Catching the sunrise is one of the most popular reasons for visiting the Peak District and undoubtedly the most visited location is Mam Tor.
Mam Tor stands over 500 metres high and is less than a few miles away from Castleton, a village in the western end of the Hope Valley that is arguably a perfect base for exploring the national park.
The easiest option for parking for Mam Tor is at the National Trust Mam Nick car park on the Sparrowpit Buxton: road.
Grid reference: SK124832.
The nearest postcode is S33 8WA although this covers a large area from the car park, so it will be easier to search for Mam Nick car park on your satnav.
Click here for the Google map location of Mam Nick car park
Parking is free for National Trust members but for non-members there is a pay and display ticket terminal which DOES NOT accept cash, you can pay for your parking via the PayByPhone app or website or calling the phone number on the sign and following the instructions.
If you want to pre-pay for your parking before you set off, the code number needed for the PayByPhone location is 803437
From the back of the car park there is a clearly marked, well surfaced path to the summit which is around a mile in distance but is uphill.
To find out sunrise times, there are a number of websites like metcheck.com that will give you this information.
READ MORE: 6 places to experience the sunrise in the Peak District
You will need take into account your driving time to Mam Nick and the walk to the summit from the car park (the average time is 30-45 minutes depending on your ability).
We would recommend that you arrive well in advance of sunrise. If you arrive and find Mam Nick car park is full, you will need to head north and try to grab one of the few layby spots on the road, but that will add to your journey and take you further away from Mam Tor.
Do not park on the double yellow lines in the area, even on the grass that is off the road, as you will almost certainly return to a parking ticket. There are a number of legitimate alternatives for parking at Mam Tor that are further afield to avoid attracting the attention of traffic wardens who regularly patrol the area.
If you wanted to avoid the early start and journey to Mam Tor, it is worth bearing in mind that as with the rest of the Peak District, staying in your vehicle overnight on the road or a car park is prohibited. However, there are a number of campsites near Mam Tor and Castleton that accommodate vehicles. This might give you the option of taking a longer walk for sunrise and returning to your campsite for breakfast before you checkout.
Below are some Mam Tor sunrises captured by the members of our Derbyshire and Peak District walking group.
Join the group and click the #mamtor or #sunrises hashtags in the Topics tab to see more posts or share your own Mam Tor sunrise experience.
