Wolfscote Hill, Biggin Dale, Wolfscote Dale & Beresford Dale

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Route: Hartington, Reynard's Lane, Wolfscote Hill, Ferny Bottom, Biggin Dale, Peaseland Rocks, Wolfscote Dale, Drabber Tor, Beresford Dale, Pike Pool, Pennilow, Hartington

Date: 09/01/2016
From: Hartington

Parking: Hartington
Start Point: Hartington
Region: Peak District White Peak

Route length: 6.3 miles (10 km)
Time taken: 02:23
Average speed: 2.6 mph
Ascent: 478m
Descent: 483m

Summits: Wolfscote Hill (388m)

Other points of interest: Biggin Dale, Wolfscote Dale, Peaseland Rocks, Drabber Tor, Beresford Dale, Pike Pool

A slight change of scenery took me down to the White Peak of the Peak District, an area reminiscent of the Yorkshire Dales and one full of interesting features. One of its main attractions are the deep valleys, eroded away over millennia to form spectacular sights such as Dovedale and the Manifold Valley. I chose to visit one of the lesser-visited of these, Wolfscote Dale, which is every bit as impressive and dramatic as Dovedale but much less busy. Thrown in the delightful Biggin Dale and Wolfscote Hill and you have a wonderful day out in the White Peak.

The walk begins in Hartington where there are a number of parking areas to choose from, all of them free. I chose to start the walk by climbing Wolfscote Hill, a fairly large dome that overlooks the village to the south. I reached the slopes of Wolfscote Hill along Raynards Lane before doing some mild trespassing through the broken walls that line the slopes. It's an easy climb to the trig pillar on the summit which is in the care of the National Trust. The hill overlooks both Biggin Dale and Wolfscote Dale and has expansive views in all directions. The limestone outcrops that line the top are very reminiscent of the Yorkshire Dales.

Hartington

Barns at Crossland Sides

Wolfscote Hill

Sheen Hill in the distance

The gentle slope of Wolfscote Hill

Trig pillar on the summit

Limestone protrusions on the top

Heading East, I made my way towards Biggin Dale, threading a path between the drystone walls and the sheep before the steep slope drops steeply into the valley. Once I had negotiated a drystone wall to get onto the path, it became abundantly clear that the usual path was now taken up by a fairly swiftly flowing river, a result of the copious amounts of rainfall we've seen over the last few weeks. It's worth pointing out that the valley is usually dry. I was glad I wore my leather boots today, I'm not sure a fabric pair would have resisted the onslaught of water and mud. The Dale is a National Nature Reserve, leased to the National Trust and, at a little over one mile long, is a delightful stroll.

Biggin Dale

Biggin Dale

This is usually dry

Biggin Dale

A brief section of dry path

A brief section of very flooded path

Partway down is an all-too irresistible cave - an old mine to be precise consisting of a short trial level dug into the side of the dale. Shortly down the valley from the mine is the dramatic meeting point of Wolfscote Dale.

The old iron mine

Biggin Dale from the iron mine entrance

Wolfscote Dale appears ahead

As I mentioned earlier, Wolfscote Dale is similar in many ways to Dovedale with towering limestone cliffs and tors dominating the river below. Wolfscote Dale, though lacking some of the drama of Dovedale, is still impressive, especially when viewed from partway up the hillside at the meeting point with Biggin Dale. Here are a series of rocky outcrops, easily accessible by a short climb, that offers a superb panorama of both Wolfscote Dale and Biggin Dale and the perfect spot to stop for lunch.

Wolfscote Dale

Biggin Dale

The rocky protrusion at the meeting point of the two valleys

The same outcrop once again, looking much pointier

Wolfscote Dale

After returning back to the valley floor, it was time to head up Wolfscote Dale en-route back to Hartington. Again, it's an easy stroll along well-built paths that follow the River Dove. The dramatic rocks give way to steep grassy slopes though there is one final rocky flourish at the top of the valley, finished off by another small cave. Legend has it that the last wolf that roamed the area was killed at the end of Wolfscote Dale which may account for its name.

Wolfscote Dale

Wolfscote Dale

Drabber Tor

The River Dove

The top of Wolfscote Dale

Footbridge over the River Dove

Peering out of the cave entrance

Crossing a flooded field led me to the lower end of Beresford Dale, the last of the valleys on this walk but no less interesting. Smaller and more modest than Wolfscote and Biggin Dale, the wooded flanks of Beresford Dale are a change to the towering limestone canyons of the River Dove. Halfway along Beresford Dale is Pike Pool, so-called because of the grey spire (or pike) of limestone that rises abruptly out of the water, likely to have been a natural arch at one point in its life.

Narrowdale Hill

The River Dove

Entrance to Beresford House. A little creepy

Pike Pool in Beresford Dale

Beresford Dale

The valley opens out to the north with the path returning to Hartington around the knoll of Pennilow and across a number of boggy fields which I'm sure are a joy in the summer, less so today. This concluded a very satisfying walk, made all the better by the fact it didn't rain and the scenery was superb. Definitely, one to explore again.

Pennilow

The path back to Hartington