A walk to Mam Tor is an obligatory activity when visiting the Peak District. In this guide, I share a family-friendly route to Mam Tor and all the essential info you’ll need before visiting.
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Mam Tor Walk at a Glance
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Mam Tor Walk FAQs
Getting There & Parking
Mam Tor is located in the Hope Valley area of the Peak District. It’s a mile west of Castleton, 5 miles southeast of Edale, and 2 miles south of Ladybower Reservoir.
You’ll find parking for Mam Tor all along Mam Tor Road – click here for the Google Map Location. It’s free to park, and there are plenty of spaces, but keep in mind that it can get extremely busy during peak times.
Best Time to Visit
Mam Tor is an accessible hike providing some of the best views in the Peak District. It’s safe to say that it is a popular spot.
Of course, the weekends and during school holidays will always be the busiest. The classic Mam Tor walking route is one of few family-friendly routes in the area.
With unobstructed panoramic views from the summit of Mam Tor, it’s also one of the best places to watch the sunrise and sunset. If you can visit during those times on a clear day, you’re in for quite the treat.
Mam Tor Walk Map
Mam Tor Walk Difficulty
This is one of the easier walks in the Peak District. While reaching the summit is a strenuous ascent, the trail is well-paved and easy to navigate. At a steady pace, you can reach the trig point in around 30 minutes.
There are plenty of opportunities for those looking to intensify their hike. You can continue along the Great Ridge, which includes another four peaks or walk to Kinder Scout via Edale from Mam Tor.
Other Things Worth Knowing
Mam Tor Height: Mam Tor stands at a height of 517 metres.
Are Dogs Allowed at Mam Tor? The Mam Tor trail is dog-friendly.
Is Mam Tor kid-friendly? Your kids will love this hike too!
Pushchair/Wheelchair Access: Unfortunately, this route is not accessible with a pushchair or wheelchair.
Footwear: Supportive footwear with a good grip is a hiking essential for this walk.
Facilities: You will find bins, shops, pubs, toilets etc. in Castleton.
Map: It’s always good to have a map handy. We use All Trails.
Our Experience on this Mam Tor Walk
We set off early in the morning after watching the sunrise on Winnats Pass. The ascent begins almost immediately as you follow the trail from Mam Tor Road.
It’s a wide grassy track to start and a favoured spot amongst the local livestock. As always, they were more concerned about our dog than with us, so we gave them a wide birth and continued on.
A wooden gate marks the end of the grassy track, and the final few hundred metres to the summit are a series of paved rocky steps.
It’s undoubtedly one of the most well-maintained trails we’ve encountered in the Peak District. Despite the burn in the legs, it made for a pleasant climb.
We reached the trig point in around 20 minutes. The reward for our efforts was the unbelievable panoramic views. There are various viewpoints allowing for different perspectives.
From this point, I found the view along the Great Ridge to be exceptionally breathtaking. It stretches for miles into the distance, and I wish we had more time to walk all the way along.
Once you’re done immersing in the views, you can make your way back down the way you came. Or, if the adventure has left you thirsty for more, you can continue walking along the ridge.
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Enjoy This Mam Tor Walk!
I hope you enjoy this Mam Tor 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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