Highlights
Hiking Through the Yorkshire Dales
A 78 mile walk crossing the Pennines from Ilkley to Windermere
Walking Through Beautiful Wharfedale and Dentdale to the Lake District
Stay in Inns and Farmhouses Dating from the 16th and 17th Centuries
Itinerary
An extended 10 day walk through the Pennines and Lake District in the Yorkshire Dales. Welcome to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, the purest form of English highland landscape, with traditions and views, which have remained virtually untouched for centuries. Soft rolling hills, limestone edges, green valleys, waterfalls, a Roman road, several interesting old churches, an abbey and some lovely Real Ale pubs all feature here as well as the villages proud of their heritage. This tour includes the whole 78 mile length of this much loved long distance path, established in 1969, which runs right across the Yorkshire Dales National Park to the Lake District. Gradients and terrain are generally straight forward, but the going may be muddy underfoot in wet weather; there are some high moorland areas to cross. Much of the trail follows pretty river valleys especially The Wharfe, Dee, Rawthey, Lune and The Kent. All have beauty spots for shady picnics, small ravines and rapids and are patrolled by birds such as Berwick swans, kingfishers, dippers and wagtails. Brown trout lurk in their waters depths. There are also a large number of “stiles” and “kissing gates” to negotiate as you stroll across fields, so good mobility is important. The itinerary follows Wharfedale (where there is time to admire the ruins of Bolton Abbey) and then via Hubberholme, gradually gaining height upstream to reach the Pennine watershed at Cam Fell (1700 feet). The way then runs down Dentdale to the market town of Sedbergh and across sheep pastures to Bowness on Windermere.
day 1Arrive Ilkley
Make your own way to Ilkley. Optional walk to Cow, Calf Rocks and Ilkley Moor. Here you can find the ‘White Well’ a tiny Victorian spa, not much bigger than a luxury sized bath, popular in the days when people with pneumonia were encouraged to bathe in icy cold waters. If the flag is flying, a small teashop is also open (2.5 hr round trip). If you prefer to relax have a look around this attractive country town with its range of specialist local family shops and cafes, there is a branch of Betty’s Tea Rooms with declicious cakes and a variety of teas. There is a small history museum and next to it, All Saints Church, which is built on the site of a Roman fort, contains some Anglo-Saxon crosses dating back to the 9th century.
Accommodation: Stay in the Victorian Riverside Hotel. All facilities are ensuite and rooms come equipped with satellite TV. This is a pub hotel and does great food throughout the day and there is a separate restaurant area away from the bar. The picturesque setting, with river views and rowing in the summer months, make this an ideal place to start our tour.
day 2Ilkley to Burnsall 21.7 km/13.5 miles, 6 h
day 3Burnsall to Kettlewell 16 km/10 miles, 5-6 h
day 4Kettlewell to Hubberholme area 8.7km/5.5 miles 4 4.5 h
day 5Hubberholme area 26km/16 miles to Cowgill, 6-7 h
day 6Cowgill to Sedbergh through Dentdale 16.6 km/11 miles, 5-6 h
day 7Sedbergh to Patton Bridge 22 km/13.7 miles, 6 h
day 8Patton Bridge to Staveley 14km / 8.7 miles 5 h
day 9Staveley to Bowness on Windermere 10.6 km/6.5 miles, 3 h
day 10Arrangements end after breakfast
What's Included
Customer Reviews
Great walk, beautiful scenery, excellent accommodation, luggage transfers went without a hitch. Electronic map made it almost impossible to get lost. English weather!
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