Alport Castles should be on your list of places to see in the Peak District. In this guide, I share the details of an adventurous circular walk to Alport Castles, as well as all the essential information you’ll need before visiting.
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Alport Castles Walk at a Glance
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Highlights of this Alport Castles Walk
B29′ Overexposed’ Crash Site Memorial – A B-29 Superfortress’s wreckage now remains as a memorial site standing in the moors.
Alport Valley – A picturesque section of the walk with rolling green hills and a majestic river.
Alport Castles – Incredible rock formation caused by an enormous landslip believed to be the largest in the UK.
Alport Farm – Another beautiful section of the walk with enchanting scenery.
Snake Woodland – A fairytale woodland with spectacular trees and a pretty river.
Lady Clough Dale – The river that runs through Snake Woodland continues alongside Snake Pass.
Alport Castles FAQs
Before I share my experience on the Alport Castles circular walk, let’s cover some key information to help you plan accordingly.
How to Get There
Alport Castles are located in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District on the eastern side of the Alport Valley. They lie north of Snake Pass and northwest of Ladybower Reservoir.
Several routes and trails lead to Alport Castles; however, my route starts at this car park on Snake Pass. Another popular starting point is the Derwent Overlook car park.
Best Time to Visit
Alport Castles is one of the more remote hikes in the Peak District National Park. Compared to Mam Tor or Kinder Scout, it draws just a fraction of the crowds.
So when it comes to the trail, you needn’t worry about it getting busy. However, since the car parks also serve other walking routes in the area, these can get full during busier times.
It’s also worth mentioning that Alport Castles is remote and rather exposed to the elements. I wouldn’t attempt it in extreme weather conditions or poor visibility.
Alport Castles Walk Map
Alport Castles Walk Difficulty
This hike to Alport Castles is a tough one. Not only was it strenuous on the legs, but the terrain was tricky to navigate at times. There’s also a bit of scrambling involved up to Alport Castles.
Do not let that put you off. Any hiker with some experience will be able to handle the trail with no issues. You just need to be prepared for quite a gruelling workout at times.
Other Things to Know
Dogs: The Alport Castles walk is dog-friendly.
Kids: Not suitable for younger children.
Footwear: Supportive footwear with a good grip is a hiking essential for this trail.
Pushchair/Wheelchair Access: Unfortunately, this route is not accessible with a pushchair or wheelchair.
Facilities: There are no facilities nearby. Bring enough food and water for your hike, and take rubbish home.
Map: It’s always good to have a map handy. We use All Trails for this purpose.
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Our Experience Walking to Alport Castles
After parking the van at Snake Pass Summit, we joined The Pennine Way and made our way to the B29′ Overexposed’ Cr@sh Site.
The USAF plane tragically cr@shed in Saddleworth Moors in 1948 k!lling all 13 crew members. Debris of the wreckage remains, as well as a memorial plaque and other remembrances.
After respectfully exploring the crash site, we took the trail heading east toward Alport Valley. This section of the walk is vast open moorland. The tracks are well-trodden, but there are many of them. It can be disorientating. That’s where a map like All Trails comes in handy to help stay on track.
The views through the valley are immense, with rolling green hills on either side and a majestic river snaking through the middle.
The trail resembles the river, snaking in and out of the hills. There are no crazy ascents or descents, but it undulates enough to feel the resistance in the legs. It’s also not the easiest of terrains.
When you see it, you’ll understand why it’s called Alport Castles. There is no clear trail to the viewpoint, but you can spot a few worn tracks as you clamber through the overgrown fern trees.
It’s a steep climb up to the viewpoint and involves a bit of scrambling in sections. The view from the top is out of this world. As I sat with my chicken avocado wrap, I wondered if I’d ever had a better lunch view.
We must have spent nearly an hour taking in the views and snapping some photos. During that time, we didn’t see one other person. Alport Castles is still a hidden gem in the Peak District, but it won’t last forever.
We continued the trail down towards Alport Farm and Alport River, a beautiful stretch of trail that looked like something out of a fairy tale. Follow the track up towards Snake Pass before joining the Cowms Moor trail.
These next few km before the woodland are tough going. Undulating through the moors, my legs were screaming at me.
At around the 17km mark, you enter Snake Woodland. It started to rain at this point, which made the woodland walk even more magical and serene.
You’ll eventually reach a section where you must cross over Snake Pass to reenter the woodland on the other side. At this point, you want to stick to the trail closest to the road keeping the river on your left.
Upon leaving the woodland, the sun was starting to set. Thankfully we were almost there, but the hike took much longer than expected. It took us 7 hours in total, with an hour’s break for lunch at Alport Castles.
Be sure to allow yourself enough time to get back before dark. The final stretch is quite hairy, with narrow paths and steep drop-offs. The setting sun was gorgeous, though, and we had the treat of yet more spectacular views.
Enjoy this Adventurous Walk to Alport Castles!
I hope you enjoy this Alport Castles Walk as much as we did. If you’re visiting the area soon, you might find some of our Peak District articles helpful.
If you have any questions, please ask. Otherwise, I wish you happy and safe travels.
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Check out our England series for more travel tips and advice.
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