Exploring the Peak District: Mam Tor Circular Walk from Edale; A Step-by-Step Guide.
- Adventure Solos
- Mar 4
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 10
Mam Tor is a classic Peak District walk with probably the best ridgeline in Derbyshire. The ridge is a nice wide path, making it suitable for those with a fear of heights.
Mam Tor, meaning 'mother hill', is a 517m high hill. This is a detailed route description to help you walk Mam Tor from Edale (via Rushup Edge). It's a lovely circular 9mile (14km) route, which takes around 4 - 4.5 hours (plus stops) to complete.
Not great with a map? There are a couple of ways I can help:
1). If you're in your 30s, 40s or 50s, come and join us!
You can meet like-minded people on our next Mam Tor outing here. Or find other walks and events with us here.
2). We can also help you learn to map read here.
If you find the information below useful, please consider buying me a coffee. You can do that here.
Route Overview
Start point: Edale Car Park, S33 7ZQ (near Edale Train Station).
Distance: 9 miles (14km).
Duration: Approximately 4.5 hours walk (plus any sandwich / rest stops).
Fitness required: Moderate.
Map: OS Map OL1 (find it here)
Accommodation you might like: The Rambler Inn, YHA Castleton, The Old Nag's Head.
Route Description
Please note, whilst we aim to make the description as accurate as possible, no liability it taken for any omissions or errors. Please use the description at your own risk, and with some common sense (especially when walking on roads).
Getting Started (2 mins)
Walk towards the public toilets in the car park (S33 7ZQ).
Immediately to the left of the toilet block is a short path, which goes down a set of 9 steps.
Follow the steps down then take a right along to follow the pavement along the road (Mary's Lane).
Section 1: Edale to Barber Booth (45 mins)
In 50m (1 min), by the red post box, ignore the road turning to the left and continue straight ahead to go under the railway bridge. 50m (1 min) later, you will pass entrance to The Rambler Inn pub on your left.
Adventure Solo-ers at The Rambler Inn, a great place for refreshments at the end of your walk. This next footpath is easy to miss so pay attention. 100m (3 mins) after the pub entrance, as the road bends towards the right, you will see a small grassy field on your left in front of a barn conversion. Use the wooden 5-bar gate on your left (near the orange welcome sign for The Peak Centre) to enter the small field.
Walk across the small field (40m), then across the two more fields (c100m, or 3 mins each).
As you enter the third large field, pay attention again. Rather than continuing along the track the whole way (towards the farm), watch out for posts marking the path slightly to the left towards some trees. Cross into the next field, across the dirt track, and continue through 3 more fields (for approximately 400m, or 8 mins).
The path becomes a gravel track which turns left to cross a bridge over the railway. This gravel track bends to the right then brings you out onto a small road in the hamlet of Barber Booth. Continue to the right as you come onto the road.
After 50m (1 min), continue straight ahead as your road joins the main road (and crosses over the River Noe).
Section 2: Barber Booth to Rushup Edge and Lord's Seat (1hr 45mins)
Continue straight ahead on the road that comes down towards you from up the hill (please be aware of traffic whilst on road). You are likely to start to get warmed up now!
Continue straight ahead up this road You walk for around 400m (10 minutes). Around 15m before the road bends to your left, take the track through the wooden gate to your right (the gate is a great place to stop off the road to take a layer off if you're getting warm).
Continue to follow the track (this is 'Chapel Gate'). After around 800m (12-15 mins) it will start to climb more steeply up the hill in front of you (Lord's Seat and Rushup Edge). The steep section is 1km and is likely to take you around 30-40mins, depending on fitness.
The Chapel Gate track and the start of your steeper ascent As you approach the top, the walking will flatten. When this happens, continue ahead for around 300m (8 mins) and at the 'T-junction' in the paths, turn left to walk gently uphill again (rather than right which is downhill). You are now on 'Rushup Edge' - continue along with the wall on your right to 'Lord's Seat' at the top (approximately 1.4km, or 30-35 mins ahead).
Iconic paving on Rushup Edge and Mam Tor Lord's Seat (the top of Rushup Edge) can be a nice spot for a quick sandwich break - you may wish to add a layer as it's likely to be breezy. On a nice day, you may see many paragliders circling around you. This is the highest point of your walk, at around 550m.
Sandwich stop on Lord's Seat with paragliders all around!
Section 3: Lord's Seat to Mam Tor (40 mins)
From Lord's Seat, continue along to the end of Rushup Edge. After 1.1km (20 mins) the path is a little steep as you descend a little towards a fence before the road.
On Rushup Edge with paragliders all around As you get to the fence, follow it to the right for around 50m (1 min) to a gate by the trees. Turn left through the gate to follow the road slightly uphill for 30m, crossing over to go through the wooden gate and the start of the stepped path up to Mam Tor (you will see a sign for Mam Tor on the right of the path).
Mam Tor sign It's a short but sharp 350m (15min) walk up the path to the top of Mam Tor (517m). It's often busier here that the rest of the walk so far.
Adventure Solo at the Mam Tor trig point
Section 4: Mam Tor to Edale via Hollins Cross (1hr 15mins)
Continue beyond Mam Tor trig point along the ridge. The path descends, and after around 1.3km (20-25 mins) you will arrive at the stone pillar that is the 'trig point' for Hollins Cross.
A group of Adventure Solo-ers around the stone trig point at Hollins Cross on the Mam Tor ridgeline. Turn left off the ridgeline at Hollins Cross to start descending back into the valley (Vale of Edale).
After around 50m (1 min), the gravel path will split. Take the left hand path (which is slightly less steep) and follow it for 1km (around 20 mins).
Cross through the small wooden gate onto a single track tarmac road (before you start walking uphill again). Follow the road downhill for 1km (20 mins) until you come to the T-junction with a busier road.
Take a right along this road for 100m (3 mins), the car park where you started is on your left.
If you found this description useful, please consider buying me a coffee to help me support this work. You can do that here.
Or find out more about Adventure Solos here.
Can we help you?
Would you like to meet like-minded people in their 30s, 40s & 50s?
Do you want to get started in a safe environment?
Are you nervous getting lost?
Don't want to have to call Mountain Rescue?
Don't know any good walks?
Not sure what you should wear or take with you?
Don't want to waste money buying the wrong equipment?
Want to build skills, knowledge and confidence in the outdoors?
We can help!
Check out our beginner-friendly events at AdventureSolos.com here now.
Request
Spotted a mistake in this post? Tell me how I can change it by dropping me an email at AdventureSolos.com.
Found this post useful or interesting?
Share this post with others that might find it useful (eg Reddit or any relevant Facebook groups).
Buying me a coffee to help support this work here.
Thank you,
Chris
Other Useful Resources:
Wild Camp and paddle from the West to the East of Scotland - no experience required on this awesome Canoe Scotland Expedition!
Revelaed! How to wild camp legally in England & Wales.
Join us for laser tag, climbing, buggy building, abseiling and more at the Dearne Valley Weekend.
Try giant stand-up paddleboarding, raft building and some tree-top challenges at the Winderemere Weekend.
Tackle the Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge on this sociable weekend! Take a look here.
Join the mailing list to be kept up to date.
Found a broken or out of date link? I'd appreciate it if you could email to let me know.
Comments