This walk explores the middle reaches of the Dove’s fabulous gorge and its tributaries. Starting at Hartington’s village green, peaceful byways lead to Biggin Dale (a national nature Reserve), before turning into Wolfscote Dale, a delectable riverside walk culminating in wooded Beresford Dale, where Izaak Walton and Charles Cotton wrote and fished. All these dales are awash with wildflowers, butterflies and myriad wild birds.
[1] Tear yourself away from Hartington’s famous cheese shop (SK127605) and walk right of the duckpond, joining the main village road heading for Ashbourne. At the red telephone box turn right along Hall Bank (signed for YHA). After 75m turn right on the road signed for Wolfscote Grange Farm.
This walled lane rises gently through typical limestone countryside; a bucolic Eden of haymeadows, stone barns and a filigree of lichened, mossy walls.
In 1km/half-a-mile, at a sharp right bend (SK137 594), continue ahead on the road signed for Biggin Dale. This later becomes a rough lane which after you pass a large barn on the left descends into one of the horns of Biggin Dale (SK144589).
[2] Turn right to reach the main dale. Here look left for a nearby handgate above a small circular pond. Turn right to the fingerpost and right alongside the wall down the dale.
(A) This is a typical White Peak dry valley – formed in wetter climatic times, there is now only a stream in the wettest winters. It’s rough underfoot in places, so take time to appreciate the littering of tumbled boulders, amid which wildflowers – dark red helleborine, cowslips and early purple orchids among them – thrive.
In 2km/1¼ miles Biggin Dale meets its big brother, Wolfscote Dale (SK142569) below the towering bluffs of Peaseland Rocks and nearby Drabber Tor.
[3] Turn right along the path that runs alongside the River Dove.
This is an easy passage overshadowed by immense cliffs and pinnacles haunted by jackdaws and buzzard. A degree of luck will bring you the antics of dippers and kingfishers fishing the waters here. In summer, the gorge is a sun-trap, coloured with lateflowering wildflowers that attract a large number of butterflies, including the white-letter hairstreak, common blue and northern brown argus.
The 100m-high cliffs all but squeeze together, before the path springs free of the gorge between bluffs called the Celestial Twins to emerge into meadows at the foot of Beresford Dale (SK130584).
[4] On a good day ignore other exits and cross the meadow ahead to the low bridge over the Dove which you cross to the stub-end of tarred Beresford Lane.
If the meadow is too soggy take a small triangular diversion to the same point by turning left over the large Frank-i-the-Rocks Bridge,on the cycle track Sabrina Way to the next signpost 200m on.Turn right, signed Hulme End which brings you down Beresford Lane to the bridge.
Continue on up the left bank of the Dove through the beautiful woodlands of Beresford Dale, past languid pools and lively weirs. At the next footbridge cross the River and continue onwards through the trees.
(B) It was here in the 1670s that Izaak Walton and his host Charles Cotton drafted The Compleat Angler or The Contemplative Man’s Recreation, one of the most-read classics in the English language. Beyond the far end of the woods, look back to glimpse the Fishing House (SK127593), in a tight bend of the river where these gentlemen put quill to parchment.
The well-marked path now leaves the Dove and charts an easy passage across fields to return to nearby Hartington.
In September each year, the village stages its annual Well Dressing – http://www.welldressing.com/venue.php?id=62 an archaic, much-loved and admired tradition.