The reserve, which is partly in Derbyshire and partly in Leicestershire, is owned by Severn Trent Water and managed by the Trust. It covers 23.5 ha and is part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Limestone and lead mining took place for 200 years up to the end of the nineteenth century. The largest of the pools is the now flooded Laundry Quarry from the base of which mine adits were driven south and limestone extracted. The mined limestone was burnt in kilns at the bottom of Laundry Quarry. A branch of the Ashby to Ticknall Tramway was opened in 1830 to carry the burnt lime from the site. Limestone was illegally extracted around 1850 and caused the collapse of the roof of the workings, creating this terrain with exposed gritstone faces up to 4 m high. Habitats include heath grassland, open water, streams, damp woodland, scrub and bracken-covered glades. The geology gives rise to a varied flora and the general mixture of habitat types results in a very varied insect fauna. In January / February, a large number of snowdrops bloom at the south-western end of the reserve. The walk goes through woodland and along pools. There are many steps, steep slopes and exposed tree routes along the path. See http://www.lrwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/dimminsdale/ for website with more details.
| OVERALL RATING: RED | ||
| Path Surfaces: | ||
| Maximum Climbing Gradient: | 2 - BLUE | 5% |
| Maximum Descending Gradient: | 4 - RED | -13% |
| Total Elevation Gain: | 21 metres | |
| Distance: | ||
