The River Dove ( /dʌv/ DUV, traditionally /doʊv/ DOHV) is the principal river of the southwestern Peak District, in the Midlands of England, and is around 45 miles (72 km) in length. It rises on Axe Edge Moor near Buxton and flows generally south to its confluence with the River Trent at Newton Solney. [1] From there, its waters reach the North Sea via the Humber Estuary. For almost its entire course it forms the boundary between the counties of Staffordshire (to the west) and Derbyshire (to the east). The river meanders past Longnor and Hartington and cuts through a set of deep limestone gorges, Beresford Dale, Wolfscote Dale, Milldale and Dovedale. [2]
The river is a famous trout stream. Charles Cotton's Fishing House, which was the inspiration for Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler , [3] stands in the woods by the river near Hartington.
The river's name is now usually pronounced to rhyme with "love", but its original pronunciation rhymed with "rove". This pronunciation is still used by some residents of the lower reaches of the river. [4]
From Hartington to its confluence with the River Manifold at Ilam, the river flows through a series of scenic limestone valleys, known collectively as Dovedale. Dovedale is also particularly used for the name of that section between the stepping stones under Thorpe Cloud and Milldale. The Dovedale gorge is considered so scenic that it attracts a million visitors a year. [5] Good riverside paths make the whole route accessible to walkers.
Much of the dale is in the ownership of the National Trust, being part of their South Peak Estate. Dovedale itself was acquired in 1934, with successive properties being added until 1938, and Wolfscote Dale in 1948. Dovedale was declared a national nature reserve in 2006.
Dovedale's attractions include rock pillars such as Ilam Rock, [6] Viator's Bridge, and the limestone features Lovers' Leap and Reynard's Cave. [7]
Once the river leaves Dovedale it combines with the Manifold and enters a wider valley near Thorpe. The valley increases in size as the river continues south to reach Mapleton and then Mayfield, where it is crossed by the medieval Hanging Bridge. At this point it is joined by the Bentley Brook, and then nearby at Church Mayfield, by the Henmore Brook. [8]
The Dove now flows in a south-westerly direction, passing Norbury and Ellastone, where it turns south until it reaches Rocester. To the south of the village, at Combridge it is joined by its largest tributary the River Churnet. As it reaches the ancient Dove Bridge, it is joined by the River Tean, the river now meandering through a wide valley which turns east as it passes between Doveridge and Uttoxeter; the only town along its length. [8]
Beyond this point riverside communities, such as Marchington, Sudbury and Scropton, tend to be located at the edge of the valley; although the village of Hatton encroaches across the valley floor, where it is linked by a bridge to Tutbury whose Castle overlooks the crossing. The river continues east passing the villages of Marston, Rolleston on Dove and Egginton, where it is joined by its last tributary, the Hilton Brook. The river is divided at this point, with some flow passing through the mill fleam at Clay Mills, the two arms rejoin downstream of the A38 road bridge and Monks Bridge, and then to the south, the Dove reaches its confluence with the River Trent, at Newton Solney. [8]
Alphabetical list of tributaries, extracted from the Water Framework Directive list of water bodies for the River Dove: [9]
The Peak District is an upland area in central-northern England, at the southern end of the Pennines. Mostly in Derbyshire, it extends into Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. It is subdivided into the Dark Peak, moorland dominated by gritstone, and the White Peak, a limestone area with valleys and gorges. The Dark Peak forms an arc on the north, east and west of the district, and the White Peak covers central and southern areas. The highest point is Kinder Scout. Most of the area is within the Peak District National Park, a protected landscape designated in 1951.
The River Churnet is a river in Staffordshire, England. It is a tributary of the River Dove.
The White Peak, also known as the Low Peak, is a limestone plateau that forms the central and southern part of the Peak District in England. It is mostly between 270 metres (900 ft) and 430 metres (1,400 ft) above sea-level and is enclosed by the higher altitude Dark Peak to the west, north and east.
Hartington is a village in the centre of the White Peak area of the Derbyshire Peak District, England, lying on the River Dove which is the Staffordshire border. According to the 2001 census, the parish of Hartington Town Quarter, which also includes Pilsbury, had a population of 345 reducing to 332 at the 2011 Census. Formerly known for cheese-making and the mining of ironstone, limestone and lead, the village is now popular with tourists.
Ilam is a village in the Staffordshire Peak District of England, lying on the River Manifold. The population of the civil parish as taken at the 2011 census was 402.
Dovedale is a valley in the Peak District of England. The land is owned by the National Trust and attracts a million visitors annually. The valley was cut by the River Dove and runs for just over 3 miles (5 km) between Milldale in the north and a wooded ravine, near Thorpe Cloud and Bunster Hill, in the south. In the wooded ravine, a set of stepping stones cross the river and there are two caves known as the Dove Holes.
The Limestone Way is a waymarked long-distance footpath in Derbyshire, England. It runs for 46 miles (74 km) through the White Peak of the Peak District National Park, from Castleton south to Rocester over the county boundary into Staffordshire. The trail is named for the limestone scenery along its route. It was devised by Brian Spencer of Matlock Rotary Club and developed and opened in 1986 by the West Derbyshire District Council. It originally ran to Matlock, but was extended to its current, longer route in 1992 to join up with the Staffordshire Way.
Wolfscote Hill is a limestone hill near the village of Hartington in the Derbyshire Peak District. The summit is 388 metres (1,273 ft) above sea level.
Rocester is a village and civil parish in the East Staffordshire district of Staffordshire, England. Its name is spelt Rowcestre in the Domesday Book. It is located on the Derbyshire border.
The White Peak Estate of the National Trust comprises several land holdings in the Southern Peak District, now referred to as Ilam Park, Dovedale and the White Peak in National Trust publications although administered from the "White Peak Estate Office". The holdings, totaling some 3,600 acres (1,500 ha), are managed from the estate office in Ilam and comprise:
Alsop en le Dale is a village in Derbyshire, England about 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Ashbourne close to the Staffordshire border, and a mile from Dovedale, a popular tourist location within the Peak District national park. It is within the civil parish of Eaton and Alsop.
The Ashbourne line was a 33+1⁄2 mi (53.9 km) railway from Buxton via Ashbourne to Uttoxeter. It was built by the London and North Western Railway using a section of the Cromford and High Peak Railway (C&HPR) and it joined the North Staffordshire Railway at Ashbourne, proceeding to Uttoxeter with a junction onto the main line at Rocester.
Combridge is a small settlement in Staffordshire, England, near the town of Uttoxeter. It is in the parish of Rocester, a little to the south of the village of that name. For population details as taken at the 2011 census see Rocester.
Fenny Bentley is a small village and civil parish located close to Dovedale in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England. The population in 2009 was 305 reducing to 183 at the 2011 Census. It lies two miles north of Ashbourne, on the A515 Buxton to Ashbourne Road. It is one of the most southerly villages in the Peak District.
Hollington is a village in the civil parish of Checkley, in the Staffordshire Moorlands district in Staffordshire, England. There are several villages of this name, including Hollington, Derbyshire a few miles to the east in the county of Derbyshire.
Totmonslow is a hundred in the county of Staffordshire, England. The hundred is in the north-east of Staffordshire and is named after the hamlet of the same name, which is a half mile east of Draycott in the Moors. The hamlet was the seat of the hundred court.
Clifton and Compton is a civil parish within the Derbyshire Dales district, in the county of Derbyshire, England. The parish, despite the name, only includes the villages of Clifton and Hangingbridge; there is a place named Compton nearby in Ashbourne parish. In 2011 the parish had a population of 500. It is 124 miles (200 km) north west of London, 13 miles (21 km) north west of the county city of Derby, and 1+1⁄3 miles south west of the market town of Ashbourne. Clifton and Compton touches the parishes of Ashbourne, Edlaston and Wyaston, Mayfield, Offcote and Underwood, Osmaston, Okeover and Snelston. There are eight listed buildings in Clifton and Compton.