Great Drives Open the map app

Snake Pass

A57 · Glossop → Ladybower Reservoir · England

Length
14 miles
Drive time
25 min
Type
Mountain pass
Region
England

Before you go: Frequently closed by snow and landslips — check before travelling

The moody trans-Pennine classic: from Glossop the A57 writhes over bleak Bleaklow moorland — the 'snake' is the road itself — before dropping through forest to the Ladybower reservoir. At its best early on a clear morning.

From Glossop the A57 climbs onto Bleaklow and the road itself is the snake: a writhing trans-Pennine A-road over moor that can feel empty and then very busy. Surface is generally good; the weather is not. It closes in snow and after landslips — check before you leave Glossop, not at the barrier in a queue. Blind crests, sheep, and sudden fog are the ordinary hazards. The descent through forest to Ladybower is the change of mood.

Early on a clear morning is the drive. August weekends and winter Fridays are someone else's problem. Fuel in Glossop; the Ladybower Inn is the food and the reservoir photograph at the eastern end. There is no good reason to stop on the high moor except a signed lay-by.

Pair it with Winnats and the Cat and Fiddle for the Peak District weekend already in the app, or continue toward Sheffield if you are only using it as the crossing it is.

This is a main road over a peat moor, not a pass in the alpine sense. Give it the respect the closures keep trying to teach. Ladybower's dams and the forest drop are the change of weather as well as of gradient; spray and shade linger after the moor has cleared. If the A57 is listed as closed, the Woodhead (A628) is the ugly alternative, not a scenic substitute. Walkers use the lay-bys as trailheads — leave them space. A thermos in Glossop beats a stop on the top in a gale.

Highlights of the Snake Pass

Where to stop on the Snake Pass

Drive the Snake Pass

Open Snake Pass on the map → ⬇ Download GPX

GPX works with Garmin, TomTom, Beeline and most bike sat-navs. Free, no sign-up — these are indicative waypoints, so follow the road signs, not the arrow.

Plot it, add it to a club run with a meeting point and pit stops, then share the whole trip as one link. Free, no account, works offline.

Route research: Venture Bound

More driving roads in England