The summit of the Snake Pass, at a little over 500 metres, is a bleak and beautiful place: a broad saddle of peat moorland between the high plateaus of Kinder Scout to the south and Bleaklow to the north, with heather, cotton grass and dark, eroded peat hags stretching away on both sides. The A57 crosses here on its way between Glossop and Sheffield, and the Pennine Way, Britain's oldest long-distance footpath, crosses the road at the top. On a clear day the view east down the valley of the Snake is wide and wild; on a bad day you can barely see the road.
The road was built in the early nineteenth century as a turnpike, engineered by Thomas Telford, and its name comes from the Snake Inn, further down the eastern side, which was named after the snake in the coat of arms of the Duke of Devonshire, the local landowner. For walkers, the moors around here have a famous history: in 1932, hundreds of people took part in a mass trespass on Kinder Scout to protest against the lack of public access to the moors, an event that helped lead to the creation of national parks and the right to roam in Britain.
The Snake Pass ranks among the most popular motorcycle roads in England, with long climbs, sweeping bends, tight corners and fine views. It is also one of the most dangerous: the road pinches down here and there, with steep drops, and the weather can be wild, with fog, rain, ice and snow, and the road is often closed in winter. Landslips have closed it at times. Traffic is heavy at weekends, and there are speed limits and enforcement. Ride carefully and respect the road.
The moors here are part of the Peak District National Park, the first national park in Britain, and they are home to grouse, curlews and mountain hares, which turn white in winter. The wreckage of several aircraft that crashed in fog lies on Bleaklow, a reminder of how treacherous the weather can be.
Glossop, about five kilometres west, has fuel, shops, cafes and pubs. To the east, the Ladybower Reservoir and the Hope Valley have more services. There is nothing at the summit itself, apart from a lay-by and the view.