Ilam Park: Guided walk: Family walk along the River Manifold to Dovedale and back

The walk will start from the stable yard at Ilam Park at 11.00 on 21st August. We will leave the park, passing Ilam’s historic church, to reach the meadows besides the River Manifold. The footpath over the fields then leads first to the hidden thicket where the Manifold meets the River Dove, a place never seen by the vast majority of visitors to Dovedale. We then go on to the huge stone bridge at Coldwall, which has its own amusing story! Crossing the Dove, we will track back to the entrance to Dovedale itself where we can pause to take advantage of the amenities (including ice cream for those so inclined!) From there we will climb a little path along the foot of Bunster Hill which offers great views of the valley before returning to Ilam Park. It should be possible to enjoy wild flowers and some bird song along the way. For those interested, the guide will also be able to tell something of the history, archaeology and geology of the area. This walk is graded B - a medium walk of about four miles mainly over fields but with some hilly terrain. While it should be within the ability of most children, it would not be suitable for the very young. Dogs are welcome but they must be kept on a lead at all times due to the presence of sheep and ground-nesting birds. There will also be a number of stiles to negotiate. All visitors taking part in the walk will receive free car parking and a voucher for 10% off at the Ilam Park tearoom redeemable on the day of the walk.