Climbing Mam Tor

Simon’s cousin, Olly, had recommended Mam Tor as an excellent Peak walk so we took his advice and headed to Castleton, after a FaceTime call to Mum and Dad to hear about Mum’s experience seeing the Little Mermaid.  

It was a glorious day, though forecast to be breezy, an understated description of wind gusts up to 60kph. We parked on the outskirts of Castleton and stopped at the Three Roofs Café for coffee and Bakewell tart – which seemed appropriate to sample whilst in the local area.  Castleton was a beautiful old village and we were soon out of town with a clear view of Mam Tor in the distance.  

It was pleasant walking as we made our way up Lose Hill, though we could feel the strength of the breeze as we crested the ridge. We made our way along the ridgeline with superb views. We followed the flagstones along the Great Ridge and over Black Tor to Hollins Cross.  We passed a group of little cairns and found a sheltered spot for lunch before returning to crest Mam Tor summit.  The wind was ferocious and we struggled to maintain our footing.  It was a relief to commence the descent and find our way cross country back to the car.  

Given the we had a little extra time, we stopped in Glossop to take a look at the old town. Nestled at the foot of the famous Snake Pass, that we will need to keep in mind for another trip, the old town dates back to the 12th century with pretty stone cottages and a medieval market cross.  

We had arranged to meet Nikki and Mark at the Pizza Box for dinner, a market stall in Rawtenstall, run by Simon’s cousin Tim and his wife, Micaela.  The stall offered freshly baked pizza and draught Peroni – a perfect combination.  Ably assisted by their eldest daughter, Olivia, the beer and pizzas were delivered quickly.  Simon ordered the Cajun chicken and I had the goats cheese with pepperoni, which was amazing.   Despite the cold evening, we were warm inside by the heater.  Jeff and Cheryl, who live just a mile up the road, also popped in to say hello.  It was a lovely opportunity to spend some more time with Simon’s relatives. 

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