Route: Milldale
Area: Peak District
Date of walk: 10th June 2021
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 4.0 miles
Ascent: 500 feet
Weather: Mostly cloudy
This is a popular walk and can be quite busy at times. With that in mind we made an early start and were under starter’s order at about 8am. We parked in the free car park just outside Milldale village and strolled into the village (where there are public toilets and an information centre)
We crossed over the ancient packhorse bridge which is known as Viator’s Bridge, and was made famous in the English classic ‘The Compleat Angler’ by Izaak Walton. We then joined the delightful path beside the River Dove, with the river on our right. Thanks to our early start we had the place to ourselves, and during the course of the walk only passed two other walkers. Along the way we passed by Dove Holes, two large caves in the limestone cliffs. The larger cave is about 30ft high and 60ft wide and known as ‘The Bat Cave’ to local climbers
All too soon the riverside section of the walk came to an end as we reached Ilam Rock. We crossed the wooden footbridge here and, after walking along the other riverbank for a short distance, started the climb out of the valley via Hall Dale at a sign indicating ‘Stanshope’. The gradient was gentle and we eventually emerged into buttercup meadows. We followed a path to the edge of Stanshope village and turned right to join a track between dry stone walls. This took us across the fields before the final descent down a narrow path back into Milldale to complete a lovely short walk
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
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Walking into Milldale village from the car park at its outskirts
The National Trust Information Centre - we'd made an early start and it wasn't open yet
We cross the ancient packhorse bridge known as Viator's Bridge
Once across the bridge we are in the Dovedale National Nature Reserve
The River Dove
Female mallard and eight ducklings
Limestone cliffs towering above us
Views back along the River Dove...
Cow parsley lining the path
Approaching Dove Holes, a pair of limestone caves
The two caves have seen human inhabitation since 13,000 BC, when the Paleolithic hunters used them for shelter...
Looking back to Dove Holes from a bend in the river
Wild garlic
We follow the path through Upper Taylor's Wood
Ilam Rock, where we'd emerged huffing and puffing on our recent Dovedale walk
We cross the footbridge near Ilam Rock and walk back on the other bank of the River Dove for a short distance...
Hurt's Wood
Early morning light as we continue along the path
A final glance along the River Dove as we part company with it and turn left uphill
Start of the gentle climb up Hall Dale...
Looking back along our path
Climbing up Hall Dale...
Looking back
A final view back as we reach the top of the valley
There follows a short stroll towards Stanshope
The outskirts of Stanshope. We don't enter into the village as our path heads away from it here
The final leg of the walk back to Milldale
Grove Farm fields, owned by the National Trust and home to the Ravensorr Milking Herd
We leave the fields here to descend back into Milldale...
Back to the start of a wonderful short walk
