The road, whose hair-raising bends are often made treacherous by bad weather, was first designed as a toll road by the famous engineer Thomas Telford and financed by the Duke of Devonshire.
Opened on August 23, 1821, at the time it was England’s highest turnpike road.
One amusing tradition that takes place near the road is the annual Great Kinder Beer Barrel Challenge. The original challenge was laid down on a bleak January night when Edale shepherd Geoff Townsend complained that the Old Nags Head Inn had run out of his favourite beer. Geoff jokingly offered to fetch a barrel from the Snake Pass Inn, only three miles away as the crow flies, but with 900ft of ascent and descent in between.
The landlord challenged him to do just that, with the promise he would win its contents, and now teams race carrying barrels on mountain rescue stretchers.
One amusing tradition that takes place near the road is the annual Great Kinder Beer Barrel Challenge. The original challenge was laid down on a bleak January night when Edale shepherd Geoff Townsend complained that the Old Nags Head Inn had run out of his favourite beer. Geoff jokingly offered to fetch a barrel from the Snake Pass Inn, only three miles away as the crow flies, but with 900ft of ascent and descent in between.
5. Crash tragedy
Pictured at the Snake Pass summit are the daughter of B29 bomber flight captain Jean Tanner Gray with her husband Don Gray after laying wreaths at the site following a two-hour hike through bog in terrible conditions
Photo: Paul Chappells
6. Road danger
The A57 Snake Pass near Ladybower Reservoir, which had been the scene of two fatal accidents when this picture was taken in July 2006
Photo: Dean Atkins
7. Farming life
Stephen Wainwright, a young farmer from Upper House Farm, Snake Pass
Photo: Marisa Cashill
8. Amazing icicles
Icicles hanging from bushes formed by vehicles splashing through a flood in the freezing weather on the A57 Snake Pass in February 2010
Photo: Yorkshire Post