Hope Woodlands > Snake Summit

The iconic Snake Pass (or A57) twists and turns through the Peak District landscape towards Glossop. First impressions of the road winding through the valley like a snake would suggest the name came from this. However the origins of the name can be found in the early part of the 19th century when tolls were collected at the Snake Inn, then a coaching inn, which derived its name from the Duke of Devonshire family coat of arms the ‘Snake and Staff’.

The National Trust and our tenants care for much of the farmland and moorland of this picturesque valley on either side of the road. Features such as stone sheep pens have been carefully rebuilt by the National Trust and are still used today. Much of the landscape lies within the Government’s Environmentally Sensitive Area scheme through which land managers are encouraged to farm in a traditional and sensitive manner for the benefit of the environment, wildlife and people. At its highest point, the Snake Pass crosses the Pennine Way, offering breathtaking views for drivers and walkers alike.

The history information below is for the whole area of Hope Woodlands.

The Woodlands in the title may refer to the blanket of trees that covered the area in the Mesolithic period (10000 – 4000 BC). Old tree stumps of birch and other varieties have been found in the peat - the compressed vegetation moistened by water that gives the moors a ‘springy’ feel.
It also has the title ‘Hope Forest’ on the ordnance survey map, relating to it being a royal hunting forest, although such a description in the Middle Ages signified an area not necessarily totally covered with trees.

Discover more about the Peaks past from prehistory to the modern day with our history timeline..

The habitat information below is for the whole area of Hope Woodlands.

Hope Woodlands is considered to be of European importance both for the habitat itself and for the birds that live there. The most important feature of this area is the peat itself – in places up to 3 metres deep – which has recently taken on added significance because of the huge amount of carbon stored within it.

Sphagnum moss played a critical role in the formation of peat over the last 10,000 years. You will still find occasional patches of this moss, even though much of it has been killed off by atmospheric pollution. Sphagnum – in common with many of the plants growing in peatlands – obtains its nutrients from the atmosphere, making it especially vulnerable to pollution. When on the moors look out for the sundew which obtains its nutrients through a different strategy - insects become trapped on its sticky leaves, and are then consumed by the plant.

Explore these habitats and learn more about the wildlife that inhabit them by selecting the links below:
Moorland   Oak Woodland   

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