A walk in Dovedale

Ordinarily, I wouldn't go near Dovedale on a weekend (I usually walk there on autumn or winter evenings!) and especially not on a sunny Sunday, but two weeks ago, I just fancied a walk there so I decided I'd take my chances with the crowds and it wasn't too bad. Still far too many people for my liking, but I've seen worse!

As always, I parked in Ilam

and walked to Dovedale over the lower slopes of Bunster Hill.

The flat topped hill is Thorpe Cloud, which looks flat but actually has a ridge top. It's been a while since I last walked up Thorpe Cloud; perhaps I should do that next time I visit Dovedale.

I passed this fine fellow

and his ladies.

Once in Dovedale, I crossed the little bridge and walked up the Derbyshire side of the River. It's the River Dove of course and if I stayed on the other side, I'd have walked in Staffordshire.

I prefer the Derbyshire side as a rule and it means I never have to wait for the stepping stone crossers to pose for photos.  I can just carry on straight past the back of the queue heading for the Staffordshire side!

The further you walk along Dovedale the fewer people you meet though today it was quite busy all the way along, to Ilam Rock where I took another path.

I found some Dryad's Saddle fungus. The piece on the right was over a foot across!

I always look at the fossils in the limestone steps.

This is Lion's Head Rock...

and here's Ilam Rock. You can just see the bridge to the right of it. I crossed that bridge to head up through the woods.

A view from the bridge looking in the direction I'd come from.

I'd chosen the path towards Stanshope which meant a steep ascent through the woods.

At the top of this section, when I reached the fields, I turned left and walked through Dovedale Wood, heading back along Dovedale but on the top.

Occasionally there was a gap in the trees revealing the view.

At the edge of Dovedale Wood, Thorpe Cloud comes into view again.

Here's a zoomed in view...

Following the path down Thorpe to the left in the photo above brings you out just by the stepping stones in Dovedale.

I just needed to cross several fields and then I was heading back down the other side of Bunster Hill, top to bottom. This is the view up, showing the slope I'd walked down...

and another view looking back towards Bunster.

Back in Ilam.

I had a delicious ice cream from Molly's (one of my favourite ice cream vans!)

and as I ate it, I walked through Ilam Hall's parkland and then sat in the branches of the big old copper beech just below the hall.

Here's one side of Ilam Hall. It's now a youth hostel.

Below is the view towards Bunster Hill (beyond the hall to the left) and Thorpe Cloud again to the right.



I sat in the courtyard and washed my ice cream down with a cup of tea and some shortbread!

Then I found this book in the shop as I was leaving so I added it to my collection!

Five and a half miles walked in total.