The Snake Pass
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
THE SNAKE PASS (J8x32) 3C (4C set) N Churnside Life begins at 40
1- 8 1s+2s dance ½ RandL, 1s+3s dance ½ RandL
9-16 1s cross RH, cast up to 2nd place and dance ½ Figs of 8 round 3s to end facing 1st corner pstns
17-24 1s dance ½ reels of 4 with 1st corners and ½ reels with 2nd corners ending with LH turn to face up/down
25-32 1s dance the Snake :-
' 1s dance RH across (1L with 3s and 1M with 2s), 1L followed by 3s also 1M followed by 2s pass LSh diagonally across to change ends and loop round to left to end in 2nd place. 213
(MINICRIB, Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton. Deeside Caledonian Society.)
The Snake Pass
N Churnside Life begins at 40
Jig 8 x 32 bars 3 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Lengthwise Set
1-4 1s2s half rights and lefts;
5-8 1s3s half rights and lefts;
9-12 1s cross by the right and cast up to 2nd place;
13-16 1s cross down into half figures of eight, finishing facing first corner positions (M to M, L to L);
17-20 half diagonal reel of 4 with first corner positions;
21-24 half diagonal reel of 4 with second corner positions;
25-28 1L3s (at top) 1M2s (at bottom) right hands across, 1s finishing by passing left shoulder;
29-32 1L, followed by 3L3M, chase through 2M's, 3M's and 3L's places to 2L's place WHILE 1M, followed by 2M2L, chase through 2L's, 1L's and 1M's places to 2M's place, finishing 2s1s3s.
(MAXICRIB, Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle.)
Dance Information
The Snake Pass is the name given to the higher reaches of the A57 road where it crosses the Peak District between Manchester and Sheffield in the north of England.
More specifically, the name usually refers to the section between the town of Glossop and the Ladybower reservoir, where the road passes over the high ground between the moorland plateaux of Kinder Scout and Bleaklow (the highest point is 512 metres (1,680 ft) above sea level).
The road was first built as a toll road in 1820 as the most direct route between the two cities. In the 20th century the more northerly route of the Woodhead Pass, which is less steep and at a lower altitude, became the primary road link between Manchester and Sheffield.
The name of the road does match its winding route, but actually derives from the emblem of the Snake Inn, one of the few buildings on the high stretch of road. In turn, the pub's name and sign was derived from the serpent on the Cavendish arms of the Duke of Devonshire. In recent times, the Snake Inn was renamed the "Snake Pass Inn", so the Inn is now named after the road, and not the other way round, as was originally the case.
Road Trip Of The Snake Pass - Video On YouTube
The road up to Glossop on The Snake Pass.
Snake Pass Inn
Dance Information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence.
Text from this original Snake Pass article on Wikipedia.
Image Copyright Gary Barber under this Creative Commons Licence.
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