Adventure along the abandoned Old Mam Tor road
England, europe
3.21 km
N/A
hard
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're in the stunning High Peak of Derbyshire, surrounded by classic English countryside. You stumble upon a ghost road - Old Mam Tor, a stretch of asphalt abandoned back in '79 due to some seriously persistent landslips.
This wasn't just any road, though. Once upon a time, this section of the A625, nicknamed "The New Road," was the main artery between Manchester and Sheffield. Built in 1819, it dared to cut right across the Mam Tor landslide. Locals called Mam Tor the "Shivering Mountain" for a reason!
Located near the village of Castleton, where Hope Valley begins, the road constantly shifted and cracked due to the unstable ground, requiring endless repairs. Eventually, after nearly 160 years of battling the elements, it was deemed a lost cause.
Now, it's a 2-mile-long (3.21km) stretch of broken pavement, locally known as the "Broken Road" or "The Shattered Road." While impassable to cars (a wooden gate blocks the way), you can still walk it. Be warned: it gets pretty steep in places, with gradients hitting 10% in some spots. You're rewarded with some incredible views, a reminder of nature's power and the fleeting nature of human endeavors.
Where is it?
Adventure along the abandoned Old Mam Tor road is located in England (europe). Coordinates: 53.1594, -2.9388
Road Details
- Country
- England
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 3.21 km
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 53.1594, -2.9388
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