Upper Reddale Clough

Looking towards Grindlesgrain Tor.

View up Lady Clough and the A57, Snake Pass.

View looking down Lady Clough and the A57, Snake Pass.

The Snake Pass is on the higher reaches of the A57, where it crosses the Peak District between Manchester and Sheffield. More specifically, the name usually refers to the section between Glossop and Ladybower Reservoir, where the road passes over the high ground between the moorland plateaux of Kinder Scout and Bleaklow. The highest point is 512 metres (1,680 ft) above sea level. The road was built in 1821 by Thomas Telford, as a toll road along the most direct route between the two cities. It passes through the National Trust's High Peak Estate. In the 20th century the more northerly Woodhead Pass, which is less steep and at a lower altitude, became the primary road link between Manchester and Sheffield. The road has a poor accident record. In winter, it is often the first of the routes between Sheffield and Manchester to be closed due to snow. There are parts where the road surface has very poor skid resistance and a number of bends have adverse camber. There is a steep drop beside the road, railed off for long stretches by crash barriers. On 25 January 2008, a landslip due to heavy rain caused the road to be closed to all traffic, although access was still available to local premises and businesses. The repairs were completed in August 2008. The name of the road matches its winding route, but derives from the emblem of the Snake Inn, one of the few buildings on the road. The pub's name and sign were derived from the serpent on the Cavendish arms of the Duke of Devonshire. In recent times, the Snake Inn was renamed the Snake Pass Inn. Wikipedia: Link

One of the first really sunny Sundays of spring, and the motorcyclists were out in their thousands!

The A57 winds its way towards Glossop, a few miles distant. The chevrons alert motorists to one of many sharp bends on the way - important enough in glorious weather such as just now but potentially invaluable on this route susceptible to sudden changes in the weather.

Detail of road signs at a sharp bend on Snake Pass (see SE2138 : Low Hall Road). While the bend is worthy of chevrons in any conditions, this route on high ground is very susceptible to extremes and sudden changes in the weather, so in conditions less calm than today the arrows and their fluorescent border could well be invaluable.

A stream passes under the A57 Snake Pass by way of this rather attractive culvert, more a small tunnel well below the road surface. Although the wall clearly curves outwards towards us, the bend in the road is actually going the other way.

A close-up view of the entrance to SK1092 : Snake Pass: Doctor’s Gate Culvert, passing under the A57 Snake Pass.

Looking down the tunnel of SK1092 : Snake Pass: Doctor’s Gate Culvert from just inside the entrance. It is such a bright day that the end of the tunnel appears as a bright white spot.

The stream named Upper North Grain (Nether North Grain is half a mile or so to the south) flows into SK1092 : Snake Pass: Doctor’s Gate Culvert as we look out from the entrance to the culvert tunnel.

Currently commandeered by road repairers.

A permissive footpath zig zags its way down into the clough.