Winnats Pass

Winnats Pass is a beautiful limestone gorge managed by National Trust leading to Castleton village in the Peak District. The steep-sided ravine has attracted countless people for centuries with its fascinating geology that has seen an active reef transformed over hundreds of millions of years and intricately cut through ice ages. Here is everything you need to know before you visit including walks, parking, and things to do in the surrounding area.

Winnats Pass view point is a must-see on a visit to Castleton. The iconic view overlooks the village and surrounding Hope Valley region framed in a canvas of intricate hillside ridges and a narrow road you can travel through. There are paths you can take in every direction to reach this viewpoint. The best route up is going from the gate at the top of the pass. Facing downhill, take the dirt path veering off from the right side of the road and follow the hill along for 10 minutes until you get to the bend in the picture above.

Walking through Winnats Pass is otherworldly, so much so that the surrounding area has inspired scenes in the Game of Thrones prequel. The jagged limestone edges cut from being underwater has left much to be admired, so it’s no surprise this vale has become part of many popular trails. It takes around 20 minutes to get from the bottom to the top of the road and 15 minutes to get back down so we recommend merging it into a longer walk. There are grass paths to avoid sharing the road with cars. It never feels crowded but expect a light flow of cars and people on a typical day. This certainly helps to make it a little less haunting.

Short walk: Castleton to Winnats Pass

Medium walk: Castleton Cave Dale circular walk via Winnats Pass

Long Walk: Castleton/Edale circular walk via Mam Tor and Winnats Pass

Winnats Pass is fairly steep with an average 10.9% incline but the pay-off is glorious. You won’t find many downhill views as epic as this, and the ones you do are probably the other end of this route over in Hathersage. Start at Surprise View car park at the top of Hathersage Booths overlooking Derwent Valley. Head down through Hathersage and enjoy flat roads with plentiful cycling lanes, follow the main road past Bamford, Hope and into Castleton. On the far end you can head up Winnats Pass and then turn around back to the start. Or, if you want a circular route just going down Winnats, start in Castleton and make your way through Hope Valley to Bradwell. Keep going towards Tideswell and then Sparrowpit and turn off towards Castleton.

Castleton caving experiences are the best in the Peak District. Speedwell Cavern sits at the entrance, ready for brave adventurers to take an underground boat journey through a network of tight tunnels. It’s a family-friendly tour where you can learn more about the cave’s relations to Castleton village, although it isn’t quite as friendly for disabled access and claustraphobes. You’re spoilt for choice because there’s not just 1 but 3 other major caves nearby – the most popular being Peak Cavern for its ideal location within the village, followed by Blue John Cavern, and then Treak Cliff Cavern which are further out towards Mam Tor. Interestingly, Winnats Pass has small ‘cave’ openings, including one on the roadside half way up and a few you may spot in the image below. You can hear water inside but we don’t advise entering without professional guidance as it could be dangerous. Further down Old Mam Tor road you’ll find Odin Mine, which is a little cave entrance you can crouch into.

There are far better spots for climbing in the Peak District. We don’t recommend Winnats Pass because it hovers over an active road so you may pose a danger should you or any rocks come tumbling down. With that said, the rock formations are pretty sturdy and on rare occasions people do go scrambling up two of its ridges. The most challenging climb is Matterhorn ridge (centre in the picture above). It’s a bit more difficult to reach but you can see a little cave entrance near the bottom which serves as a starting point. The other scramble is called Elbow ridge (to the right) which is more beginner friendly. The pointy rock face sticks out the first bend going up Winnats Pass and can be accessed from the roadside. You can complete it within minutes.

Speedwell cavern car park is the closest parking spot at the bottom entrance of Winnats Pass. However, there is very limited space and it’s pay & display. Save your money and use the free public parking spaces on Old Mam Tor Road just before turning off to Winnats Pass from Castleton. If you want easier access to Winnats Pass viewpoint the best place to park is in a layby on the main road at the top.

Yes, you can drive up Winnats Pass towards Mam Tor, Buxton and Manchester. The windy road is short, steep and narrow so drive with caution. You may need to slow down or stop near bends if large vehicles such as buses are coming the other way. It is open most of the time but occasionally closes in winter due to snow/icy conditions. In December 2023 a truck tipped over and the road was closed for the next 2 days.

By car: Use Google maps or GPS to search for Winnats Pass, Castleton, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S33 8WA, UK.

By bus: There is a bus stop outside Speedwell Cavern car park for the buses 87a, 257c (Sheffield – Castleton – Glossop), and BLUE. Stagecoach runs the open-top BLUE Peak Sightseer tour bus, which offers a picturesque ride to many Peak District hotspots such as Blue John Cavern, Castleton, Chatsworth House, Bamford, Hathersage, and Longshaw Lodge around Sheffield. Alternatively, if you can get to Bakewell town in the Peaks there’s a 173 bus to Castleton every 10 to the hour.

By train: You can access the Manchester Piccadilly/Sheffield train line to get to Hope station. This is the neighbouring village to Castleton. Walking from the station is about an hour or you can simply head down to the bottom of Station Road and there’s a bus stop straight ahead with an hourly 272/271 bus to Castleton and it’s a short walk from there.

Avoid driving through Winnats pass in ice and snow because it’s an accident waiting to happen. However, if you catch some winter snow it’s a rare chance for a stunning walk reminiscent of hiking up mini alps. Remember to take walking gear including a waterproof jacket, stick and shoes for grip.