About Dale Hill Natural Burial Ground, Locko Park
A gentle, natural alternative to a traditional cemetery. Loved ones are laid to rest in naturally beautiful surroundings. A special place for remembrance.
Dale Hill Natural Burial Ground, Locko Park Description
Dale Hill has been part of the Locko Park Estate for over 250 years and we are committed to preserving this beautiful area in perpetuity.
At Dale Hill we are creating a special place of enduring beauty - a nature reserve, where loved ones can be laid to rest in naturally beautiful surroundings, which will offer a calm and peaceful setting for relatives and friends to visit for remembrance and reflection.
Natural Burials offer a welcome alternative to a traditional cemetery. Loved ones are laid to rest in a meadow or woodland setting, with minimal impact on the environment, helping to preserve our beautiful countryside. A natural stone memorial can be placed level with the ground to mark the grave, and this will nestle amongst the grass and wildflowers. Memorial trees are also available, and we offer a choice of several tree species which are native to the area. Visitors will not see rows of headstones, but instead, the gently rolling land with it's far reaching views across beautiful countryside. You can even see the windmill from Dale Hill.
To protect the environment from toxic chemicals, bodies are not embalmed, and only bio degradable coffins, shrouds or urns are used.
Dale Hill is a member of the Association of Natural Burial Grounds, and abides by their code of conduct. The ANBG is part of the Natural Death Centre, a national charity which works tirelessly to provide information on a gentler, more natural approach to death and dying. The charity sits on many advisory boards and is the most comprehensive resource available on the subject. To learn more, visit their website www. naturaldeath.org
For more information on Dale Hill, please visit our website or contact us for help with any questions you may have.
Reviews
Spring has definitely sprung here, although the mist this morning made it feel more like Autumn for a while. These magnificent horses are pictured on a recent visit. It was a perfect, sunny spring day, when they brought a much loved lady on a beautiful final journey to rest at Dale Hill. Nothing can change the sadness at the loss of someone we love, but we hope it brings comfort knowing that our loved ones rest here in the peace of Nature.
It was good weather for tree planting today - not so good for the families who joined us on such a cold and rainy day ... thank you to everyone who braved the wind and rain to come and help to plant their memorial trees today. During the past fortnight we’ve planted some really lovely trees - crab apple, hazel, rowan, field maple, birch, holly and hornbeam. We’ve now finished our tree planting for this season and the next trees will be planted in late Autumn of this year. Some of the established trees here are already waking up for Spring - another little reminder of Natures cycles.
We have started our late winter tree planting here at the burial ground - joined by some lovely friends and families who have helped to plant their memorial trees in in beautiful warm sunshine! Quite different to this time last year and very welcome 🌞
Sunshine and Shadow at Dale Hill today. A beautiful, dramatic sunset after a crisp wintery day.
On the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, we are thinking of all of the families who have visited us at Dale Hill and of all of their much loved relatives and friends who now lie peacefully at rest in this special place. We know that many of our visitors are are making their personal journey through the sadness of the loss of a special person. The sun shining through the mist on a winters morning reminds us all that Nature is at work here in that quietly amazing way that Nature has. We extend our thoughts and best wishes to everyone at Christmas time and we wish you all a Peaceful New Year.
Isn't Nature amazing - We've definitely experienced the changes in the weather this week at the burial ground with sunshine, rainbows, frost, mist and rain. Although not always obvious, this brings changes in the visiting wildlife, birds and insects here as Nature prepares for the coming winter. Every season has it's own beauty ... so we will enjoy the Winter, whilst dreaming of Spring . . .
What a beautiful photo taken last week at Dale Hill.
Sun down at Dale Hill after another day of tree planting here - if you look really carefully you will see the bird of prey who hovered for a long time in search of a meal. We've had wind, rain and sunshine in equal amounts during our tree planting days - thank you to all of our lovely families who were able to join us to help plant memorial trees and bluebells. The grounds really are starting to look like the woodland and meadow that was the vision in the very beginning and we look forward to seeing these trees and flowers growing on in the years come.
The beginning of Autumn means that it will soon be time to begin planting this years Memorial Trees at Dale Hill. As always, our families are invited back to join us and can help to plant their trees if they would like to. Just bring your wellies and waterproofs. This year we are also giving our families English Bluebell bulbs for planting around the trees and these will grow and spread to create the Bluebell Wood of the future. It's important to the environment here that only bulbs supplied by us are planted and we do hope that all of our visitors understand and respect this. If you have had a Memorial Tree planted previously at Dale Hill and would like to plant some of our Bluebells this Autumn please do get in touch so that we can arrange for you to have some of our bulbs.
As Summer becomes a lovely memory, Dale Hill is bathed in gentle Autumn sunshine today. Remember that if you are coming to Dale Hill for the first time, the post code that you need is DE72 3RY. The entrance to the burial ground is shared with Bartlewood Lodge, off Dale Road, Ockbrook, Derby and you will see our sign by the gates into our car park. If you would like any more information please don't hesitate to call us on 07715 659901.
We are often asked whether flowers can be brought to place on graves and ashes plots at Dale Hill. The answer is definitely yes ... but to ensure that we preserve the natural area, and for the safety of staff, visitors and wildlife no vases or containers are permitted and only natural materials can be included in floral displays (no plastics or cellophane) . We have seen some unique and innovative floral tributes - including this beautiful display made entirely from fruit and vegetables, which was perfectly suited as a tribute to this much loved gentleman. If you would like to know more about natural burial don't hesitate to get in touch - we are always happy to provide information
What a lovely sight arrived at Dale Hill recently - a vintage double decker bus which provided an unusual alternative to a traditional style hearse. What a fantastic way to make that final journey, accompanied by family and friends as 'passengers' on the bus. Many thanks to A W Lymn The Family Funeral Service - Ilkeston for this very fitting tribute and to this special family for bringing such a lovely service and celebration of life to Dale Hill.
We were visited recently by Trudy from The Morris Minor Hearse Company. This beautifully restored Morris Traveller carried a much loved family member on their final journey, to rest in a peaceful corner at Dale Hill. Family and friends gathered under perfect summer skies with birdsong all around - a very natural and very beautiful farewell.
Thank you to everyone who came to visit our information days over the weekend. If you missed these sessions but would like to find out more about Dale Hill and Natural Burial, please contact our manager on 07715 659901 to ask questions or to arrange a visit. This lovely image shows how the young memorial trees are growing alongside the older, established trees to eventually create the new woodlands here.
We hope to see some of you at our information days in June . . .
Calm and peaceful in the early morning sunshine. A beautiful day for families and friends to visit.