Compare 16 lodges near Mam Tor, closest first – filter by hot tubs, pets, pools and more, then check dates and prices.
Redbrick Woodland Lodges is part of our Autograph Lodge Holidays Collection, nestling in woodland with its own small lake in the grounds of an historic 19th century house.
Picture it: you’re on the summit of Mam Tor at 517 metres just after sunrise, with the Edale valley on one side, Castleton’s rooftops on the other and the stone-flagged Great Ridge running away towards Lose Hill. A few hours later you’re back at your lodge with the kettle on, boots drying by the door and the hot tub warming up on the deck. That’s why so many walkers pick a lodge over a hotel room when they’re looking for places to stay near Mam Tor.
Every lodge retreat below is between about 23 and 44 minutes’ drive from the hill. We’ve picked six with real reviews behind them, from a quiet adults-only site near Longnor to a woodland resort with its own indoor pool, then added the practical bits: parking, caverns, pubs that welcome muddy boots and the best months to visit.
The hill is located right in the middle of the Peak District National Park, so the closest lodges fan out around it: Buxton to the south west, the hills above Glossop to the north west and the Derbyshire Dales to the south. None sit in the Hope Valley itself, which keeps the valley quiet, but all of them put the Great Ridge within a short drive.
Sort the table by drive time or size to find the right fit.
| Lodge park | Drive (mins) | Sleeps | Hot tubs | Pets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lime Tree Park | 23 | 6 | No | Yes |
| Charlesworth Lodges | 31 | 4 | Yes | No |
| Longnor Wood Holiday Park | 37 | 4 | Yes | Yes |
| Rivendale Lodge Retreat | 39 | 8 | Yes | Yes |
| Darwin Forest | 40 | 8 | Yes | Yes |
| Hazelhurst Lodges | 44 | 6 | Yes | No |
Driving Distance: About 23 minutes (12.2 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 6 | Pet friendly? Yes | Rating: 4.4
What to expect: The closest choice on our list looks out over the spa town of Buxton and its hills, with Castleton and Bakewell both close by.
Who will love it? Families watching the budget and dog owners who’d rather spend the day walking than driving. There’s a children’s play area and shop, plus a TV lounge with a pool table and a launderette (charges apply, 7 March to 31 October).
Driving Distance: About 31 minutes (16.3 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 4 | Hot tubs: Yes | Pet friendly? No | Rating: 4.4
What to expect: Just eight lodges and one cottage tucked into hillside woodland, well off the beaten track, with open views of Coombes Rocks. Moorland walks start from the door.
Who will love it? Couples. Hot tubs, contemporary interiors and room for four at most make it one of the best bets for romantic breaks in the Peak District with a hot tub, and Manchester’s close enough for a night out if the weather turns.
Driving Distance: About 37 minutes (20.5 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 4 | Hot tubs: Yes | Pet friendly? Yes | Adults only | Rating: 4.8
What to expect: An adults-only, five-star retreat in the Staffordshire corner of the Peak District, with one and two-bedroom lodges, caravans and en-suite glamping pods. Every one has private decking and some have a hot tub for watching the stars come out.
What’s on site? A licensed shop selling local produce, a gym, a games room, a sauna for private hire and fresh pizzas at weekends. Dogs get a four-acre walk, an enclosed field and a heated dog wash.
You’ll want a car here.
Driving Distance: About 39 minutes (23.5 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 8 | Hot tubs: Yes | Pet friendly? Yes | Fishing | Rating: 4.8
What to expect: Lodges and treehouses inside the national park itself, with walks and cycle trails leaving straight from the site and a dog wash for muddy paws.
Who will love it? Families and groups of up to eight guests. Dovedale’s stepping stones and the Tissington Trail are close, and the Heights of Abraham cable car and Poole’s Cavern make good wet-weather days.
Driving Distance: About 40 minutes (26.1 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 8 | Hot tubs: Yes | Pet friendly? Yes | Indoor pool | Rating: 4.8
What to expect: A woodland resort near Matlock and Bakewell that’s won a Best in Britain award, with the most to do of any lodge here.
What’s on site? Evolution Health and Fitness offers a heated indoor pool, spa, gym and beauty treatments. Outside there’s tennis, mini golf, archery and body zorbing, plus the Little Monkeys indoor play centre for younger children.
Driving Distance: About 44 minutes (27.8 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 6 | Hot tubs: Yes | Pet friendly? No | Rating: 5.0
What to expect: The only retreat here with a perfect 5.0 rating. Comfortable contemporary lodges with far-reaching views sit in the rolling country near Ashover, a lovely village with three pubs and the climb to Ashover Rock, and Chatsworth House is within easy reach too.
Five of these six have hot tubs, so the real question is who’s coming. Couples should look at Charlesworth or Longnor Wood, which are small, quiet and sleep four at most. Bigger families and groups of friends get more space at Rivendale and Darwin Forest, which both sleep eight and both take dogs.
Weighing up a hotel? Hotels near Mam Tor are mostly inns, bed and breakfast farms and hostels: Losehill House Hotel & Spa near Hope, YHA Castleton Losehill Hall, YHA Edale and pub rooms in Castleton. They’re popular and fill fast. A lodge gives you a kitchen, a deck and your own front door, and nobody minds wet boots by the step.
Find more lodges with hot tubs, or browse every lodge in Derbyshire.
Locals call it the Shivering Mountain, after the landslides that keep slipping down its eastern face. Near the top you’ll cross the remains of an Iron Age hillfort, and from the trig point the Kinder plateau fills the view north while the White Peak rolls away south. It’s a short climb for such a big, beautiful view.
From the National Trust’s Mam Nick car park, the paved path to the summit is only about 0.6km, roughly 15 to 30 minutes on foot. Parking costs £4.50 for up to four hours or £6 for longer through the PayByPhone app, and it’s free for National Trust members. Spaces are limited and there are no toilets.
Arrive before 9am on a sunny weekend.
From the top, the flagged path heads east for around 3km to Lose Hill, dropping to Hollins Cross at its lowest point. Coffins were once carried over this pass from Edale to Hope, which is why some call it the coffin road. A ridge walk from Mam Nick to Hollins Cross and back is about 3 miles with 212 metres of climbing, and takes around two hours.
Look down from Hollins Cross and you’ll spot the old A625 snapped and buckled across the slope. It was abandoned in 1979 after years of landslips, and traffic now uses Winnats Pass instead.
Plan this bit before you set off. Derbyshire County Council has brought in the county’s first red routes around Castleton, with no stopping at any time and a £70 fine (halved if paid within 14 days).
The full details are on the Derbyshire County Council parking page.
Four show caves sit within a couple of miles of the summit, and they’re the answer to a wet day. Wrap up, because Peak Cavern stays at about 9°C all year!
| Cavern | What you do | Listed opening | Dogs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speedwell | Boat ride through a 200-year-old lead mine to the Bottomless Pit | 10am to 5pm April to October, 10am to 4pm in winter | Ask when booking |
| Peak Cavern | 60 to 75 minute guided walk through the largest natural cave entrance in the British Isles | 10am to 5pm | On leads |
| Treak Cliff | Self-guided audio tour on your own phone | 9am to 4pm March to October, 9am to 3pm November to February | On leads |
| Blue John | Guided tour of the caverns below the hill | First tour 10am, last tour 3pm | Ask when booking |
Booking online usually gets you the best value.
Above the village, Peveril Castle was one of England’s first stone castles, built by William Peverel, a knight of William the Conqueror. Henry II added the hilltop keep a century later. It’s a steep walk up, with benches on the way, so check the opening times before you climb.
Ye Olde Nags Head in Castleton is a 17th-century coaching inn with one of the widest ranges of cask beer in the Hope Valley, and dogs are welcome. Round the corner on How Lane, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Inn has the names of its landlords back to 1746 inscribed on the beams, with dogs allowed in the bar but not the restaurant.
Over the ridge, Edale’s Old Nag’s Head dates from 1577 and marks the official start of the Pennine Way. Muddy boots are expected.
Explore more of Castleton, or follow the Hope Valley down to Hathersage and the gritstone of Stanage Edge.
Autumn and winter bring the cloud inversions photographers climb before dawn to see, with the valleys full of mist and the summit poking out above it. Late spring brings long days and Castleton’s Garland Day. Tap a month for more.
It’s a small hill, but the top is open and the Dark Peak weather changes fast.
The National Trust’s Mam Nick car park is closest to the summit, at £4.50 for up to four hours or £6 for longer, free for members. Upper Old Mam Tor Road has 55 free bays.
About 15 to 30 minutes from Mam Nick on a paved path. The loop to Hollins Cross and back takes around two hours.
Lime Tree Park near Buxton, about 23 minutes away. The closest with hot tubs is Charlesworth, about 31 minutes away.
Lime Tree Park, Longnor Wood, Rivendale and Darwin Forest. See all our dog friendly lodges.
Darwin Forest near Matlock has a heated indoor pool, about 40 minutes’ drive away.
Yes. Edale station on the Hope Valley line has generally hourly trains from Sheffield and Manchester, and a 4.5 mile loop climbs from the village to the summit.
The short paved route from Mam Nick suits most children, though the top is exposed and steep in places. At Treak Cliff they can polish their own Blue John stone.
Ready to watch the sun come up over Castleton? Of all the places to stay near Mam Tor, a lodge with the hot tub waiting at the end of the day is hard to beat. Browse our holiday lodges across the UK, or see the lodges near Bakewell for Chatsworth House and the Monsal Trail.
