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
8 daysDuration
Group TourJoin a group of travelers
20 peopleMaximum group size
18 - 99 yearsAge range for participants
EnglishGuide language
Starts
Ends
Ilkley, England
England
Monthly Price Comparison
What's Included
Accommodation
7 nights accommodation in hotels and guesthouses on a twin share basis with ensuite facilities where available
Meals
7 breakfasts
Others
One piece of luggage per person transferred from Inn to Inn, not exceeding 20kgDigital information pack including Navigational App, maps & route notesEmergency hotline
Itinerary
Walk through the Pennines and Lake District in the Yorkshire Dales. Welcome to the timeless beauty of the Yorkshire Dales, one of England’s purest Highland landscapes. With rolling green hills, limestone escarpments, winding valleys, and stone-built villages, this is a region where age-old traditions and stunning views remain remarkably untouched. Along the way, you’ll encounter waterfalls, Roman roads, ancient churches, abbey ruins, and cosy real ale pubs that reflect the proud heritage of the area. This self-guided walking holiday follows the full 78-mile route of the much-loved Dales Way, a long-distance path established in 1969. Beginning in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the trail winds west through river valleys and over stretches of open moorland, finishing in the Lake District at Bowness-on-Windermere. The walking is mostly gentle, though some sections can be muddy after rain, and there are a few higher moorland crossings. Much of the route follows picturesque rivers such as the Wharfe, Dee, Rawthey, Lune, and Kent, where you may spot kingfishers, dippers, wagtails, and even Berwick swans. Brown trout are often seen in the clear waters. Highlights include a scenic walk through Wharfedale, time to explore the atmospheric ruins of Bolton Abbey, and a steady ascent to the Pennine watershed at Cam Fell, which rises to 1,700 feet (518 metres). From there, the trail descends into peaceful Dentdale, continues through the historic market town of Sedbergh, and crosses gently rolling pastureland to reach Lake Windermere. This is a rewarding route for walkers seeking a true taste of rural upland England, full of natural charm, history, and quiet beauty.
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 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
Availability
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AnonymousVerified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent
Accommodation and bag transfer worked seamlessly. Loved the Guibo travel app concept but it has some technical issues that need sorting out.
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AnonymousVerified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent
It was good initially, but was not that helpful for a specific trip.
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AnonymousVerified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent
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 & Europe, and ourselves for making the trip.
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AnonymousVerified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent
We had a great walk! The Dales Way is much more boggy and muddy than we expected, but overall we loved the adventure!
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AnonymousVerified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent
A wonderful walk through the British countryside with glorious views. We loved it.
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