Thorpe

Thorpe was mentioned in the Domesday Book and is one of the few villages in the Peak whose name has Norse origins, for the Danish settlers did not generally penetrate far into this area. It lies at the confluence of the Rivers Manifold and Dove, and is dominated by the conical hill of Thorpe Cloud, which guards the entrance to Dovedale. Out of interest the word ‘cloud’ is a corruption of the Old English word ‘clud’, meaning hill – a pity really as ‘Thorpe Cloud’ sounds like it should have a more romantic meaning than ‘The hill by the Danish farm’. The summit is a short but stiff climb from any direction, but whichever way you go you are rewarded with panoramic views over Dovedale all the way to Alstonefield, Ilam and the lower Manifold Valley.  Although the Dale becomes over-crowded at times, there is always plenty of open space to explore on the hill as well as excellent walking. For much of its 45-mile course from Axe Edge to its confluence with the River Trent, the River Dove is a walker’s river as it is mostly inaccessible by car. The steep-sided valley, the fast-flowing water and the magnificent white rock formations all give Dovedale a special charm.

Dovedale, however, is only a short section of the valley; above Viator Bridge it becomes Mill Dale and further upstream again are Wolfscote Dale and Beresford Dale. The temptation to provide amenities for visitors, at the expense of the scenery, has been avoided, and the limestone village of Thorpe, clustered around its church, remains unspoilt and unsophisticated.

Further up the dale is the limestone crag known as Dovedale Castle and, on the opposite bank, is the higher promontory known as Lover’s Leap. It’s a view to gladden your hearts – not the sort of place you’d think of throwing yourself from at all. However, it was named after a young woman, who, on hearing that her lover had been killed in the Napoleonic Wars, tried to commit suicide here by jumping. However, her skirts billowed out like a parachute and she survived. The poignant end to the story is that, soon after, she discovered that her lover was very much alive, and on his way home. Other interesting natural features with romantic names found along the way include the Twelve Apostles, a series of limestone crags, and the Tissington Spires, another limestone outcrop.

Thorpe village and its surrounding area plays host to the annual Dovedale Dash – a cross-country race of four-and-a-half miles run by about 1200 people of all abilities. One of the main excitements is crossing the river Dove at the well-known Stepping Stones. The event was first established in 1953, and takes place on the first Sunday of November.