Hartington, Beresford Dale, Wolfscote Dale & Biggin Dale

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Route: Hartington, Beresford Dale, Wolfscote Dale, Peaseland Rocks, Biggin Dale, Reynards Lane, Hall Bank, Hartington

Date: 05/04/2022
From: Hartington

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

Route length: 8.9km
Time taken: 3:00
Average speed: 3.4km/h
Ascent: 160m
Descent: 167m

Other points of interest: Pike Pool

Hartington is a quintessential Peak District village, located in the heart of the White Peak area of the national park. It's the perfect place to start one of the area's best hikes around the valleys of Beresford Dale, Wolfscote Dale and Biggin Dale. This relatively easy circuit encompasses the three dales that surround Wolfscote Hill and makes for a superb morning or afternoon adventure. It's a bit of a Peak District classic.

The village of Hartington

April in the UK can only mean one thing

One of the ornate metal signs that mark one of the hundreds of Peak District paths

Starting out from the village, we were greeted by some swift-moving snow showers, interspersed with some brilliant sunshine - a real four seasons sort of a day. A footpath leaves the village close to the public toilets and heads out across some open fields. it passes underneath some limestone knolls before reaching a wooded area at the entrance to Beresford Dale and the River Dove.

The path heads across the green fields of the White Peak

The narrow Beresford Dale is like a miniature Dovedale but without the crowds. The river is interspersed by pools and weirs before it opens up into Wolfscote Dale. 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.

Entering Beresford Dale

Pikes Pool

The limestone spire - or 'pike'

The River Dove

Beresford Dale

Another view of Pikes Pool

We had a little trouble crossing the bridge at the end of Beresford Dale thanks to some high water levels in the river but managed to negotiate it without getting any wet feet. At this point, the River Dove flows into the valley of Wolfscote Dale, a lush green valley capped by limestone cliffs. The caves in the limestone may have been the home of one of the many wolves that are reputed to have lived in the dale - giving it its name.

Entering Wolfscote Dale

The River Dove

The limestone cliffs of Wolfscote Dale

Wolfscote Dale

The Wolfscote Dale caves

Wolfscote Dale is similar in many ways to Dovedale with towering limestone cliffs and tors dominating the river below. It's an easy stroll along well-built paths that follow the River Dove.

Wolfscote Dale

Looking toward Drabber Tor

The gap in the cliffs at Drabber Tor

Peaseland Rock - further limestone tors along Wolfscote Dale

Wolfscote Dale

Biggin Dale joins Wolfscote Dale towards the end of the valley. Biggin Dale is typically a dry dale unless, like today, you visit after a period of heavy rain when the water collects and flows on the surface. Under extreme circumstances, it can make the valley difficult to negotiate and can come as a surprise to unsuspecting hikers. 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

Biggin Dale

Biggin Dale

The path leaves Biggin Dale by climbing a short hill until it reaches the end of a farm lane that runs along a spine of high ground, giving good views in all directions. It leads to Reynards Lane which makes its way directly back towards Hartington.

Reynards lane

Views over the upper River Dove

The White Peak

Springtime in the Peak District