September 17, 2024
Along the River Dove
I arrived at the car park in Dovedale around 8am. The sun already lit up select aspects of nearby hillsides. But the car park was still largely empty. I’d only just arrived in England’s bucolic “Peak District” that morning. I was excited to enjoy my first hike in the country.
I took off along a flat, gravel path along the quaint River Dove. It led into a ravine (dale?) beneath my intended summit: Thorpe Cloud. Early in the day the sheep roaming the area were active. They stirred as I walked past, drifting off the path and up onto the grassy slope opposite the river.
The Stepping Stones
Perhaps a half mile later, I arrived at an adorable crossing of the river. A handsome set of large, flat stones provided dry passage over the River Dove. They go by the “Dovedale Stepping Stones.”
As I walked across, a pair of ducks swam underneath. At this early hour on a weekday, it was just me, the ducks, and some sheep. How lovely! Moments later the solitude would be only technically broken, as a hot air balloon rose over the scene. It would circle around the area throughout my hike on Thorpe Cloud.
Ascending Thorpe Cloud
Immediately after the stepping stones, I followed an informal trail up the “back side” of the hill known as Thorpe Cloud. It rose steeply, ascending roughly 500 vertical feet in perhaps a third of a mile. I’d been sight seeing in England for a few days now, but mostly that had just involved walking, driving, and battling jet lag. It was nice to finally be getting in some rigorous exercise!
Before long I had gained the hill. I saw nearby slopes rising to a similar height. Thorpe Cloud seemed less like an isolated hill and more the product of criss-crossing eroded ravines. Everything looked lush and green. This was definitely England.
Back to Dovedale
From the top, I descended on the more officially recognized trail back down towards Dovedale. This made the hike a satisfying, if short, loop. Or as the English call it, a “circular.” I could see nearby farms with livestock.
Before long I was crossing a cute wooden bridge over the River Dove and arriving back to the Car Park. The hike lasted just an hour in total, but it was the perfect bit of exercise and introduction to the bucolic Peak District.
