Dove Dale From Milldale Via Castern

Introduction

The sultry heat of early this week had passed this morning, to leave a lovely day 18 degC, bright and largely sunny.

I chose to revisit a classic stretch of the Dove Dale, a wonderful and popular tourist spot in the Peak District. However, I, unlike, I estimate, 90% of today’s visitors I walked over the hilltops before joining the riverside.

This walk is 7.6 miles long, with 1100 feet of ascent, and took 3 hours 15 minutes, plus a 15 minute lunch break.

The journey is about 1 hour 10 minutes each way by car.

There is little opportunity to walk with dogs off the lead on this walk.

I walked in an anti-clockwise direction.

The walk is on OS Explorer Map OL24.

I parked at Milldale car par, £4.75 for the day, postcode DE6 2GB. What 3 Words /// catapult.community.responds

Milldale To Castern

From the car park, I headed up the lane to a track on the left just before a pretty cottage.

I took the track, and rose steadily out of the valley, and into farming country. Haymaking was the order of the day.

The breeze was pleasant in the sunshine, and I made good progress through the hamlet of Stanshope.

The fields held lots of birds, attracted by the haymaking activity stirring up the insects. I got quite close to a family group of wheatears.

When you’re on top of the peaks, the views are gorgeous. Approaching Castern, there is a glimpse into the Manifold Valley.

At Castern Hall, there is an impressive refurbishment in hand.

Castern To Dove Dale

The route almost turns back on itself here, and heads back up onto the fields, filled with sheep, and some impressive thistles.

After several fields I came to one where the farmer had cut a path through the grass – very obliging!

As I began to head downhill after a short road stretch, I stopped for lunch, whilst admiring the view.

From here, I had to to traverse the hillside on the left of the above picture. At one point the path disappears due to the steepness of the slope and a bit of scrambling was needed for 10 metres or so.

Eventually, I descended to Dove Dale, and my first view of the river.

Dove Dale

I stayed on the left bank , and could soon see the hordes of visiting schoolchildren near the stepping stones.

I crossed the iconic stones that I remember from my own childhood visits here, and watched as others did likewise.

It is about 3 miles along the river to Milldale, and no words are needed.

On one of the rock faces are plaques to celebrate the delivery of this place to the people. Well done them.

The only sadness here is the continuing impact of ash dieback disease. However, it’s good to know that something is being done about it.

And so, I returned to Milldale, where there are toilets and a busy refreshment window to enjoy.

I loved this walk, and its familiarity doesn’t diminish that enjoyment at all!

And Finally….

On Tuesday night we went to the Albert Hall to see Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats for the fourth time. He is brilliant.

This track is from his new album “South Of Here” and is titled “Heartless”.