Mam Tor & The Great Ridge, Peak District

Few walks anywhere in Britain offer a greater reward-to-effort ratio than this airy, undulating Peak District ridgeline. It can get busy, but it’s a joy to walk

If you only do one walk in the Peak District, this is the walk you should choose. It is a Peak rite of passage – an iconic hike that’s suitable for the whole family. This route strikes a perfect balance, delivering just enough drama to make you feel like you’re on a ‘real’ adventure, but in a bite-sized package that won’t take all day or leave you exhausted. Instead you get maximum excitement for minimal effort, and that’s something to be cherished.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better ridge walk you can fit into half a day anywhere in the UK. At just 12.5km with slightly over 600 metres of ascent, the Great Ridge is far from a tough outing for the competent hillwalker; but it packs a similar punch to hikes of double the distance. The views across Hope Valley and the Vale of Edale are glorious; the airy, undulating ridgeline is a joy to walk; and there’s plenty of time when you’re finished for a coffee or pint in the delightful villages of Castleton, Hope or Edale.

There is a drawback, however: it is a very busy route. It is probably the Peak District’s most popular walk, and you might end up sharing the trail with photographers, Instagrammers and tourists galore. But it’s not impossible to escape the crowds. Visit at dawn or dusk, mid-week or off-season for your best chance of a quieter hike. Or simply embrace the communal vibes of this route; after all, when the ridge walking is this great, it should be shared with others.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION

1 SK171834 Exit car park, cross road and turn right. Before reaching post office, turn left down alleyway marked ‘public footpath’ at fingerpost sign. Go up steps and through two metal kissing gates. Continue north through housing estate past Hope Dental and take footpath through gate to left of school. Take paths heading north and then north-west across fields and through several gates. Cross green footbridge over railway line before continuing north-west through gates and past cottages. Emerge onto open fellside and bear north-west over grassy slopes towards Losehill Farm. As you ascend gently, veer left to cross wooden platform over small stream before turning right to follow drystone wall beyond a barn. Continue uphill to right of another wall, go through gate and turn left through another gate to pass