Aa mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge . Since mountain ranges can present formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both human and animal migration throughout history. At lower elevations it may be called a hill pass . A mountain pass is typically formed between two volcanic peaks or created by erosion from water or wind.
41-704: Snake Pass is a hill pass in the Derbyshire section of the Peak District , crossing the Pennines between Glossop and the Ladybower Reservoir at Ashopton . The road was engineered by Thomas Telford and opened in 1821. The pass carries the A57 road between Manchester and Sheffield , but it is no longer the main signposted route between those two cities, with traffic instead directed through
82-403: A gap , saddle , col or notch . A topographic saddle is analogous to the mathematical concept of a saddle surface , with a saddle point marking the minimum high point between two valleys and the lowest point along a ridge. On a topographic map , passes can be identified by contour lines with an hourglass shape, which indicates a low spot between two higher points. In the high mountains,
123-532: A campaign to monitor motorcyclists using the pass, who are particularly at risk of being involved in a fatal accident. Incidents of people being overtaken by bad weather in Snake Pass, and in particular the deaths of three walkers in 1964, led to the organisation of Peak District Mountain Rescue . In winter the road is often the first of the routes between Sheffield and Manchester to be closed following snow in
164-507: A combined road and rail tunnel under Woodhead, which would be the longest tunnel in Europe. The plans were scaled back to involve a partially tunnelled scheme. Drivers are unimpressed with the slow progress in upgrading the pass, complaining the road "is currently about 30 years behind the times". The Longdendale Bypass has been promoted as a project to remove traffic from the villages of Mottram, Hollingworth and Tintwistle, which lie between
205-502: A difference of 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) between the summit and the mountain is defined as a mountain pass. Passes are often found just above the source of a river , constituting a drainage divide . A pass may be very short, consisting of steep slopes to the top of the pass, or a valley many kilometers long, whose highest point might only be identifiable by surveying . Roads and railways have long been built through passes. Some high and rugged passes may have tunnels bored underneath
246-549: A heavy rainstorm, covering the surface in as much as 4 feet (1.2 m) in places. In January 2008, a landslip at Cowms Moor following heavy rain caused the road to be closed to all traffic between Ladybower and Glossop, although access was still available to local premises and businesses including the Snake Pass Inn. A subsequent investigation by the British Geological Survey showed the road has had
287-489: A history of subsidence-related long-term closures dating back to the 1930s, including a 1970s project that attempted to strengthen the layer below the tarmac with local rock fill. The road reopened in February, but with temporary traffic lights at the point of the slip restricting traffic to one direction at a time. In 2012, the road had to be closed several times for resurfacing and strengthening. In February 2022, Snake Pass
328-531: A nearby mountainside, as with the Eisenhower Tunnel bypassing Loveland Pass in the Rockies, to allow faster traffic flow throughout the year. The top of a pass is frequently the only flat ground in the area, and may be a high vantage point. In some cases this makes it a preferred site for buildings. If a national border follows the ridge of a mountain range, a pass over the mountains is typically on
369-460: A number of tight bends and narrow sections. The Woodhead Pass section, while not formally defined, covers the section of the road that passes through the national park. The A628 originated as a salt road accessing what was a valuable preservative in the 18th century. The route was used to transport salt from mines in north Cheshire to towns in Yorkshire. Construction of the western section of
410-719: A poor safety record in comparison to other roads in the United Kingdom but it is not as dangerous as other roads bisecting hilly terrain in this part of England. It was not among the top ten in lists of the most dangerous roads published by the Road Safety Foundation for EuroRAP in June 2007 and in July 2010, despite nine of the top ten being in Northern England. In 2012, Derbyshire Police announced
451-786: A style of street racing which may take place on these roads. There are thousands of named passes around the world, some of which are well-known, such as the Khyber Pass close to the present-day Afghanistan-Pakistan border on the ancient Silk Road , the Great St. Bernard Pass at 2,473 metres (8,114 ft) in the Alps , the Chang La at 5,360 metres (17,590 ft), the Khardung La at 5,359 metres (17,582 ft) in Ladakh , India and
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#1732791318484492-429: Is about the road. The Squarepusher album Selection Sixteen features a track entitled "Snake Pass", described by Rolling Stone as a "monomaniacal thump". Comic character John Shuttleworth has performed a song called "Incident on Snake Pass" about the perils of Snake Pass, relating to an accident he claimed to have had, driving a Ford Anglia on the road. Mountain pass Mountain passes make use of
533-835: Is also used, particularly in Europe. In the highest mountain range in the world, the Himalayas, passes are denoted by the suffix "La" in Tibetan, Ladhakhi, and several other regional languages. Examples are the Taglang La at 5,328 m (17,480 ft) on the Leh-Manali highway , and the Sia La at 5,589 m (18,337 ft) in the Eastern Karakoram range. Scotland has the Gaelic term bealach (anglicised "balloch"), while Wales has
574-771: Is the Brenner pass in the Alps . Some mountain passes above the tree line have problems with snow drift in the winter. This might be alleviated by building the road a few meters above the ground, which will make snow blow off the road. There are many words for pass in the English-speaking world. In the United States, pass is very common in the West , the word gap is common in the southern Appalachians , notch in parts of New England , and saddle in northern Idaho . The term col , derived from Old French,
615-594: The Palakkad Gap at 140 metres (460 ft) in Palakkad , Kerala , India . The roads at Mana Pass at 5,610 metres (18,410 ft) and Marsimik La at 5,582 metres (18,314 ft), on and near the China–India border respectively, appear to be world's two highest motorable passes. Khunjerab Pass between Pakistan and China at 4,693 metres (15,397 ft) is also a high-altitude motorable mountain pass. One of
656-707: The Tour of Britain . Snake Pass runs through the National Trust 's High Peak Estate , and lies within the High Peak borough of Derbyshire ; much of it falls within the Hope Woodlands parish, the remainder being within the Charlesworth parish. It is part of the shortest route by road from Manchester to Sheffield . The pass starts east of Glossop and climbs to the Pennines watershed between
697-672: The Woodhead Pass to the north. Like several other roads that cross the Pennines, Snake Pass has a poor accident record compared with roads in the UK generally, although more favourable compared with other roads in the area. It is often closed in winter because of snow, and has seen several longer-term closures owing to subsidence following heavy rain. The road remains a popular route for tourists and motorcycles, however, and sections have been used for semi-professional cycling races such as
738-407: The largest UK cities by population , there is no direct motorway link between the two. The M67 was originally proposed to be a Manchester to Sheffield motorway, but only a small section bypassing Denton and Hyde was actually built. The Woodhead Tunnel , which carried a Sheffield to Manchester railway line , was closed in 1981, and it was proposed to use it as part of a motorway link but linking
779-495: The Peak" race, involving climbing the pass twice, and has frequently featured in the Tour of Britain along with another nearby favourite, Holme Moss . Cycling Time Trials sanctioned hill climbs are regularly promoted on this course by local club Glossop Kinder Velo. The record for completing the course is 11 minutes 51 seconds, which was set by Tejvan Pettinger in 2014. The annual Four Inns Walk has traditionally used parts of
820-484: The Shelf Brook between Shelf Moor and Coldharbour Moor. It is marked on some maps as a Roman road , though this is disputed. The route is now popular with walkers and mountain bikers . In 1932, an Iron Age axe thought to be more than 2,000 years old was found near the site of this road. The current road further south was designed as a toll road by Thomas Telford to improve communications east of Glossop, which
861-654: The area. In bad storms the entire road over the summit, including marker poles, has been buried in snow. Derbyshire County Council , who are the highway authority for Snake Pass, class the route as a priority for gritting which is pre-treated ahead of icy weather. The local borough council, High Peak Borough Council , who are not responsible for gritting, have stated that they would prefer streets in towns and villages were treated instead, as they believe that roads such as Snake Pass will be closed anyway. In 1924, Derbyshire County Council spent £2,000 (equivalent to £144,000 in 2023) installing underground telegraph wire cables beneath
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#1732791318484902-521: The best driving road in the UK. The following year, it was listed as one of the best roads for driving in Britain by Auto Trader magazine, who described it as "offering unparalleled views over Manchester". As would be expected for a road crossing the Pennines, Snake Pass has several dangerous bends and blind summits. Like many roads in the North of England passing through similar terrain, Snake Pass has
943-458: The border, and there may be a border control or customs station, and possibly a military post. For instance, Argentina and Chile share the world's third-longest international border , 5,300 kilometres (3,300 mi) long, which runs north–south along the Andes mountains and includes 42 mountain passes. On a road over a pass, it is customary to have a small roadside sign giving the name of
984-683: The cities by road would have meant constructing many costly tunnels and viaducts across the Peak District. Consequently, the plans were shelved, but reports in December 2014 announced a revival of the ambition for a road tunnel to avoid the passes. In 1979, the Department of Transport considered closing the road with traffic to be diverted to use the A628 . The road remains popular with drivers. A 2008 survey by Caterham Cars rated Snake Pass
1025-468: The eastward journey from the summit to Ashopton as "nine miles unbroken freewheeling" and the scenery as "magnificent". The road is one of only a few road climbs in the UK that are comparable in length and average gradient (approximately 7 per cent for around 3.2 miles (5.1 km) when starting in Glossop) to those used in continental cycle racing. The road had been part of an 82-mile (132 km) "Tour of
1066-669: The famous but non-motorable mountain passes is Thorong La at 5,416 metres (17,769 ft) in Annapurna Conservation Area , Nepal. A628 road The A628 is a major road connecting Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire in northern England. It crosses the Pennine hills by way of Longdendale and the Woodhead Pass in the Peak District National Park . The road's altitude and exposure to bad weather create problems in winter and
1107-511: The few buildings on the high stretch of road. In turn, the pub's name and sign were derived from the serpent on the Cavendish arms of William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire . In the early 21st century, the inn was renamed the Snake Pass Inn, such that the inn now refers to the road that referred to itself. An ancient road between Glossop and Ashopton was the Doctor's Gate , which follows
1148-529: The moorland plateaux of Kinder Scout and Bleaklow to a high point of 1,680 feet (510 m) above sea level, where it crosses the Pennine Way . After this, it passes a public house that used to be known as the Snake Inn, and descends through forest to the Ladybower Reservoir at Ashopton . The name of the road matches its winding route, but actually derives from the emblem of the Snake Inn, one of
1189-601: The more northerly Woodhead Pass , which is less steep and at a lower altitude, is now the primary road link between the two cities. Unlike Snake Pass, the Woodhead route is a trunk road . Traffic levels on both passes remained similar until the 1980s, but the Woodhead Pass route is now favoured as it connects directly to the M1 , while Snake Pass leads into the centre of Sheffield. Despite Sheffield and Manchester being among
1230-479: The pass and its elevation above mean sea level . Apart from offering relatively easy travel between valleys, passes also provide a route between two mountain tops with a minimum of descent. As a result, it is common for tracks to meet at a pass; this often makes them convenient routes even when travelling between a summit and the valley floor. Passes traditionally were places for trade routes, communications, cultural exchange, military expeditions etc. A typical example
1271-529: The pass and its winding, narrow route through the Pennine hills makes travelling difficult, and the road is often closed. The alternative trans-Pennine route is a lengthy detour via the M62 , 15 miles to the north. High winds along the pass cause HGVs to overturn or jack-knife, creating obstructions, and ice can make the road "like a skating rink". In 2015, Highways England proposed a £6 billion scheme to build
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1312-583: The road descends through Millhouse Green , Thurlstone , around Penistone before joining the M1 motorway at Junction 37. From the M1 junction the road passes through Barnsley , Cudworth , Brierley and around Hemsworth (bypassed) to Ackworth Moor Top ending in Pontefract at a junction with the A639 road . The section from Ackworth Moor Top Roundabout through Ackworth has a 7.5 tonne weight limit because of
1353-536: The road is sometimes closed due to snow or high winds. The road starts to the east of Manchester at the end of the M67 motorway and A57 road . It passes through Mottram in Longdendale , Hollingworth and Tintwistle and then through Longdendale in the Peak District National Park to Crowden and Salter's Brook Bridge where the road leaves Derbyshire and enters Barnsley Metropolitan Borough . From its summit
1394-613: The road to Saltersbrook in the Longendale valley began in 1732 and the section to the east towards Doncaster opened in 1740. The road was improved and reconstructed as a turnpike road in 1844. A modern section of the A628 between Barnsley and Pontefract runs on the line of the former Hull and Barnsley Railway . The road's altitude and its exposure to the weather over the Woodhead Pass creates problems in winter when it can be closed because of snow or high winds. The high altitude of
1435-476: The road would be examined with a drilling rig. In May 2023, the road was closed again after Storm Franklin brought heavy rainfall to the region, causing landslips of up to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in). The closure extended from the turnoff at Fairholmes to the summit. Snake Pass is a popular route for cyclists. A 1902 report on leisure cycling in the Lancashire Evening Post described
1476-401: The road, as the above-ground installations were continually broken and disrupted following snowstorms. The British winter of 2010–11 was the coldest for decades and the road was closed on numerous occasions. Snake Pass has also been closed for longer periods owing to subsidence in the local area following rain. In January 1932, the road was closed after 200 tonnes of debris fell on it during
1517-482: The route. Between October 2020 and January 2022, Hulleys of Baslow operated the X57 Snake bus route, which ran between Sheffield and Manchester via the Snake Pass. The service was withdrawn on 9 January 2022 because low ridership made the route unsustainable. Snake Pass has been referred to several times by music groups. The track "The Snake" by Sheffield band The Human League , from their 2001 album Secrets ,
1558-696: The similar bwlch (both being insular Celtic languages). In the Lake District of north-west England, the term hause is often used, although the term pass is also common—one distinction is that a pass can refer to a route, as well as the highest part thereof, while a hause is simply that highest part, often flattened somewhat into a high-level plateau. In Japan they are known as tōge , which means "pass" in Japanese. The word can also refer to narrow, winding roads that can be found in and around mountains and geographically similar areas, or specifically to
1599-430: Was closed to motor vehicles after Storm Eunice caused heavy rain leading to subsidence. Inspectors examining the road found three slumps in a single mile-long section. Two weeks later, the closure was extended to bicycles, prompting protests; it was reopened on 31 March with weight restrictions and traffic light sections. That August, the council announced it would be partially closed again to investigate collapses, while
1640-573: Was expanding as an industrial town. It was originally called the Sheffield to Glossop Turnpike and run by a turnpike trust , the Sheffield and Glossop Trust. An act of parliament to build the road was passed in 1818, and construction was financed by the Duke of Norfolk and the Duke of Devonshire. The road opened in 1821, having cost £18,625 to build (equivalent to £2 million in 2023). Upon opening, it
1681-628: Was the highest turnpike road in England. The road was immediately popular and increased toll collections of traffic heading to Glossop. Tolls were abolished on the road in June 1870. The eastern end of the pass is by the River Derwent . The river is bridged by the Ashopton Viaduct, built as part of the Ladybower Reservoir project between 1935 and 1945. Although Snake Pass is still the shortest route between Manchester and Sheffield,