Peak District & Snake Pass Drive Pack | The Stable

The Snake Pass is England's most atmospheric road — a sinuous climb through the Dark Peak moorland that connects Manchester to Sheffield via the highest point on the A57. The road takes its name from the Snake Inn, not from its shape, but the serpentine curves through the peat bogs and heather-covered hills are fitting nonetheless.

The drive begins in Glossop, a mill town on the western edge of the Peak District. From here, the A57 climbs steadily through a landscape that grows increasingly wild — the manicured fields of the Hope Valley give way to open moorland, peat hags, and the brooding plateau of Bleaklow. On misty days, the atmosphere is extraordinary; on clear days, the views stretch to Manchester and beyond.

The summit at 510 metres is exposed and windswept, with the Snake Inn providing shelter and refreshment. The descent into the Woodlands Valley on the eastern side is faster and more flowing, with long sweeping bends through conifer plantations.

The route extends naturally to include Winnats Pass — a narrow limestone gorge with a 1-in-5 gradient that is one of the most dramatic roads in England — and the Monsal Trail, a former railway line converted to a walking and cycling path with spectacular viaduct viewpoints. The combination of Dark Peak wildness and White Peak limestone creates a day of extraordinary variety.