Dove Valley Walk

The River Dove rises close to the River Manifold high in the Peak District between Leek and Buxton but it is the Dove that forms the border between the counties of Staffordshire and Derbyshire. The Dove leaves the moors near to Hartington and has carved a valley approximately eight miles long through the limestone rocks, which ends close to the village of Ilam where it joins the Manifold. There is a footpath, maintained by the National Trust, which runs alongside the river in the valley and makes several crossings from one county to the other. The selection of pictures, below, illustrates a walk up the valley ending in Hartington.


The illustration above shows how many rivers originate in the southern Peak District. The course of the Dove is shown at the bottom centre	The picture above shows the confluence of the rivers Dove and Manifold from the southern bank but the footpath starts about half a mile to the north

The southern end of the Dove Dale is flanked by Bunster Hill to the left (west) and Thorpe Cloud (with its distinctive shape) to the right (east). This picture was taken from the grounds of The Izaak Walton Hotel	The first feature on the path up the Dove is a measuring station, recording water levels, which is only yards from the car park

Just beyond the measuring station is a bridge and this picture shows the view upstream with Staffordshire to the left and Derbyshire to the right	This is a view looking south out of the valley with the hillside of Thorpe Cloud to the left

The Stepping Stones are a very popular feature for visitors	Looking back downstream towards the Stepping Stones

The view into the valley bottom from Lovers Leap	To some people this distinctive rock formation looks like a lion’s head

Water has carved the soft limestone rocks into pinnacles	The interior of the largest cave close to the path shows channels that lead deep into the hillside

Approaching the village of Milldale the valley becomes wider and softer	The first glimpse of Milldale across the bridge from the Derbyshire side

The footpath can be joined at Milldale, where there is some parking for cars and access by bus	Above Milldale the valley walk is beside a road, on the Staffordshire side, and the river runs over a series of small weirs

Beneath Shinning Tor the footpath leaves the road and returns to Derbyshire	The steep valley sides cause the river and path to zigzag

The Dove provides fishing ground for several herons like this one	The mid point of the walk from Milldale to Hartington is marked by this distinctive rock formation at the mouth of Biggin Dale

The view down Biggin Dale	Narrow footbridges lead to farm land on the Staffordshire side of the river

This pool close to the northern end of the valley is reputed to have been fished by Izaak Walton and Charles Cotton and inspired ‘The Compleat Angler’	Just above the fishing pool the river winds across open moorland

The notice at the start of the footpath leading south out of Hartington	The centre of the village of Hartington and journey’s end (or start)