Dovedale stepping stones repair plan submitted

Work to repair famous stepping stones at Dovedale could start soon as water levels have started to drop.

Approval is being sought to carry out the work to the Peak District landmark which was damaged by Storm Babet in October.

The crossing has been shut to the public for months as the River Dove remained too high to allow work, and it is not yet known how long repairs will take.

For now, visitors to Dovedale are asked not to attempt to use the "hazardous" stepping stones.

The National Trust said several stones had been "toppled over" by debris which was washed down the River Dove.

But now Natural England is being approached to sign off Derbyshire County Council's reopening plans.

A Derbyshire County Council spokesperson said: "Water levels have just started to lower which is positive, so we are currently in the process of applying for SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) consent as all works in the Dove Valley and Biggin Dale SSSI have to be granted consent, and we have to give notice for any planned activity and gain permission from Natural England.

"They need to be happy with what we are doing, how we are doing it and what materials we will use.

"When this consent is granted we will start the work, but we're unable to give timescales at the moment.

"We will let people know when these permissions are granted and we can start the work."

Every year, thousands of people travel from all over the country and beyond to cross the River Dove via the stones, which are a public right of way.

The stepping stones were first laid in about 1890, when the area became increasingly popular with Victorian visitors.

Before then, crossings were often made using donkeys.

Dovedale is the name given to the limestone valley above the River Dove.

The river follows the county boundary between Derbyshire and Staffordshire, meaning people can walk from one county to another by crossing the stepping stones.

The stones were acquired by the National Trust in 1934, and Dovedale was declared a National Nature Reserve in 2006.

In 2010 they had limestone blocks cemented on top, which was described at the time as "vandalism" and "typical health and safety gone mad".

It is not uncommon for the stones to be submerged during periods of heavy rainfall and the stones have also been dislodged before, including in July 2012 and again in 2016.

A National Trust spokesperson said: "The stepping stones at Dovedale are an iconic part of the Peak District and we look forward to seeing them back in full use as soon as the local authority is in a position to make the repairs to the right of way."

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