Tor is a cake with layers of gritstone and shale. The layers are formed from a river delta that existed in the area around 300 million years ago. The hill is named the shivering mountain as it has even recently, shifted itself in directions that have forced the outer walls of the hill to crumble away in front of us. The movement is caused by heavy rainfalls that find ways between the different layers of rock creating an unstable situation leading to the landslides. To this day the mountain still moves at a pace of around a metre every five years. Its landslides can be serious and in 1977 the main A625 road was closed forever after more or less disappearing as another major landslide completely destroyed the road, the wrecked road still exists and is a real eye opener.

From the summit of Mam Tor take the obvious path that heads off down its north western flank in the direction of the ridge. The path from here is very straight forward as it follows the crest of the ridge. You'll first drop down to the hill pass of Hollins Cross. If you look to the right across the Hope Valley from here you will now see the Peveril Castle above Castleton and the huge gash of the Peak Cavern. Carry on up the path heading east as it tops over a small brow before showing you another impressive hill scarred by a dramatic landslide. The rough and disturbed cliffs of Back Tor make a cracking photo from this angle. Keep going along the obvious ridge path as it now starts to climb firstly over Back Tor and then to the 476M summit of Lose Hill.

The summit of Lose Hill has an impressive tumulus with a topographic view finder on the top. From Lose hill there is a full panorama stretching from the Kinder Plateau over the beautiful Edale Valley to the west then round to Win Hill directly to the East. The only blot on this beautiful landscape is the huge chimney and buildings of the Blue Circle cement works that lie just behind the villages Hope and Castleton in the Valley below. Looking back along the ridge you can see the greatness of its stature and location that give it its well deserved title.

Lose Hill and Win Hill across the valley are said to have been named after an ancient Saxon battle. The battle took place in 626. Rivals King Edwin of Northumbria and King Cuicholm of Wessex took there forces to the hills, Edwin on what is now known as Win Hill and Cuicholm on what is now known as Lose Hill. When battle commenced Cuicholm's greater numbers were too over powering for Edwin and Edwin ordered his troops to retreat. Sensing victory Cuicholm's men surged forwards, only to be crushed by boulders sent down the hill by Edwins men. The hill that Edwins men fought from therefore known as Win Hill and hill that Cuicholm's men who lost the battle chose is now known as Lose Hill.

From Lose Hill simply follow your footsteps back over Back Tor, Hollins Cross and up once again to Mam Tor. On the journey back over the ridge you will appreciate seeing Mam Tor from a different angle. Follow the path once again down off Mam Tor to the road and then follow the path that leads down to the steps at the back of the Mam Nick car park. For after walk refreshments you can't beat the villages of Castleton and Hope.

Map of this walk

Maps available for this walk

Weather forecasts for this walk

Webcams near the Peak District, England

Accomodation near this walk

Mountain rescue teams covering this walk

Photos taken on this walk

Videos taken on this walk

Walks in the Peak District, England

Walks by area