The Hills of Dovedale Fitness Walk - Peak Walking Adventures

Description

From Dovedale, we ascend steeply to the summit of Thorpe Cloud for a wonderful viewpoint of the valley and surrounding hills. Our descent takes us down to the River Dove’s Stepping Stones, before ascending again over the hills on the eastern side of the Dale. A descent to view the famous Dove Holes (carved out of limestone rock), is followed by an ascent of Baley Hill with its striking ridge view. We then drop down to the picturesque hamlet of Milldale – an ideal picnic stop. The second part of the walk ascends and descends the west side of the Dale with a final climb onto Bunster Hill – a fine viewpoint to end the walk with.

Want to make a weekend of it? You can also book our Thor’s Cave and Ecton Hill Fitness Walk on Saturday 27 January 2024 here >

Additional information

The Walk	From Dovedale, we ascend steeply to the summit of Thorpe Cloud for a wonderful viewpoint of the valley and surrounding hills. Our descent takes us down to the River Dove's Stepping Stones, before ascending again over the hills on the eastern side of the Dale. A descent to view the famous Dove Holes (carved out of limestone rock), is followed by an ascent of Baley Hill with its striking ridge view. We then drop down to the picturesque hamlet of Milldale – an ideal picnic stop. The second part of the walk ascends and descends the west side of the Dale with a final climb onto Bunster Hill – a fine viewpoint to end the walk with.

The Walk

From Dovedale, we ascend steeply to the summit of Thorpe Cloud for a wonderful viewpoint of the valley and surrounding hills. Our descent takes us down to the River Dove's Stepping Stones, before ascending again over the hills on the eastern side of the Dale. A descent to view the famous Dove Holes (carved out of limestone rock), is followed by an ascent of Baley Hill with its striking ridge view. We then drop down to the picturesque hamlet of Milldale – an ideal picnic stop. The second part of the walk ascends and descends the west side of the Dale with a final climb onto Bunster Hill – a fine viewpoint to end the walk with.

What’s included?

Included

Qualified Mountain Leader or Hill and Moorland Leader with Outdoor First Aid Qualifications.
Guiding throughout the day with briefing advice and support to ensure your safety.
Narrative on local points of interest, wildlife, geology, history and culture.
Optional photography of your day which can be shared with you.
The option of a free, return lift from a station or bus stop to the start of your walk to encourage sustainable travel. We can only arrange this if we have spare space in our vehicle and the pick-up point is reasonably close to your walk. Ask us when you book.

Not Included:

Parking or transport costs associated with your walk.
Essential walking kit or food.
Navigation equipment and maps for Navigation Courses (we will help if we have spares).

What to Bring

Here’s an Essential Kit Kist for all our walks >

Meeting and Parking

We meet by the Public Toilets and Refreshment Kiosk in the main National Trust Car Park, Dove Dale Lane, Dovedale, nearest postode DE6 2AY.

Please look at the Google Map showing the precise location of the National Trust Car Park on Dove Dale Lane here.

Parking (currently) costs £7 for the day. Please bring coins as the ticket machine may not take cards. Parking is free for National Trust members.

Coming by Bus or Train?
We’re keen to support public transport use and reduce emissions. If you’re arriving reasonably nearby we’ll give you a free lift. Just ask us when you book.

Facilities

There are Public Toilets and a Refreshment Kiosk at the Car Park where we meet and The Izaak Walton Hotel close-by. The nearest town with shops, restaurants, pubs and accommodation is Ashbourne. See map here.

Walk Difficulty

This is a Harder Walk. Here is our walk difficulty guide >

FAQs

We have created a separate page of the most frequently asked questions here >

Accommodation

Click here to see a Google map of accommodation near this walk’s start.

We have also created a page of Peak District accommodation we recommend here >

Respect, Protect and Enjoy!

We all want to respect, protect and enjoy the fragile upland environments where we walk, so that they can be enjoyed by generations to come. Following The Countryside Code really helps…

Respect:

Be considerate to those living in, working in and enjoying the countryside
Leave gates and property as you find them
Do not block access to gateways or driveways when parking
Be nice, say hello, share the space
Follow local signs and keep to marked paths unless wider access is available

Protect:

Take your litter home – leave no trace of your visit
Do not light fires and only have BBQs where signs say you can
Always keep dogs under control and in sight
Dog poo – bag it and bin it – any public waste bin will do
Care for nature – do not cause damage or disturbance

Enjoy:

Check your route and local conditions
Plan your adventure – know what to expect and what you can do
Enjoy your visit, have fun, make a memory

Want to know more?

Sustainability – our actions and fund raising to support the local environment, communities and economy.
Contact Us – ask a question or make a suggestion.