Mam Tor
Mam Tor is a 517-metre hill above Castleton, topped by a Late Bronze Age and Iron Age hillfort. A stone-stepped path climbs from the National Trust's Mam Nick car park to the summit, where a flagstone path follows the Great Ridge with views over the Hope Valley and Edale.
What it is and why it matters
The hill is nicknamed the Shivering Mountain because landslips keep moving its unstable eastern face, made of layers of shale and gritstone. Those slips defeated the old A625 road below the hill, which closed as a through route in 1979 after years of repairs on the crumbling slope. Radiocarbon dating suggests the hillfort was occupied from around 1200 BC. Mam Tor marks the western end of the Great Ridge that runs east towards Lose Hill.
Visiting practicalities
The National Trust's circular walk from Mam Nick car park is 3 miles (4.8 km) and takes about 2 hours, with steps, steep climbs, gates and stiles, and paths that can be slippery after rain. The car park is small and often full by 9am at busy times, so arrive early or use public transport: Hope and Edale stations are nearby, and buses 200 and 272 serve the area. Keep dogs on leads because livestock graze here, and there are no bins.
Nearby and combining your visit
The walk passes Blue John Cavern, a show cave named after the rare mineral found there. The route also passes Windy Knoll cave, but the National Trust advises against going in because of recent rockfalls. Castleton village lies below the hill, reached by the road north-west from the village or up Winnats Pass.
Highlights
- 517 m summit with views over the Hope Valley and Edale
- Late Bronze Age to Iron Age hillfort
- Nicknamed the Shivering Mountain for its landslips
- Western end of the Great Ridge
Good to know
- Mam Nick car park is small and fills by about 9am at busy times
- Circular walk is 3 miles and about 2 hours
- Dogs must be on leads because of grazing livestock
- Barbecues and campfires are not permitted
Frequently asked questions
Sources: nationaltrust.org.uk · en.wikipedia.org