Dovedale

Took the family on their first trip in the Post Office Campervan on the 12th June 2004 returning on the 13th having spent the night at a campsite in Biggin, Derbyshire with some noisy Geordies carousing late into the night waking up Michelle (who is eight months old at the moment) to our obvious ire.
Apart from this our trip went very well. We went to Dovedale, an absolutely idyllic spot which everybody should visit given the chance. Before we left the car park Matthew had spotted Chaffinches and Robins which annoyed him by not pausing for a photograph. The River Dove runs down from Miller's Dale through a gorge cut into limestone. This has left some stunning limestone pillars along the sides of the river, notably Ilam Rock. We wandered up the side of the river, with Matthew finding a few brachiopod fossils on the way and both Matthew and Roseanne climbing some of the cliffs without due care for the height from which they would fall. We paused to play at the stepping stones which are used to get the footpath across the river and provide most people with a bit of fun. Further up, the river descends some small falls at which Matthew and Roseanne were able to see a Dipper and Yellow Wagtails for the first time. There were many Mayflies flying above the water and occasionaly we saw Brown Trout jumping out of the river to catch them. The Mayflies were also the favoured food of the Yellow Wagtails which darted out from the banks in order to catch them on the wing.
We walked as far as Ilam Rock where we turned around and returned to our van, Kathryn was full of herself, actually running back down the path ahead of the rest of us. Back at the van and after a cup of tea we adjourned to our campsite.
The next day, after a slow start we drove to Buxton and had some chips and a stroll around town before returning home.