周辺の天然記念物・トップ15

The car park is free for National Trust members. I love climbing but I don't like heights....confusing I know! I really enjoyed this short climb but I found myself on a small scramble which got my blood pumping a little!

Impressive little archway, I didn't but I believe you can walk all the way up and come down a different way

Car park isn’t free but costs £6.60 for the day or £4 for 4 hours

Impressive on passing but not an attraction in itself.

Impressive rock formations.

One of the most celebrated events in the village is the annual Well Dressing festival, a unique and tradition that dates back centuries. What is Well Dressing? Well dressing is an ancient custom that involves decorating wells and springs with intricate and beautiful designs made from natural materials such as flowers, petals, leaves, and seeds. Some suggest the tradition began after Tissington escaped the Black Death, with villagers attributing their survival to the purity of their water supply. Pagan Origins: Another theory suggests the custom may have roots in pagan practices of offering thanks to the gods of wells and springs The festival usually takes place during Ascension Week, a religious observance that occurs 40 days after Easter Sunday.

Try and get there as early as possible, especially if the weather is nice!

Whether you love hiking, fancy a peaceful picnic in picturesque surroundings, are visiting by yourself or with your family, there really is something for everyone at Dovedal

:-)

Reynard’s Cave is located high up on the bank of Dovedale. The caves, formed by the erosion of limestone, were used as a shelter by hunters from around 13,000 BCE. These days, they are an excellent place to explore and anyone can freely access them.

At the time of writing, the National Trust has erected signs informing people that the summit is closed due to erosion and the risk of falling rocks. There is no date set for when the path to the summit may reopen (hopefully soon). The path around the hill is still open and affords spectacular views itself.

Thorpe Cloud rises proudly from Dovedale and affords breathtaking views over the River Dove, Bunster Hill, Ilam and beyond. It has a distinctive conical shape and is a popular summit for hikers in the area. That said, it can get extremely busy up here so choose your moment to climb it.

Dovedale is renowned for its beautiful rock formations, created by water, ice and wind erosion over the millennia. Some of the exposed limestone has formed magnificent structures, towering above the valley floor. One such column is Ilam Rock, which rises 25 metres high and stands as a solitary pinnacle watching over the river, close to Ilam Rock Bridge. https://letsgopeakdistrict.co.uk/listing/dovedale/

Reynard’s Cave is located high up on the eastern bank of the gorge of Dovedale in the Peak District. The gorge is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is owned by the National Trust. A natural arch frames the entrance to the cave, which is said to be named after a local brigand who used it as a refuge. To the left is a smaller cave known as Reynard’s Kitchen. As is typical of many such caves in this region, both are fairly shallow in depth. The caves were formed by the erosion of limestone and have a long history, having been used as shelter by hunters from around 13,000 BCE. The larger was also used for tombs in the Neolithic era. Further evidence of Bronze Age activities and the artefacts found there are on show at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery; and in 2014, a hoard of Late Iron Age and Roman coins was found in the Kitchen Cave, the first time such a collection from these two separate civilisations has been found together; and buried within a cave. The Roman coins predate the Roman invasion of Britain and are thought to have belonged to a member of the Corieltauvi tribe, although this area was not part of their usual territory. The caves can be reached from the path alongside the river, but the route to openings becomes very steep: wear appropriate footwear and take care when ascending. There is an appealing view of Dovedale when the cave mouth is reached. https://thecaptainsguides.com/reynards-cave-dovedale/

A short but steep climb to the summit is rewarded with beautiful 360 degree views of the surrounding areas. In 1997, the writer Jeff Kent discovered that a double sunset could be seen against Thorpe Cloud from the top of nearby Lin Dale and, two years later, the phenomenon was first captured on film by the photographer Chris Doherty. The occurrence is visible in good weather on and around the summer solstice and perhaps beyond, when the sun sets on the summit of the hill, partially reappears from its steep northern slope and sets for a second and final time shortly afterwards. The precise event and its location are described in Kent's book The Mysterious Double Sunset

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. https://letsgopeakdistrict.co.uk/listing/dovedale/ 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.

Thorpe Cloud is an isolated limestone hill lying between the villages of Thorpe and Ilam on the Derbyshire/Staffordshire border at the southern end of Dovedale. It is a popular hill amongst the many day-trippers who visit the area, and provides a fine viewpoint north up the dale and south across the Midland plain. Thorpe Cloud rises straight up from the River Dove at Dovedale and reaches a height of 942ft. Its distinctive conical shape viewed from Dovedale gives the hill a mountainous feel. Little Switzerland is the name often given to this section of Dovdale and you can understand why. Dovedale was one of the locations used in the filming of the 2010 film Robin Hood staring Russell Crowe including scenes with Thorpe Cloud in the background

The car park fills quickly, consider parking at Ilam Hall. Both are National Trust car parks. There is a cafe at the hall and free toilets. Toilets at Dovedale carpark are 20p.

Make a loop and visit the stepping stones too!

Slippery,correct footwear necessary