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Milldale and Wolfscote Dale from Alstonefield

Peak District Walk

Nat Park - Peak District - Dovedale Manifold Valley

County/Area - Staffordshire & Derbyshire

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 6.5 miles / 10.6 km    Ascent - 450 feet / 136 metres

Time - 3 hours 40 minutes    Grade - easy/mod

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Ordnance Survey Explorer OL24Sheet Map1:25kBUY
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Ordnance Survey Landranger 119Sheet Map1:50kBUY
Anquet OS Landranger 119Digital Map1:50kBUY

Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Milldale and Wolfscote Dale
Click image to visit gallery of 6 images.

This Peak District walk offers a relatively easy introduction to the delights of the White Peak and includes some well-known highlights of the area. The start is the small car park in the village of Alstonefield (grid ref. SK130556). There are other options for parking within the village but do be considerate when parking to reduce inconvenience to residents.

After parking turn right out of the car park and walk into the centre of the village. Take the lane leading past the church, which is on your right. A short way past the church take the signed footpath to Milldale on the right of the lane. This leads across fields to descend steeply to a lane in Milldale (grid ref. SK138548). Turn right and then left at the first junction. This leads you to the centre of Milldale and the picturesque bridge over the River Dove.

Turn left along the footpath beside the road keeping the river on your right. Continue along this path to reach the next bridge over the river (grid ref. SK145551). Cross the Dove into Derbyshire and once on the opposite side take the signed path on the left. This leads alongside the river, which is now on your left. This walk stays with the river for nearly three miles. It is useful to have a map so that you can regularly check your location.

Approaching way is the junction with Biggin Dale (grid ref. SK141570), which lies on your right. From this point north you are in Wolfscote Dale. Continue along the often busy path enjoying wonderful views with limestone outcrops. At the next bridge (grid ref. SK130584) you leave the riverside path, cross the bridge and return to Staffordshire. Follow this wide path towards Narrowdale keeping straight ahead at the first junction of paths (grid ref. SK126576). This path continues ahead before joining an enclosed lane.

Turn right up this lane. Just before reaching the wooded area on the map, take the signed footpath on the left. This leads across a meadow to the road (grid ref. SK126563). Do not go onto the road but turn sharp left and follow the path which almost doubles back on itself before turning right across a series of fields. At the first cross-junction (grid ref. SK129561) go straight ahead to bear right at the next junction. This leads you onto a road. Turn left to return to the car park which is a short way along this road on the right.

Other walks nearby

Walk 1021 Milldale & Hall Daleeasy/mod5.0 miles
Walk 1181 Wetton Hill & the Manifold Valley from Wettoneasy/mod6.5 miles
Walk 1653 The Manifold Valley from Wetton easy/mod7.8 miles
Walk 2681 Wetton & Manifold Valley from Wettoneasy/mod3.6 miles
Walk 2537 Ecton Hill & Wetton from Wetton Millmoderate7.0 miles
Walk 3455 Manifold Valley & Dovedale om Ilammoderate9.5 miles
Walk 3527 Dovedale and Manifold Valley from Ilammoderate7.5 miles
Walk 1475 Bunster Hill and Dovedale from Ilameasy/mod4.5 miles
Walk 1042 Pilsbury Castle from Hartingtoneasy/mod5.5 miles
Walk 2301 Biggin & Parsley Hay from Hartingtoneasy/mod9.5 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

Walking in the Peak District - White Peak East

Walking in the Peak District - White Peak EastGuidebook describing 42 half-day and day walks in the limestone landscapes of Derbyshire's White Peak, part of the Peak District National Park. One of two volumes, this book covers the east of the region, with potential bases including Bakewell, Eyam, Castleton, Birchover, Matlock and Wirksworth.
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Great Mountain Days in the Pennines

Great Mountain Days in the PenninesAn inspirational guidebook to 50 classic walks on the rolling Pennine landscape. The graded routes, between 6 and 13 miles in length, cover classic Pennine fells and moorland such as Whernside, Ilkley Moor and Pendle Hill; exploring the North and South Pennines, Yorkshire Dales, Howgills and Dark Peak. Many routes are also suited to fell running.
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