The Mam Tor circular in the Hope Valley has been named one of the UK’s best walks that can be easily reached by public transport, and it’s less than an hour from Manchester
A stunning walk in the Peak District, boasting breathtaking views, has been hailed as one of the UK’s best accessible by train — and it’s just a stone’s throw from Manchester.
The Mam Tor circular in Hope Valley clinched second place in a ranking of the country’s top walks reachable via public transport, according to research by outdoor specialists at Blacks. In fact, this Peak District trek was only pipped to the post by the Seven Sisters and Seaford trail in East Sussex.
To compile the list, researchers scrutinised Google search data, All Trails reviews and the proximity of each walk to the nearest railway station.
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With an impressive All Trails rating of 4.8 and a UK search volume of 1,127,000 from July 2024 to June 2025, Mam Tor scored a commendable 9.17 out of 10, narrowly missing out on the top spot to the Seven Sisters’ score of 9.38, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The circular walk kicks off in the beautiful village of Hope, which is a mere 48-minute train ride from Manchester Piccadilly train station. Taking roughly one and a half hours to complete, this moderate route leads you to one of England’s most iconic hills, Mam Tor, offering spectacular views across the Hope Valley.
After their hike, walkers can unwind with a well-deserved visit to one of historic Hope’s numerous picturesque pubs and cafes, including the dog-friendly Cheshire Cheese Inn or the Old Hall Hotel. Other notable nearby villages include Castleton and Edale.
One of the top ten walks easily accessible by train from Manchester is the Kent Estuary and Arnside Knott Circular in Cumbria. Starting in Arnside, just an hour and 20 minutes away from Manchester Piccadilly by train, this walk offers stunning views of Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland fells.
UK’s best walks that you can reach by train, as recommended and ranked by Blacks:
- Seven Sisters and Seaford, East Sussex
- Mam Tor Circular, Hope, Derbyshire
- Box Hill Circular, Box Hill & Westhumble, Surrey
- Arthurs Seat, Edinburgh Waverley, Edinburgh
- Whernside and Ribblehead Circular, Ribblehead, North Yorkshire
- Kent Estuary and Arnside Knott Circular, Arnside, Cumbria
- Dover White Cliffs Walk, Dover Priory, Kent
- East Strand, Portrush, County Antrim
- Cleveland Way: Scarborough to Filey, Scarborough, North Yorkshire
- Ilkley Moor and Cow & Calf Rocks, Ilkley, West Yorkshire
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