Winnats Pass

 March 9, 2022.

WINNATS PASS, SPEEDWELL CAVERN, TREAK CLIFF CAVERN, BLUE JOHN CAVERN, MAM TOR, HOLLINS CROSS, BACK TOR, LOSE HILL, THE CHESHIRE CHEESE AT HOPE, HOPE PINFOLD, PEAKSHOLE WATER, THE GEORGE AT CASTLETON, PEAK CAVERN

Distance: Eight miles.

Difficulty: Strenuous start: easy finish.

Weather: Mainly sunny and dry with fluffy white clouds.

Walkers: Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns with Daisy, Mark Enright, Martin Evans, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney, Kieran Rooney, Keith Welsh, Dave Willetts, Simon Williams.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (Costa Rica hols), Peter Beal (entertaining family), Tom Cunliffe (domestic duties), Julian Ross (unspecified)

Leader: Cairns. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Remains of A625 road into Castleton at foot of Winnats Pass.

Starting time: 9.50am. Finishing time: 2.45pm.

On the summit of Mam Tor

After the disappointment of last week's weather we enjoyed a glorious day as winter petered out. Consequently our exertions in climbing three peaks on Great Ridge were rewarded with spectacular views across The Hope Valley.

There was still a chilly nip in the air as we set off and by the time we reached the top of Mam Tor we were being buffeted by stiff winds. But the breathtaking scenery made the effort well worthwhile.

Alastair reluctantly accepted the poisoned chalice of leadership and with a gentle hand on the tiller he managed to steer us to all our objectives on time – even if some arrived there by differing routes. His unflappable style appears to be suited to the anarchic dispositions of the Wednesday Wanderers.

He did, however, blot his copybook with a piece of fourth form humour which succeeded in blocking out Dave's face from the team photo. Back in my day that would have resulted in his being bent over a desk in the headmaster's study. But I digress...

From the remnants of the A625 we walked away from Castleton passing Dunscar Farm on our right (5mins) and Speedwell Cavern on our left. When we reached Treak Cliff Cavern on our left (11mins) two of our group chose to take this alternative route towards Mam Tor while the remainder continued until we literally ran out of road (17mins)

The A625 from Chapel to Sheffield was first created in the early 1800s and has been rebuilt many times since. Underneath it lies weak shale and sandstone which cause regular landslips. The battle to maintain the road was finally surrendered in 1979 and Mother Nature declared the winner.

To the right of this cul de sac were fragments of the shattered road which we navigated until we passed a National Trust sign for Mam Tor. We went through a wooden gate (30mins) and passed Blue John Cavern on our left (33mins). Beyond it we turned right at a wooden gate (39mins) and then right again at another one (47mins) where we began climbing a steep flight of stone steps. This brought us to the Trig Point at the 1,696 feet summit of Mam Tor (55mins).

View towards Edale from Mam Tor

Mam Tor means Mother Hill in old English. It was also known as Shivering Mountain because of its reputation for regular landslips in harsh conditions. The hill was once crowned by a late Bronze Age fort and two barrows (burial chambers) were discovered. It is part of Great Ridge which separates Hope Valley to the south from Edale to the north.

From the summit we continued down to Hollins Cross at Mam Nick, where we paused for Pietime (75mins)

Sheltering from the wind just below Hollins Cross

Suitably refreshed we continued eastward along Great Ridge before heading left up to the summit of Back Tor (92mins). Here, over many years, visiting hikers had created a series of cairns.

Suitably refreshed we continued eastwards along the ridge before heading left to the summit of Back Tor (92mins). Here over many years visiting hikers had created rows of cairns.

Alastair and Daisy Cairns with cairns

Descending we crossed a wooden stile (103mins) to enter Losehill Pike and Ward's Piece. At a junction (106mins) we turned right downhill and crossed a wooden stile (121mins). After crossing another wooden stile (131mins) we turned left and reached a lane (132mins) where we turned right. This in turn brought us to a road where we turned right again (135mins) to reach The Cheshire Cheese on our right (140mins). Here we enjoyed pints of Farmers Blonde at £3-95.

Resuming we turned right out of the pub and walked down to the main A625 road (150mins) where we turned right towards Castleton for a few yards before crossing and turning left up a road to the left of the Woodroffe Arms. This brought us on our right to Hope Pinfold (152mins) where lost sheep and cattle were once held in a pen to be collected by their owners.

We paused here for lunch then continued uphill before turning right at a green public footpath sign indicating the path to Castleton (153mins). This proved to be a series of footpaths which eventually reached the left bank of a stream called Peakshole Water and crossed a commercial railway line to Hope Cement Works.

Return to Castleton

The series of paths finally reached a road (173mins) where we turned left to enter Castleton town centre, passing Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese and Ye Olde Nags Head on our left before we turned left before The Castle to reach The George on our right (186mins).

Our numbers were now diminished for a final pint before we returned to the main road, turned left and passed Peak Cavern on our left (189mins) to reach our cars (192mins)

Next week's walk will provide a change of scenery as we take an historical journey from the centre of Manchester. We meet at 10am at the new war memorial statue right outside the entrance to Piccadilly Railway Station. The route will take us along canals beneath the city streets, calling at various colourful pubs and a curry house. Bring your drinking boots but leave your packed lunch at home.

Happy wandering !