The Peak District: Edale to Mam Tor Walk.

parking | length: 1.5 hours | dog friendly but some cattle 

I sat on the side step of the van drinking a coffee and taking in how different the landscape was this morning as opposed to the night before when I arrived at Newfold Farm and the light bounced around the mountains. Today, it was wet, grey and blustery.

I weighed up how the day could play out but also acknowledged that is was probably too late to back out - my sister was coming to meet me to hike up to Mam Tor and if there’s any trait we both share it’s pigheadedness. I typed out a message: “Hmmm, not looking so good” and my phone promptly rang… “I’m on my way”. Me: “Ok, meet me at Edale staton car park and we’ll make a plan”.

Half an hour later and I’m loading up two cobs (that’s baps for non Midlanders) with fried eggs and mushroom, squirting ketchup on top while the train turns up and delivers no-one. Turns out it’s only me and my sister ridiculous enough to contemplate Mam Tor today - that translates to Mother Hill - a day of rain and high winds.

So, backpacks loaded with snacks, flasks and somewhere dry to stash the camera we set off from the station. Popping into Pennypot Cafe we found they had a choice of walks available in leaflet or download which is really lovely of them and very handy.

There is an option of getting to Mam Tor by parking in the National Trust car park for the Dark Peak and there are other routes from Castleton too but I’m sharing this one as you might need one from the station. There are also variations of this walk - the leaflet they have in the cafe has an extended walk of this going into Castleton which I recommend as it’s a lovely place to wander round but will add some serious time on to your hiking time - you’ll be looking at around 3 hours whereas this one is around 1.5 hours.

So I’m going to lead you on this walk, recalling the best I can as it was a few years ago and very, very wet but please be aware this might not be precise so if you like to follow a route stringently this might not be the best for you to follow.

Starting off.

We’re heading out the station car park by turning right and soon you’ll be standing at a T-junction. Take a right and shortly after you’ll take a left into Hardenclough Farm. You’ll pass over a river and also by the farm. Keep following the lane and once you’ve passed a stream look out for a gate of the left just before Greenlands and then once through the gate turn right where it should be signposted for Mam Tor.

Mam Nick & Mam Tor.

You’ll carry on up this track for a while, steadily climbing until you come to a road. This road is the road that links Winnats Pass down to Edale. Before you come out onto the road, take a gate to your left, almost coming back on yourself but… not. You’re now making your way round Mam Nick and the top of Mam Tor will soon come into sight. Go through the gate and make your ascent up to the top of Mam Tor. Once there enjoy the views and breathe in the air!

To head back to Edale, go back down the point of Mam Tor you just came up and instead of going back through the gate follow the steps along The Great Ridge to Hollins Cross. When you get to Hollins Cross (you’ll know when you get there as it’s a cross of paths!) take the path to the left and start dropping down to Edale. At the fork, take the right hand path and keep left at Hollins Farm, taking the small boardwalk. Keep to the farm track, cross the river and you’ll soon find yourself on the road that links Hope and Edale. Turn left onto the road and head back into Edale.

I hope when you venture on this walk you have better weather than us. I would imagine on a fine day it’s a beauty of a walk. Despite that we still loved it, we got back exhilarated and satisfied. But honestly, I have no idea how that man stayed upright on that bike at the top of Mam Tor - we were holding on to the trig point and were worried we’d be blown away if we let go!