THE EASY RETURN DOVEDALE STEPPING STONES WALK TO DOVE HOLES: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE!
LOOKING TO COMPLETE THE EASY RETURN DOVEDALE STEPPING STONES WALK TO DOVE HOLES?
DOVEDALE STEPPING STONES WALK TO DOVE HOLES: A STEP BY STEP GUIDE!
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HOW LONG IS THE RETURN DOVEDALE STEPPING STONES WALK TO DOVE HOLES?
Our Dovedale stepping stones walk below stops at Dove Holes caves (completing 75% of the Dovedale Valley), before returning back the way you came. This route is 4.4 miles in total, and will take approximately 2 hours to complete!
You could carry on and walk all the way through the Dovedale Valley to the neighbouring small hamlet of Milldale if you wanted to, which would take approximately 3 hours return (6 miles total).
Milldale is famed to be very picturesque Peak District hamlet with its dozens of grey stone cottages. There is a small tea shop, Polly’s Cottage, that is open in the warmer months.
If you wanted to just walk to the stepping stones, it is simply a 5 minute walk from Dovedale car park. We wouldn’t advise this though – as there is so much more to see!
HOW DIFFICULT IS THE RETURN DOVEDALE STEPPING STONES WALK TO DOVE HOLES?
Overall, we would say the Dovedale Valley walk is a very easy Peak District walk for beginners!
Most of the trail is almost completely flat. The only slight incline is briefly climbing 30 to 50 stone steps up to Lovers Leap hill before descending immediately down again as you continue flat into the valley.
POINT 1
Park up at Dovedale car park early. Pass the public toilet block and refreshment hut to begin the start of the trail, following the wide gravel path which follows the gentle River Dove.
A few minutes up the path, you are met with two options: continue straight on the path, or go right over a wooden bridge.
Make sure you continue straight on the path, as then you can cross the River Dove on the Dovedale stepping stones.
POINT 2
Use the stepping stones to cross the shallow waters of the River Dove, as across the river is where our trail continues!
Please note: The stepping stones can become very slippery and sometimes submerged and impassible during bouts of rainy weather. The best time to cross the stones is during a dry period.
Did You Know: There are other lesser known set of stepping stones in the Peak District you can walk across on the Chee Dale stepping stones walk!
Did You Know: The Dovedale stepping stones walk is included in our long weekend Peak District itinerary!
POINT 3
Walk along the flat gravel path following the river. Look out for gorgeous birds flying across from tree to tree!
After 5 to 10 minutes, the path will change into wide stone steps. There are probably just over 50 steps to the top of the hill.
POINT 4
At the top of the hill, you will see a small rocky hill on the left-hand side, this is called “Lover’s Leap”. Take a moment to catch your breath and have a drink.
Quick facts: “Lover’s Leap” is a name given to dangerous rocky ranges on the side of valley’s, and there are plentiful in Derbyshire. This one in particular has an incredible story with occurred 300+ years ago.
A young lady threw herself off Lover’s Leap, distraught after hearing her boyfriend had been killed. But luck was on her side. Not only did she survive by her skirt catching on a branch on the way down, she went on to learn that her boyfriend was in fact alive and well. What a story!
POINT 5
Continue straight and begin your slow and gentle descent back down from Lover’s Leap hill. You will notice the surroundings become more dense with mystical woodland.
As you reach the flat, continue along the path and look around in awe at the towering cliff formations emerging either side!
POINT 6
Take a quick detour up the right hand path to Reynards Cave – a must see on this Dovedale stepping stones walk! The path incline is quite sharp with a few rocks, though you reach the natural archway within literally 30 seconds.
You will see Reynards Cave itself is set back another 20 metres from the archway, on a steep incline. Past the archway, there is no path and you would be required to scramble across large boulders to get up to the cave.
This is totally optional, you can just enjoy the incredible view of the cave from the archway, or just venture to the point you are comfortable with.
Carefully make your way back down to the main path and continue on.
Other brilliant walks to do in the Peak District:
POINT 7
The main path now becomes extremely interesting – crossing river boardwalks and spotting small secret caves along the way!
After 10-minutes, you come across another incredible limestone rock formation – Ilam Rock, towering 25 metres high! Built up of fossilised sea creatures from over 350+ million years ago, this colossal sight was eventually carved into the jagged shape during the two ice ages! Incredible, hey?
You can quickly cross the small wooden bridge to get closer to Ilam Rock, though to carry on the main trail, cross back over and continue on the straight main path you were just on.
POINT 8
10 more minutes later – You will reach our final stop on our Dovedale stepping stones walk – Dove Holes! Dove Holes are two incredible caves with impressive entrances. They are much more accessible and shallow than Reynards cave (for example), making them much easier to head in and fully explore!
While you’re here, if you fancy it you can opt to continue on for another 15 minutes to Milldale, a very hamlet dotted with picturesque stone houses, which officially marks the end of Dovedale valley.
If not, return back the way you came from Dove Holes, and enjoy the walk even more from a different perspective on the way back!
PARKING FOR DOVEDALE STEPPING STONES
BEST PARKING LOCATION FOR DOVEDALE STEPPING STONES
The best and closest car park, ideal for the Dovedale stepping stones walk, is Dovedale car park (postcode DE6 2AY).
DOVEDALE STEPPING STONES PARKING COST
Dovedale car park is a reasonably priced ‘Pay and Display’ car park. It is £5 for up to 4 hours, £7 for all day.
You can only pay by coins at Dovedale car park. There is currently no option for mobile, card or contactless payment here due there being to no phone signal in the area.
If you are a National Trust member, parking at Dovedale car park is free. Simply scan your NT membership card QR code at the ticket machine.
TOP TIPS FOR PARKING AT DOVEDALE CAR PARK
FACILITIES AT DOVEDALE CAR PARK
At Dovedale car park (postcode DE6 2AY), you will find a public toilets block, charged at 20p per use (by exact coins only, so make sure you have a few 20p coins with you).
There is also a small refreshments hut, selling cold and hot drinks, sweet and savoury snacks and (ideal for a hot day) delicious ice cream! The perfect treat to enjoy on or after your Dovedale stepping stones walk!
DOVEDALE VALLEY WALK PACKING LIST
- Change to pay for parking, and in particular a few 20p coins to pay to use the Dovedale car park toilet block.
- Loose comfortable clothing for walking, such as tank tops, cotton shorts or leggings. If you visit in the colder months, pack additional layers.
- Comfortable lightweight walking shoes or boots with good grip and thermal socks.
- Refillable water bottle to bring on your Dovedale Valley walking trail.
- High factor sun cream for warmer months.
- Sun protective clothing, including a hat and sunglasses for warmer months.
- Powered battery pack (and cable) for your smart phone.
- A lightweight rain poncho just in case – you never know with our unpredictable English weather!
DOVEDALE “KNOW BEFORE YOU GO” FAQ’S
WHERE IS THE DOVEDALE VALLEY?
Dovedale is located at the bottom end of the picturesque Peak District, a lush National Park in the United kingdom made up of idyllic rolling hills and widespread woodland and countryside.
The Peak District is in the centre of the country, making it easily accessible from most UK destinations in just a few hours or so!
WHY SHOULD I VISIT THE DOVEDALE VALLEY?
The Dovedale valley walking trail has so much natural beauty for you to see, and is the prettiest place in the Peak District.
Top sights include the iconic Dovedale stepping stones, the gently flowing River Dove, magnificent rock formations that have to be seen to be believed and otherworldly caves set into the Valley’s cliff faces!
WHAT ARE THE DOVEDALE STEPPING STONES?
CONCLUSION: DOVEDALE STEPPING STONES WALK
To conclude, you simply cannot miss the Dovedale stepping stones walk to Dove Holes when visiting the Peak District. The Dovedale valley is one of the most beautiful places in the Peak District (and in the UK in our opinion!).
However, this beauty is not a hidden gem and is a very popular destination, meaning it can get very busy.
For your best odds of experiencing a bit of peace and quiet at the Dovedale stepping stones, we advise getting here for about 8.30am (no later than 9am)! If you can visit on a weekday too, even better!
We hope you have an amazing time in the Peak District!
This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!
Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com
A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.
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