Boasting an internationally important ancient ash woodland, wildflower-rich grasslands, abundant wildlife, awesome caves, iconic stepping stones and the crystal-clear River Dove gently flowing through its heart, Dovedale is the perfect place for fun and explorations in the southern Peak District.

The only drawback is that it can get extremely busy here at popular times. As ever, the further you get from the car park (and Stepping Stones) the quieter it gets. But choose your moment to hike here carefully. If you can get here early on a midweek spring morning (out of school holidays) it’s utter perfection.

Tom

April 12, 2019

Nice stroll alongside the river dove, plenty of sights to see on the way.

Jane Sherwin

June 4, 2022

Dovedale is owned by the National Trust and has been since 1934. It became a National Nature Reserve in 2006, in recognition of its importance for wildlife and native flora, and it is also designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The limestone rock that forms Dovedale and the surrounding valleys is made up of the fossilised remains of marine life that lived during the Carboniferous period, 350 million years ago, when this area was underneath a shallow tropical sea. As you walk through the dale, keep your eyes peeled for fossils in the surface of the rocks.

The River Dove is renowned for its trout fishing, and was immortalised in the book The Compleat Angler, written in 1653 by Izaak Walton and Charles Cotton, who lived nearby. For much of its course the River Dove has one bank in Derbyshire and one in Staffordshire, forming the border between the two counties.
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If you want to avoid the crowds and parking issues that can be found at the main visitor entrance between Ilam and Thorpe, you can access the walk from Milldale where there is car parking available. Or if you don't mind adding an extra mile or so to your walk the car parking available on the Tissington Trail close to Alsop en le Dale is another option.

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Elevation 160 m

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Saturday 18 October

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Take Me There

Location: Thorpe, Derbyshire Dales, Derbyshire, East Midlands, England, United Kingdom

Dovedale Stepping Stones and River Dove

1. Dovedale loop to Milldale from Ilam — Peak District National Park

2. Dove Dale, Mill Dale & Hall Dale loop — Peak District National Park

3. Dovedale loop from Ilam Park — Peak District National Park

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