Derbyshire Dales National Nature Reserve
The dales are:
- Lathkill Dale (53°11′19″N 1°43′33″W / 53.1886°N 1.7257°W)
- Cressbrook Dale (53°15′42″N 1°44′38″W / 53.2617°N 1.7438°W)
- Monk's Dale (53°15′58″N 1°47′59″W / 53.2662°N 1.7997°W)
- Long Dale (53°08′20″N 1°42′59″W / 53.1388°N 1.7164°W)
- Hay Dale (53°17′20″N 1°49′13″W / 53.2890°N 1.8203°W)
They are all in the
Dippers are common along the River Lathkill, and ravens and buzzards are regularly seen around the dale. The Monyash end of Lathkill Dale is well known for the flower Jacob's ladder (Polemonium caeruleum), which is common in gardens but rare in the wild. There are also a number of orchids found in all the dales.
The sites are also a good place to study geology, with many fossils within the limestone. There are also a number of historical sites. Lathkill Dale has many industrial workings (now abandoned and derelict), and there are many interpretation boards in the dale explaining the history.
Lathkill Dale is one of the most easily accessible and most frequently visited of the Derbyshire dales, and has a good path for a large section of the dale, whereas other dales are inaccessible to less mobile people, as paths are steep and rocky for large sections (particularly Monk's Dale).