Dovedale, Peak District

A designated National Nature Reserve, Dovedale is a place that’s very close to my heart. It was on my doorstep as a child, and I spent many evenings, weekends and holidays exploring the area. The deep limestone gorge is rich in wildlife, and home to some internationally important ancient ash woodland. Although the main path through the gorge (and particularly around the famous stepping stones) gets very busy at times, there is plenty of opportunity for tranquillity at the northern end of the gorge. The visitors can make it a challenge to photograph at times, but those images that are successful are all the more special.