Youlgreave

Hassled town-dwellers might conjure up pictures of a village like Youlgrave, with its beautiful pinnacled church, friendly shops and excellent refreshment stops, liquid or otherwise. On its doorstep are the matchless dales of the Bradford and Lathkill, whose crystal rivers unite at Alport, a great beauty spot with an ancient corn mill on the riverbank. Youlgrave has the rare distinction of having its own private water company; a strange edifice known as the Fountain was once a reservoir tank. The area’s long and rich history has left its mark on fascinating carvings and monuments in All Saints’ Church, including the effigy of a medieval Crusader and a unique stone font. Nearly 50 different spellings for the village have been recorded in the past millennium - three different versions can even be spotted on modern road signs.