Difficulty : 4/5

OVERVIEW: The River Dove is the most popular of all the Peak District’s rivers. Avoid the crowds at weekends and go early morning when birdsong fills the ash woods and the smell of wild garlic is carried on the breeze. Dovedale’s origins as a one-time tropical reef are apparent in the stepping stones near the start. The blocks have been worn smooth by boots and the fossils polished. Splash a little water over them to see them come alive. The walking here is easy and you're rewarded with rich scenery. Every crack of fissured limestone is crammed with tiny ferns and herb-Robert. Wind-blown seeds of ox-eye daisies grow in vertical, weathered slits. A detour via Lin Dale to the summit of Thorpe Cloud is well worthwhile.

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