Family days out at Ilam Park and the White Peak
- Published:
- 27 February 2023
Ilam Park and the White Peak is a great place for families and dog walkers. There are plenty of gentle riverside walks, as well as opportunities for picnics, adventures and exploring. You can relax in our deckchairs and enjoy the far-reaching views across the Italian Gardens towards Dovedale or take part in any of our seasonal activities. Take a look at what you and your family can do this season in this special place.
February and half term at Ilam Park
This February is packed with opportunities to entertain the whole family.
Get ready for a feather-filled adventure, between 14 – 22 February, on the Bird Box Detectives Trail. Secret bird boxes are hidden around Ilam Park and it’s your job to find them. Each box has a clue about the amazing bird that lives there, on this treasure hunt – but with more feathers!
Fly down to the Dovedale National Nature Reserve for the Big Bird Count, from 14 – 21 February. You can climb Thorpe Cloud to search the skies or follow the river Dove to spot birds along the valley. With every £3 trail sheet you'll get your own DIY binoculars and help count the different species you see, to add to the Big Dovedale Bird Count Board.
Learn About the Birds Pop Up station: learn about the fascinating birdlife of the White Peak in Milldale. Drop into the National Trust information barn to meet our team of guides. Share your sightings on our community spotter’s board as you explore this beautiful part of the Peak District.
How about a Valentine's Day with a difference? On 14 February you can come along to a bird ringing demonstration to watch and learn as Bryn our volunteer bird ringer and certified BTO monitor takes important measurements of wild birds. Bryn will explain some of the science and motivation behind the many projects that use bird ringing technology.
Find out more about all our events here
50 things to do before you’re 113/4
From playing pooh sticks to den building and fossil hunting, there are plenty of opportunities to complete some of your 50 things at Ilam Park and Dovedale. Find out more here.
Find the perfect place for a picnic
It might be a bit chilly this time of year, but the park can still be a great place to eat outdoors with plenty of picturesque places to choose from. The popular Manifold Tea-room offers plenty of choice for hungry and thirsty explorers too.
Ten top tips for things to do with the family in the White Peak
- Spot fossils in the stone steps in Dovedale valley
- Cycle the route of the former railway track in the Manifold valley
- Spot the old chimney pots in the Italian Garden at Ilam Park
- See the 'money trees' beside the path in Dovedale
- See Viator’s Bridge at Milldale - an ancient packhorse bridge
- Listen to the water bubbling in the boil holes in Ilam Park
- Explore caves in Dovedale valley
- Walk across the ridge and furrow in Ilam Park
- Look out for wildlife in and around the National Nature Reserve at Dovedale
- Find a far reaching view from the top of Thorpe Cloud or the other peaks in the White Peaks
Wonderful Wildlife
Take the time to notice all the wonderful ways of wildlife when you explore Ilam Park, Dovedale and the White Peak. Tune in your senses to reconnect with nature that is all around you - crouch down and take a closer look at the bugs on the ground or stand close to a tree and listen to all the different birdsongs in the tree canopy above you. Will you spot dippers diving across the river, buzzards soaring high above or yellow wagtails bobbing about?
