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Above One of several pretty “Swiss chalet-
style” houses in IlamA three-hour walk
From the obelisk at Ilam 1 , walk up
the road beside the river until you
pass the last cottage. Go through a
gate on the left into fields. Climb up
to a wider footpath, turn left and at a
green footpath sign go right on the
path for Stanshope. This goes up the
side of Bunster Hill 2 , the giant peak
between Ilam and Dovedale. At a dry-
stone wall, do not go through the
gate but head up the steep path, with
the wall to the left, to the top of hill.At the top, rest and enjoy the views.
Return to the path and go through a
gate and the next field to a large five-
bar gate onto a broad track between
stone walls. Outside Ilamtops Farm
3 , turn right to walk down to Air
Cottage 4. Just before the cottage,
follow the sign leading off to the right.
Stop on the crags nearby to enjoy the
full view of Dovedale below.
Below the cottage, the signed path
curves through the woods before it
climbs up again to the small gate intoWHERE TO STAYILAM AND DOVEDALE
Hillcrest House inexpensive
Charming B&B on the road from Ilam to
Ashbourne, with spacious rooms and
modern comforts. Breakfasts are
generous, and the location is glorious.
Thorpe, DE6 2AW; 01335 350 436;
http://www.hillcresthousedovedale.co.ukBUXTON
Old Hall Hotel inexpensive
Perhaps the oldest hotel in England, this
now has modern facilities to add to its
character. There’s a bar and cosy lounges
and the restaurant uses top local produce.
The Square, SK17 6BD; 01298 22841;
http://www.oldhallhotelbuxton.co.uk
Buxton Hilbre inexpensive
A welcoming three-room B&B known
for its quality organic breakfasts.
8 White Knowle Road, SK17 9NH; 01298
22358; http://www.buxtonhilbre.co.uk
AROUND CASTLETON
Losehill House Hotel & Spa expensive
This hotel is intimate, luxurious and has
comfortable, light rooms. Hope is on the
A6187, take the Edale Rd north, forking
left down a track and keeping right.
Edale Road, Hope, S33 6RF; 01433 621
219; http://www.losehillhouse.co.ukVISITING ASHBOURNE
Parking
Park in the Market Place or nearby
Shawcroft Car Park off Park Road.
Tourist Information
13 Market Place, DE6 1EU; 01335 343
666; http://www.visitpeakdistrict.com
Ashbourne Cycle Hire
Mapleton Lane, DE6 2AA; 01335 343 156;
http://www.peakdistrict.org/cycle.htm2 Ilam and Dovedale
Staffordshire; DE6 2AZ
Starting from quaint Ilam, this bracing walk explores Dovedale, a
winding, hidden gorge of dramatic rock formations and woods by the
sparkling River Dove. Its beauty has been long celebrated – so it’s
popular – but during the week, it’s still possible to avoid the crowds.BACK ROADS GREAT BRITAIN
Where to Stay: inexpensive, under £80; moderate, £80–£150; expensive, over £1501 Ashbourne
Derbyshire; DE6
This charming market town is full of
fascinating corners, such as the 15th-
century half-timbered Ashbourne
Gingerbread Shop and the Green Man
& Black’s Head Royal Hotel, whose
extraordinary pub sign runs across the
main street. Ashbourne is famed for its
yearly Shrovetide Football Match – a
chaotic ancestor of modern soccer,
played all day and with half the village
on each side. A walk along Church St,past the beautiful 1585 Grammar
School and 1640s almshouses, leads
to the magnificent Gothic St Oswald’s
Church, with finely sculpted tombs
from the 14th to the 18th centuries in
the Cockayne-Boothby chapel.
To explore the stunning countryside,
get a bike from Ashbourne Cycle Hire
and ride along the flat 21-km (13-mile)
Tissington Trail, a disused railway line.
ª Leave by A515 north and turn left at
the sign for Thorpe, Ilam and Dovedale.
Park near the obelisk in Ilam village.*-".#VOTUFS
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