Derbyshire Dales National Nature Reserve

About Derbyshire Dales National Nature Reserve

Derbyshire Dales NNR lies within the Peak District National Park. The reserve consists of five separate limestone valleys Lathkill, Cressbrook, Monk's, Long and Hay. These five dales represent some of the best examples of wildlife and geology in the White Peak.

What to see:
Lathkill Dale has its river with many dippers, spectacular views, fine woods and a great display of blue-flowered jacob?s ladder in June.

Lathkills top sights:
- The view down the dale from the top of Ricklow Quarry steps.
- The hay meadows in June.
- Lathkill Head Cave in full winter flood.
- Dippers visitors can't fail to see them on the river.
- The deep, dark mineshaft under Bateman?s House.
- 360 million year old fossils in Ricklow Quarry.
- The clearest water, try the top end of Carter?s Millpond.
- The woods in early May

Cressbrook Dale has steeper paths, leading you from ash woods to a turf landscape dotted with rockrose and alive with butterflies and moths, broken by rocky outcrops and screes. Monk?s Dale is a wilder prospect, needing more effort to reach its inner sanctum, but well worth that exertion. Hay and Long Dales are small and make a great trip for naturalists looking for limestone flowers and insects.

How to get there:
Lathkill Dale is a Spotlight Reserve and we recommend it for the casual visitor. The other dales are for more seasoned walkers. Visitors are encouraged to use environmentally friendly forms of transport. If walking, the Limestone Way and Monsal Trail run through or close to the NNR.

The Peak District is served by sections of the National Cycle Network. The nearest train stations are in Buxton, served by Northern Rail, and Matlock served by Central Trains.

Lathkill Dale is situated 3.2 km south west of Bakewell, between the villages of Over Haddon, Monyash and Youlgreave. There are car parks at Over Haddon and Moor Lane, Youlgreave.

Cressbrook Dale is situated 11.3 km north of Bakewell, between the villages of Wardlow and Litton. There are car parks at Upperdale in Monsal Dale, Monsal Head, Tideswell Dale and Ravensdale.

Monks Dale is situated 14.5 km north west of Bakewell. The nearest car park is at Miller's Dale station.

Long Dale is situated 9.7 km south of Bakewell, near the village of Elton. There are car parks at Minninglow, Friden and Elton.

Hay Dale is situated 13 km north west of Bakewell, between the villages of Wheston and Peak Forest. The nearest car park is at Miller?s Dale station.