Thor's Cave – Dovedale's stepping stones loop from Thor's Cave

Hiking trails & Routes

West Midlands Region

Staffordshire

Staffordshire Moorlands

Grindon

Thor's Cave – Dovedale's stepping stones loop from Thor's Cave

Hard

4.5

(31)

164

hikers

Thor's Cave – Dovedale's stepping stones loop from Thor's Cave

06:11

21.6km

500m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 18, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Peak District National Park

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

1.34 km

Ladyside Wood

Forest

2.18 km

Thor's Cave

Highlight • Cave

The views alone are worth the trek up, especially those past the cave and up at the cloud. You'll need a buddy to help you scramble the last section into the cave entrance if you're attempting it on a rainy/snowy day - it gets very slippery.

Tip by

6.95 km

Milldale

Highlight • Settlement

Milldale is a secluded village in an attractive location. Lots of visitors come up from Dovedale though. There's a small local shop that sells sandwiches, ice creams and hot drinks. It's great for a relax after a days hike and a good starting point for exploring Dovedale, Biggin Dale and Wolfcote Dale. There's a free car park not far from the village centre.

Tip by

8.30 km

Dove Holes Caves

Highlight • Historical Site

Dove Holes are a series of three impressive caves beside the River Dove. They were formed around 350 million years ago by glacial meltwater. It’s great fun climbing up into the caves but take care as the rocks are slippery.

Tip by

8.87 km

Ilam Rock

Highlight • Natural

Dovedale is renowned for its beautiful rock formations, created by water, ice and wind erosion over the millennia. Some of the exposed limestone has formed magnificent structures, towering above the valley floor. One such column is Ilam Rock, which rises 82 feet (25 m) high and stands as a solitary pinnacle watching over the river, close to Ilam Rock Bridge. For more, see: letsgopeakdistrict.co.uk/listing/dovedale

Tip by

9.37 km

Boardwalk Along the River, Peak District National Park

Highlight • Viewpoint

Much narrower here. Still passable with a pram.

Tip by

11.1 km

Dovedale's stepping stones

Highlight • River

The Stepping Stones make for a quirky crossing of the River Dove. In the middle of the stones, be sure to look around and admire the stunning scenery. The stones were placed in the middle of the 19th century and were an instant hit with visitors. There are lots of fossils in the stones, too.

Tip by

12.6 km

Viewpoint

13.3 km

Ilam Cross

Highlight • Historical Site

If you visit Ilam then you can't miss its landmark... The Ilam Cross. It stands on a 3 step plinth in the centre of a roundabout in the village and is Grade II listed. It is a memorial cross for the wife of Jesse Watts-Russell, Mary, consisting of two tiers of statues surmounted by a spire with a cross on the top. Made from local limestone in an ornate gothic-style design this landmark was refurbished in 2011.

Tip by

13.4 km

Ilam Village and Ilam Hall

Highlight • Religious Site

The picturesque village of Ilam (eye-lamb) nestles beside the River Manifold in the Staffordshire Peak District among limestone hills. It sits in the Peak District National Park on the Staffordshire border with Derbyshire, close to the famous Dovedale valley. It has Alpine style cottages, a church and river and is set against the backdrop of Bunster Hill, Thorpe Cloud and the steep and tumbling pastures. There is a youth hostel at Ilam Hall, set within Ilam Park, cared for by the National Trust.

Tip by

21.6 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

11.6 km

4.59 km

3.74 km

1.11 km

557 m

Surfaces

7.01 km

4.66 km

3.44 km

3.23 km

2.93 km

372 m

Elevation

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Weather

Monday 5 October

20°C

13°C

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Comments

December 28, 2024,Thor's Cave – Dovedale loop from wetton

Well this would have been an amazing walk out with some fantastic views. It was still good but the fog never lifted for us. It still made for some good photos but I was hopeing for a lovely cloud inversion from the top of thorp cloud. I can recommend the route though mostly good paths and taking in both dovedale …