Highlights
Walk the full 78-mile route from the Yorkshire Dales to the Lake District
Stay in Inns and Farmhouses dating from the 16th and 17th Centuries
Stroll along the banks of the Rivers Wharfe, Dee, Lune and Kent
Explore charming villages, historic churches, and the ruins of Bolton Abbey
Finish at Lake Windermere and revel in views of the Langdale Pikes
Well waymarked route with no technical hillwalking required
Well waymarked route with no technical hillwalking required
Itinerary
Stroll through England’s quintessential countryside on "The Dales Way," a self-guided walking tour spanning 78 miles from Ilkley to Bowness-on-Windermere. Perfect for experienced and senior walkers, this eight-day journey traverses the Yorkshire Dales’ rolling hills, limestone cliffs, and green valleys—landscapes unchanged for centuries. Marvel at historic churches, cross Roman roads, and pause in charming villages with heritage pubs. The route follows the rivers Wharfe, Dee, Rawthey, Lune, and Kent, offering serene picnic spots and abundant birdlife. Walkers will relish the straightforward gradients, though some moorland crossings and muddy sections add gentle challenge. The unique experience is the pure immersion in England’s traditional countryside—complete with comfortable accommodations, transport, meals, and a true taste of rural charm.
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.
day 2Ilkley to Burnsall 20.9 km/13 miles, 6 h. 500ft ascent
day 3Burnsall to Hubberholme 25.7 km/16 miles, 6.75 h. 850ft ascent
day 4Hubberholme to Cowgill 22.5km/14 miles, 6.5 h. 1500ft ascent
day 5Cowgill to Sedbergh 17.7 km/11 miles, 5 h. 500ft ascent
day 6Sedbergh to Burneside 25.7 km/16 miles, 6 h. 1300ft ascent
day 7Burneside to Bowness on Windermere 16 km/10 miles, 4 h
day 8Arrangements end after breakfast
What's Included
Customer Reviews
Accommodation and bag transfer worked seamlessly. Loved the Guibo travel app concept but it has some technical issues that need sorting out.
It was good initially, but was not that helpful for a specific trip.
We recently completed 6 days of walking along the Dale's Way path in the Yorkshire Dales area of Great Britain and they did a brilliant job making all the arrangements. There were a few glitches with the mobile App that was set up for our trip but with the map backups there was no real issue. The accommodations were all good to great, and it should be noted that if you don't heed their advice and book a table for dinner in certain restaurants, there won't be a table available. They did everything except guarantee the weather. Also note that if you're booked into the Winderemere Park Hotel in Windermere at the end of the Dales Way walk, it is a fair climb up the hill from Bowness, but there is a regular bus route that runs along the road. That would have been better than another uphill walk, and good information to have. All-in-all, a great trip and we were extremely happy with both Walkers Britain, and ourselves for making the trip.
A wonderful walk through the British countryside with glorious views. We loved it.
Kaz and I have travelled many times with the help of Trina and the team. We love the walks, the places we stay, and the help we get when we need it - and sometimes we need it!
Good to Know
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