Dovedale

Dovedale is one of the more popular dales in the English Peak District National Park, attracting millions of visitors each year. Much of the dale is in the ownership of the National Trust, and Dovedale became a National Nature Reserve in 2006.

The River Dove runs for just over 3 miles from Milldale and the wooded ravine near Thorpe Cloud, to Bunster Hill in the south. It is a famous trout stream, and Charles Cotton's Fishing House — the inspiration for Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler — is located in the woods beside the river. The course of the River Dove travels through the scenic limestone valley, and the entire route on either side of the river is accessible to walkers through a series of riverside walks. These walks also take in some of Dovedale's other attractions including the rock pillars of Ilam Rock, Viator's Bridge, and the limestone carvings of Lovers' Leap and Reynard's Cave. The wooded ravine near Thorpe Cloud is also a well known local beauty spot featuring much photographed set of stepping as well as a pair of caves known as the Dove Holes.