Wolfscote Dale from Hartington

From the centre of Hartington, the route drops down to the River Dove and follows it south through Beresford Dale first, a narrower, more wooded stretch with the river running clear over stone, before opening into Wolfscote Dale proper. Here the valley widens and the limestone cliffs draw back from the water, and the path runs close to the Dove for over a mile, Staffordshire on the far bank and Derbyshire on the near one; the river forms the county boundary along almost its entire length.

The going is easy underfoot for a limestone dale walk: field paths, riverside track and quiet lanes, with no sustained climb, though several stiles and at least one squeeze stile interrupt the rhythm. The return leg turns uphill toward Biggin, climbing gently out of the valley through Biggin Dale before flat field paths lead back to Hartington across open farmland.

This walk earns its moderate rating more from length and stiles than from steepness. The stepping-stone crossings that draw crowds further down the Dove toward Milldale and Dovedale are not part of this particular loop, so anyone hoping for stepping stones should look downstream instead. This route is the quieter stretch of the same river and the same National Nature Reserve: Wolfscote Dale gets a fraction of Dovedale’s visitors while showing much the same limestone scenery. It suits anyone who wants a half-day in a limestone dale without the crowds, and who does not mind stiles. It does not suit a pushchair, and it does not suit anyone whose day is built around the stepping stones, which are downstream near Thorpe and Ilam.