DOVEDALE
PLAN YOUR VISIT TO DOVEDALE
INFORMATION
Location: Dovedale is one of England’s most attractive beauty spots. It is situated about six miles north of Ashbourne. It can be accessed easily, outside Peak visiting periods, from both the A515 and the A52(A523).
Visit: The 158 acres of Ilam Park, which the National Trust manages. It lies on the banks of the River Manifold, surrounded by beautiful countryside. Visitors particularly enjoy Paradise Walk, formerly a pleasure ground for the hall. There is a National Trust shop, information centre and tearoom, and entrance to the grounds is free to walkers. The car park charges non-National Trust members.
Refreshments: A refreshment kiosk is open at Dovedale car park at busy times. There is a National Trust café at Ilam, and the Izaak Walton Hotel is only a short walk from the stepping stones (check availability before visiting).
Ashbourne is a historic market town that lies in an attractive valley divided by the Henmore Brook, frequently referred to as the ‘Gateway to Dovedale’. But it is much more than that with its many fine buildings, good shopping facilities and attractive layout. Most of which has been protected since 1968 by Conservation Area status.
DOVEDALE
The River Dove rises on high ground at Axe Edge, near Buxton. Its clear waters meander southwards for 45 miles to eventually join the River Trent. For much of its course, the river runs through stunningly attractive countryside, with one bank in Derbyshire and the other in Staffordshire. It is a walker’s paradise, providing both easy walks for the casual walker as well as more strenuous hikes for the more experienced practitioner.
Dovedale, with its steep-sided limestone sides and tree-covered slopes, is the stretch of the valley that runs from the tiny hamlet of Milldale, down to the large car park close to the road linking Ilam and Thorpe. It is well-known for its stunning scenery and is one of the most famous valleys in the country.
In some places, the water has eroded the limestone into spectacular rock formations, like the Lion’s Head and the natural archway in front of Reynard’s Cave. For the more energetic who climb Thorpe Cloud or Bunster, there are fine views across the valley.
The building of the Midland Railway in 1863 made the Peak District only three hours from London. Many were the thousands who got off the train at Alsop-en-le-Dale Station and walked the length of Dovedale before catching a train home at Thorpe Station. The railway is no more, but cars still bring thousands of visitors to what is one of England’s most famous beauty spots. A high proportion of the 22 million people who visit the Peak District National Park, include the Dove Valley in their itineraries. According to a footpath count in Dovedale on a typical August Sunday in 1990, 4,421 walkers were on the Staffordshire bank of the river and 3597 on the Derbyshire side.
Now the valley is given over mainly to tourism. But the sheer volume of visitors has been instrumental in the erosion of the path along the side of the river. A great deal of remedial work has been undertaken to provide the walker with a safe pathway through Dovedale.
It is best to try to avoid visiting Dovedale at weekends, particularly during the summer and at peak holiday times. Otherwise, get there early if you have come by car to avoid parking problems and having to depart to seek an alternative destination to explore.
