March
8:00 Start with 17:30 (5:30pm) Return
12½ miles (20km) with 2,600ft (800m) Total Ascent.
The 'Great Ridge' divides the rolling limestone uplands of the White Peak to the south from the higher millstone grit country of the High Peak to the north. This walk will see us traverse the full length from Rushup Edge to Lose Hill.
Starting from Hayfield, famous as the starting point for the mass trespass on Kinder Scout in the 1930s, we follow the valley of the River Sett to eventually ascend Famine Hill (1,552ft/473m), not an appropriate place to stop for butties. Continuing along the high ground we climb the slightly higher South Hill before getting to 'grips' with Brown Knoll (1,867ft/569m) and its infinite wetness.
A lengthy descent then takes us south-eastward across the Manchester to Sheffield railway line deep underground in the 2 mile long Cowburn Tunnel before we swing round to Rushup Edge, a surprisingly narrow ridge for the Peak District. Beyond a nick in the ridge lies Mam Tor (1,696ft/517m), known as the 'Shivering Mountain' given the propensity for its precipitous south-east face to slip on a frequent basis. One such landslip closed the main road from Chapel-en-le-Frith to Castleton permanently. Our traverse continues to Hollins Cross, Back Tor and finally Lose Hill (1,562ft/476m) before descending to Castleton via Losehill Hall.
10 miles (16.1km) with 2008 ft (612m) Total Ascent
From Castleton we head along Hollowford Road east to Losehill Hall and then north east to Losehill Farm from where we ascend to Lose Hill and a viewpoint. We then head west, passing Back Tor, Hollins Cross leading to the high point of Mam Tor. Then descend to Winnats Head Farm and passing Blue John Cavern, Cliff Cavern & Speedwell Cavern to reach Goosehill Farm. We then take a path south west to Limestone Way and follow this back down Cave Dale to Castleton Dark Peak Centre.
7½ miles (12km) with 1700ft (518m) Total Ascent
We leave Castleton south up Cave Dale. High above on the right can be seen the remains of the 11th Century Peveril Castle. Following the Limestone Way we leave Cave Dale and follow a track north heading for Mam Tor and after a short climb we arrive at the top. Mam Tor is also known as the Shivering Mountain due to layers of unstable slate causing land slips. We then proceed to Hollins Cross and on to Lose Hill. With all the serious climbing done we return to Castleton via Losehill Hall.
6 miles (9.7km) with 800ft (244m) Total Ascent
We head north out of the village along the Hollowford Road. At the road end we turn west and follow a path which passes Mam Farm and leads on to the road heading south which finally closed in 1979 after years of landslips below the "Shivering Mountain" (Mam Tor).
It is still a footpath and we continue along it to the Blue John Cavern where we can tarry awhile before following a field path to Winnats Head Farm. We go west for a short distance to Windy Knoll before turning south again past Oxlow House to eventually join the Limestone Way. This takes us north east through Cavedale, below Peveril Castle, and back into Castleton where there are plenty of tea shops and pubs.