As many of you know, each week I have been featuring a Reason to Visit the Moorlands, and this week I am delighted to be focusing on an incredibly beautiful part of the Moorlands – the village of Ilam.
It was such a treat to spend time in Ilam again; it is such a special place. It is so beautiful with sheep grazing across the park and at the side of the road. The picturesque, almost alpine village is surrounded by hills and peaks and is home to Ilam Hall, a stately home which is now a Youth Hostel owned by the National Trust as well as Dovedale House which is used by many school and church groups and the very popular Manifold Tea Rooms.
There was a real feeling of relaxation there, people were painting the amazing landscape, hikers were stopping off for a cup of tea and to admire the view and visitors were enjoying the lovely grounds and finding out about all the local history.
The Church of the Holy Cross in Ilam is famous for a being one of the few Anglo-Saxon churches where a Saint is buried. Come and find out about the tomb of St Bertram, a hermit and king with a tragic story and see his tomb which today is a place of pilgrimage where people can request prayers.
The church also features the Pike-Watts sculpture in the north chapel where visitors can see the memorial carved by the prominent Regency sculptor Sir Francis Chantrey.
It really is such a great place to visit, and I would encourage everyone to go along and explore this beautiful area.
I will be posting pictures of Ilam on my social media pages throughout the week and please do share your own experiences and photos on my Year or Reasons Twitter page @VisitMoorlands.
