Having looked at various options, I had booked into the Youth Hostel in Castleton, which is conveniently situated right at the beginning of our walk, and had ample free parking. Better still, there are sheep! Almost as soon as we arrived (it was too early for us to check in), we set off along the track and up the steep slope of Lose Hill. It was perfect weather for walking, mild and with a gentle breeze, and plenty of others clearly felt the same, as it was quite busy up there. After a brief sandwich stop, we then walked right along the ridge to the summit of Mam Tor. There were many more people at this point, because from here Mam Tor can be more easily accessed along a short track, directly up from the road, which is ideal if you want to be able to enjoy the views for a lot less effort.
From here we dropped back down towards the road, passing the Blue John Cavern and on towards Winnats Pass, which we had driven over on our journey to Castleton. There appears to be a lot of caverns in this area, Lily's favourite being Peak Cavern, because it is also known as the Devil's Arse!
From here, our route took us through the village, and back to the Youth Hostel, where by this time we were able to check in and go to our room. Tired from our walk, we decided to eat at the hostel that evening, then I had a wander around the grounds and made friends with a goat :)
