Peter Dale (Derbyshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peter Dale |
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Peter Dale on the Limestone Way
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| Length | 1 mile (1.6 km) North-South |
| Width | 150 metres (492 ft) |
| Depth | 30 metres (98 ft) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Derbyshire, England |
Peter Dale is a beautiful, short valley located near Buxton in Derbyshire, England. It's part of the amazing Peak District area. This valley is "dry," meaning it doesn't have a river running through it, and it's surrounded by steep rock cliffs. On both sides of the valley, you'll find flat farmland.
The northern part of Peter Dale connects to Hay Dale. The southern end leads into Monk's Dale. Both Hay Dale and Monk's Dale are special places. They are part of the Derbyshire Dales National Nature Reserve. This reserve is looked after by Natural England, which helps protect nature.
The rocks you see in these valleys are called Carboniferous Limestone. They formed about 350 million years ago! Back then, this area was covered by a warm, tropical sea. The rocks were made from tiny shells and other sea bits. Later, about 20,000 years ago, huge sheets of ice from the last Ice Age carved out the valleys we see today.
Discover Peter Dale
Exploring the Trails
Walking along the flat bottom of Peter Dale is usually quite easy. There are only a few short parts where you might find some rocks. A famous long-distance walking path, called the Limestone Way, goes right through the whole valley.
Other cool trails are nearby too. The Peak District Boundary Walk passes close to the northern end of Peter Dale. The Pennine Bridleway crosses the southern end. It then runs next to the dale, about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) to the east, through a small village called Wheston.
If you go about 1 kilometer north of Hay Dale, the Limestone Way crosses the A623 road. Here, you can see where an old Roman road called Batham Gate used to run from east to west.
Rock Climbing Adventures
Peter Dale is a great spot for rock climbing! Its limestone cliffs are perfect for this sport. There are 25 different climbing routes on a section called Main Crag. These routes are "graded," which means they have different difficulty levels for climbers.
How to Get There
It's easy to visit Peter Dale!
- If you're coming from the south, you can start from a small village called Wormhill. You can follow the Pennine Bridleway from there.
- If you're coming from the north, there's a footpath from the village of Peak Forest. This village is on the A623 road. The path takes you through Dam Dale and then into Hay Dale, leading you to Peter Dale.
