A breezy day on the summit of Mam Tor
On Hope Brink
Leaving Mam Tor en route towards Lose Hill
Ascending Win Hill
On a fine Autumnal day recently, a group of East Cheshire Ramblers set out on a 12.5 mile walk from the Mam Nick National Trust car park in the Peak District. The route initially involved climbing Mam Tor (“Mother Hill”) which overlooks the town of Castleton, and gives splendid views of the Hope Valley on the right and the valley of Edale on the left. Mam Tor itself was once the location of a Bronze Age hill fort, which would have made it a citadel commanding the countryside for miles around.
The walk continued along the crest of the Great Ridge, with the walkers braced against the blustery winds, to Lose Hill from where we could see our next target – Win Hill. These two peaks are said to have been named following a battle, preceding which the opposing armies faced each other from the vantage points they afforded. According to this version, the army from Win Hill prevailed, but modern research indicates that no battle was ever fought here and that the origins of the names are more likely to have been based on their natural features.
After descending from Lose Hill the party followed a diagonal path onto the moorland above Ladybower Reservoir. The periodic bursts of sunshine lit up swathes of the hills and valleys, highlighting the spectacular autumnal colours and providing rich reward for the steeper climbs.
The rocky outcrop at the summit of Win Hill provided shelter from the strong winds for the lunch stop, after which the party began the descent into the village of Hope
The footpath along the valley to Castleton provided the return route, tackling the final ascent via Treak Cliff, and Windy Knoll before returning to the car park.