Lathkill Dale
The river Lathkill must be one of Derbyshires smallest rivers, but its interest and beauty easily make it one of the most impressive. Much of the valley is part of the Derbyshire Dales National Nature Reserve. Lathkill river and dale can be accessed from several points along its stretch, but it is from the ancient lead mining village of Monyash across a hilly pasture that the top of the Lathkill ravine is reached. A narrow gap between towering walls of limestone where the floor is littered with rocks shattered by winter frosts, leads down into a narrow gully. The way opens out a little and opposite is a low cave under the cliff from which the old watercourse emerges, although in drier times the first springs are lower down.
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
Lathkill Dale |
The bed of the stream is thick with weed down to where Cales Dale comes in from the right. Here the trees begin and the right hand side slopes of the valley are densely wooded, while on the opposite side the white rock is weathered into strange shapes. Soon the course clears and the river flows briskly over a stony bed. The Lathkill now stretches ahead, a fine sheet of water with limestone cliffs on either side. If the deserted upper stretches are wild and abandoned, the lower reaches are friendly and full of tranquil beauty, the haunt of dippers and water voles.
At Conksbury bridge the road from Youlgreave to Bakewell snakes across the river Lathkill in a fine S bend, crossing by a low arched bridge. The river flows on through peaceful meadows to Alport and then towards its union with the Wye.
Lathkill Dale may look untouched, but for many centuries it was mined for lead. The shafts, drainage channels and spoil heaps have been absorbed into the natural landscape to such an extent that they realy enhance its natural beauty. Most of the lead had been exhausted by the 18th century but in the 1840`s there was an attempt to drain the deep mines by building a steam engine, powered by a huge waterwheel, fed by Mandale viaduct. The scheme was a disaster, as was the Over Haddon gold rush of 1894.
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