The UK beauty spot being trashed by tourists who even leave dirty nappies behind

A famous UK beauty spot is being blighted by litter as volunteers are forced to pick up soiled nappies with the mountain of rubbish harming wildlife. Dovedale, a valley managed by the National Trust, is nestled in the Peak District and attracts more than a million visitors every year. But the site on the Derbyshire and Staffordshire border has seen an increase in littering of late, officials say. The trust has been tracking the average number of litter bags picked up in the area since 2020. The peak over the last five years was in 2020, at 4.6 bags per day (bpd).

The best year was 2023, at an average of 1.04 bpd. However, it appears that the amount of litter has started creeping back up over the last couple of years, with averages of 1.52 bpd in 2024, and 1.92 bpd in 2025 so far. Although this is still a lot lower than 2020, bosses are encouraging visitors to renew their efforts in keeping Dovedale looking its best. Their efforts include handing out bags to visitors as they arrive.

Craig Best, General Manager for the National Trust in the Peak District, told the Express: "Dovedale is one of the Peak District's most popular destinations, and the famous Stepping Stones there are a public right of way. Many people travel from all over the country to enjoy this beautiful place, and we welcome these visitors."

But he added: "Unfortunately, in recent years litter has become a real challenge, as not everyone taking their rubbish home with them or using the bins in the car park. Sadly, the downside to this is that it brings with it a real challenge with litter."

Litter left often includes food packets, dirty nappies, bottles, shoes and even plastic beach balls, Mr Best detailed.

"This isn't just horrible to look at, it also has a negative impact on the environment and poses a threat to the wildlife that lives here.

"Animals and birds often become entangled in the litter or mistake it for food."

He added: "Our staff and volunteers work tirelessly to look after the area by carrying out regular litter picks and encouraging people to leave no trace."

On-site signs, social media channels and website pages have been utlised in order to encourage visitors to dispose of their litter responsibly, and raise awareness of other vital countryside code messages.

Mr Best said: "As a conservation charity, we want people to continue to come and enjoy the countryside, but we need to encourage everyone to do their bit to help by taking their litter away with them and bin it.

"As Dovedale is a nature reserve, there are bins provided in the main car park, and our staff and volunteers hand out bin bags to visitors on busy days to help.

"We'd like to thank visitors who help us keep Dovedale and our countryside looking its best for both people and wildlife so it can continue to be enjoyed."

As to why Dovedale has seen an increase in littering, Mr Best said that, due to the warmer and dryer weather, the site has seen an increase in visitors this spring and summer, which "naturally raises the challenge of litter".

But, he added, "we believe more is being brought out of the valley by visitors than left".