Dove (Derbyshire & Staffordshire) | |
River | |
The stepping stones over the River Dove, Dovedale
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Country | England |
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Regions | Staffordshire, Derbyshire |
Districts | Beresford Dale, Wolfscote Dale, Milldale, Dovedale |
Tributaries | |
- right | River Manifold, River Churnet |
Source | Dove Head |
- location | Axe Edge Moor, Peak District, England |
- elevation | 84 m (276 ft) |
- coordinates | 53°13′N 1°57′W / 53.217°N 1.950°W |
Mouth | |
- location | Newton Solney, Derbyshire, England |
- coordinates | 52°49′N 01°35′W / 52.817°N 1.583°WCoordinates: 52°49′N 01°35′W / 52.817°N 1.583°W |
Length | 72 km (45 mi) |
The River Dove is the principal river of the southwestern Peak District, in the Midlands of England and is around 45 miles (72 km) in length. It rises on Axe Edge Moor near Buxton and flows generally south to its confluence with the River Trent at Newton Solney. From there, its waters reach the North Sea via the Humber Estuary. For almost its entire course it forms the boundary between the counties of Staffordshire (to the west) and Derbyshire (to the east). The river meanders past Longnor and Hartington and cuts through a set of stunning limestone gorges, Beresford Dale, Wolfscote Dale, Milldale and Dovedale.
The river is a famous trout stream. Charles Cotton's Fishing House, which was the inspiration for Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler, stands in the woods by the river near Hartington.
The river's name is now usually pronounced to rhyme with "love", but its original pronunciation rhymed with "rove". This pronunciation is still used by some residents of the lower reaches of the river.
From Hartington to its confluence with the River Manifold at Ilam, the river flows through a series of scenic limestone valleys, known collectively as Dovedale. Dovedale is also particularly used for the name of that section between the stepping stones under Thorpe Cloud and Milldale. The Dovedale gorge is considered so scenic that it attracts a million visitors a year. Good riverside paths make the whole route accessible to walkers.