The Dales Way is an
long-distance footpath
A long-distance trail (or long-distance footpath, track, way, greenway) is a longer recreational trail mainly through rural areas used for hiking, backpacking, cycling, horse riding or cross-country skiing. They exist on all continents exce ...
in
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North Country, or simply the North, is the northern area of England. It broadly corresponds to the former borders of Angle Northumbria, the Anglo-Scandinavian Kingdom of Jorvik, and the ...
, from (south-east to north-west)
Ilkley
Ilkley is a spa town and civil parish in the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, in Northern England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Ilkley civil parish includes the adjacent village of Ben Rhydding and is a ward within the ...
,
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
, to
Bowness-on-Windermere
Bowness-on-Windermere is a town in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. It lies next to Windermere lake and the town of Windermere to the north east with which it forms the civil parish of Windermere and Bowness. The town was histor ...
,
Cumbria
Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumb ...
.
This walk was initially devised by the West Riding Ramblers' Association with the 'leading lights' being Colin Speakman and Tom Wilcock (Footpath Secretary). The route was announced to the public in 1968 and the first recorded crossing was by a group of
Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School (BGS) is a co-educational independent day school located in Frizinghall, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.
Entrance is by examination, except for the sixth form, where admission is based on GCSE results. The school g ...
Venture Scouts in 1969.
The Dales Way passes through two National Parks: the
Yorkshire Dales National Park
The Yorkshire Dales National Park is a national park in England covering most of the Yorkshire Dales. Most of the park is in North Yorkshire, with a sizeable area in Westmorland (Cumbria) and a small part in Lancashire. The park was designat ...
and the
Lake District National Park
The Lake District National Park is a national park in North West England that includes all of the central Lake District, though the town of Kendal, some coastal areas, and the Lakeland Peninsulas are outside the park boundary.
The area was desi ...
. The first half of the walk follows the
River Wharfe
The River Wharfe ( ) is a river in Yorkshire, England originating within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. For much of its middle course it is the county boundary between West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire. Its valley is known as Wharfedale.
...
upstream to the main watershed of Northern England at
Ribblehead
Ribblehead is the area of moorland at the head of the River Ribble in the area known as Ribblesdale, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, England.
Ribblehead is most notable for Ribblehead railway station and Ribblehead Viaduct on the Sett ...
. The second half follows several river valleys (
Dentdale
Dentdale is a dale or valley in the north-west of the Yorkshire Dales National Park in Cumbria, England. It is the valley of the River Dee, but takes its name from the village of Dent. The dale runs east to west, starting at Dent Head, which i ...
,
River Mint
The River Mint is a river in Cumbria, England. The Mint starts life at Whelpside at the confluence of Bannisdale Beck, running south-east from Bannisdale Head, and a smaller stream draining a group of small valleys from headwaters in The Fores ...
,
River Kent
The River Kent is a short river in the county of Cumbria in England. It originates in hills surrounding Kentmere, and flows for around 20 miles (32 km) into the north of Morecambe Bay. The upper reaches and the western bank of the estuary ...
) to descend to the shores of Windermere.
Route
The walk is shorter and less strenuous than better-known routes such as the
Pennine Way
The Pennine Way is a National Trail in England, with a small section in Scotland. The trail stretches for from Edale, in the northern Derbyshire Peak District, north through the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland National Park and ends at Kir ...
and
Coast to Coast Walk
The Coast to Coast Walk is a long-distance footpath between the west and east coasts of Northern England, nominally long. Devised by Alfred Wainwright, it passes through three contrasting national parks: the Lake District National Park, th ...
, being mostly along river valleys. It thus makes a good training ground for these harder walks while being well worth doing in its own right. It is feasible (for those more interested in a challenge than the enjoyment of the walk) to complete the route in around four days, but most walkers take about a week, dividing the route into sections of 10 to 15 miles per day and taking a rest day or two.
From Ilkley the trail closely follows the River Wharfe past
Addingham
Addingham (formerly Haddincham , Odingehem 1086)Mills, A.D. (2003). ', Encyclopedia.com is a village and civil parish in the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated near the A65, south-east of Skipton, west of Ilkley, ...
,
Bolton Abbey
Bolton Abbey in Wharfedale, North Yorkshire, England, takes its name from the ruins of the 12th-century Augustinian monastery now known as Bolton Priory. The priory, closed in the 1539 Dissolution of the Monasteries ordered by King Henry ...
and
Burnsall
Burnsall is a village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Wharfe in Wharfedale, and is in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
The village is approximately south-east from Grassington ...
to
Grassington
Grassington is a market town and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. The population of the parish at the 2011 Census was 1,126. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is situated in Wharfedale ...
. It then follows a higher level route before returning to the riverside from
Kettlewell
Kettlewell is a village in Upper Wharfedale, North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies north of Grassington, at the point where Wharfedale is joined by a minor road (Cam Gill Road) which leads north ...
to
Buckden. From there the Dales Way follows the upper reaches of the river through
Langstrothdale
Langstrothdale is a scenic valley in the Yorkshire Dales in North Yorkshire, England. The uppermost course of the River Wharfe runs through it, but Wharfedale does not begin until the Wharfe meets Cray Gill, downstream of Hubberholme. The name ...
, passing the small hamlets of
Hubberholme
Hubberholme is an old village in Upper Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire, England, at the point where Langstrothdale meets Wharfedale. It is quite secluded and the nearest village is Buckden.
The village was a favourite place ...
and
Yockenthwaite
Yockenthwaite is a hamlet in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Langstrothdale valley in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Yockenthwaite is north of Skipton an ...
to
Beckermonds
Beckermonds is a small hamlet in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. The hamlet lies at the western end of Langstrothdale, at the confluence of Green Field Beck and Oughtershaw Beck, which join to form the start of the River Whar ...
, where the confluence of two becks forms the Wharfe. The trail ascends the valley of Oughtershaw Beck by a minor road to the hamlet of
Oughtershaw
Oughtershaw is a hamlet in the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire, England. It lies on a road it shares with other small villages; Deepdale, Yockenthwaite and Hubberholme, which traverses the watershed between Upper Wharfedale\Langstrothdale and ...
.
From Oughtershaw the Dales Way ascends steeply to the watershed at Cam Fell above Cam Houses. The Dales Way descends from Cam Fell by a good track to Gearstones on the B6255 road, east of
Ribblehead
Ribblehead is the area of moorland at the head of the River Ribble in the area known as Ribblesdale, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, England.
Ribblehead is most notable for Ribblehead railway station and Ribblehead Viaduct on the Sett ...
, where there is a pub and a railway station. From Cam Fell a shorter alternative route, with no facilities, follows the
Pennine Bridleway
The Pennine Bridleway is a National Trail in Northern England.
It runs roughly parallel with the Pennine Way but provides access for horse riders and cyclists as well as walkers. The trail is around long, extending from Derbyshire to Cumbria. ...
to rejoin the Dales Way at Stoops Moss, north of Gearstones.
From Stoops Moss the trail descends steeply into
Dentdale
Dentdale is a dale or valley in the north-west of the Yorkshire Dales National Park in Cumbria, England. It is the valley of the River Dee, but takes its name from the village of Dent. The dale runs east to west, starting at Dent Head, which i ...
by a minor road, which it follows for . An alternative high level route follows the Pennine Bridleway before descending past
Dent railway station into Dentdale at
Cowgill. The Dales Way passes through the village of
Dent
Dent may refer to:
People
* Dent (surname)
* Dent May (active 2007), American musician
* Dent Mowrey (1888–1960), American composer, musician and music teacher
* Dent Oliver (1918–1973), international speedway rider
Places France
* Dent d' ...
and then crosses a fell to reach the banks of the
River Rawthey
The River Rawthey is a river in Cumbria in northwest England.
The headwaters of the Rawthey are at Rawthey Gill Foot, where Rawthey Gill meets Haskhaw Gill. The source of Rawthey Gill is unclear, but is either on Knoutberry Haw or near to the ...
at
Millthrop
Millthrop is a hamlet in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, Northern England and the Yorkshire Dales. Millthrop lies on the south bank of the River Rawthey close to the town of Sedbergh.
See also
*Listed buildings in Sedbergh
Sedbergh i ...
, just outside the town of
Sedbergh
Sedbergh ( or ) is a town and civil parish in Cumbria, England. The 2001 census gave the parish a population of 2,705, increasing at the 2011 census to 2,765. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies about east of Kendal, no ...
.
From Sedbergh the trail follows the River Rawthey downstream, then follows the
River Lune
The River Lune (archaically sometimes Loyne) is a river in length in Cumbria and Lancashire, England.
Etymology
Several elucidations for the origin of the name ''Lune'' exist. Firstly, it may be that the name is Brittonic in genesis and deriv ...
upstream through the Lune Gorge. The Dales Way eventually crosses the river by the historic Crook of Lune Bridge, the border of the old
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...
, and shortly after finally leaves the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
The trail then follows field paths west. It crosses the
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway is the longest motorway in the United Kingdom. It is located entirely within England, running for just over from the Midlands to the border with Scotland. It begins at Junction 19 of the M1 and the western end of the A14 at t ...
and descends the valley of the
River Mint
The River Mint is a river in Cumbria, England. The Mint starts life at Whelpside at the confluence of Bannisdale Beck, running south-east from Bannisdale Head, and a smaller stream draining a group of small valleys from headwaters in The Fores ...
. It continues west to cross the
A6 road This is a list of roads designated A6.
* A006 road (Argentina), a road connecting Las Cuevas with the Christ the Redeemer monument in the border between Argentina and Chile
* ''A6 highway (Australia)'' may refer to :
** A6 (Sydney), a road connec ...
north of
Kendal
Kendal, once Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England, south-east of Windermere and north of Lancaster. Historically in Westmorland, it lies within the dale of th ...
, and reaches the large village of
Burneside
Burneside () is a small village in South Lakeland in Cumbria, England. It is located to the north of Kendal and to the south east of Staveley, Cumbria, Staveley, on the River Kent, just upstream from the confluence of the River Sprint. It has a ...
on the
River Kent
The River Kent is a short river in the county of Cumbria in England. It originates in hills surrounding Kentmere, and flows for around 20 miles (32 km) into the north of Morecambe Bay. The upper reaches and the western bank of the estuary ...
. The Dales Way follows the River Kent north to
Staveley Staveley may refer to:
Places
* Staveley, Cumbria, village in the former county of Westmorland and now in Cumbria, England
** Staveley railway station
* Staveley-in-Cartmel, village formerly in Lancashire, now in Cumbria, England
* Staveley, D ...
. In its final section the trail crosses higher ground with views of the Lake District mountains to end at a dramatic viewpoint just above Bowness.
Logistics
Planning an itinerary is generally easy. Public transport (including
Windermere
Windermere (sometimes tautology (language), tautologically called Windermere Lake to distinguish it from the nearby town of Windermere, Cumbria (town), Windermere) is the largest natural lake in England. More than 11 miles (18 km) in leng ...
"steamers") is good at both ends of the route (railway stations at
Ilkley
Ilkley is a spa town and civil parish in the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, in Northern England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Ilkley civil parish includes the adjacent village of Ben Rhydding and is a ward within the ...
and
Windermere
Windermere (sometimes tautology (language), tautologically called Windermere Lake to distinguish it from the nearby town of Windermere, Cumbria (town), Windermere) is the largest natural lake in England. More than 11 miles (18 km) in leng ...
). The popularity of the walk (and the area generally) means that there are many choices of accommodation – for instance, many pubs along the route offer
bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast (typically shortened to B&B or BnB) is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast. Bed and breakfasts are often private family homes and typically have between four and eleven rooms, wit ...
.
Many walkers walk the Dales Way in sections, using public transport. Between Ilkley and Sedbergh the
Dalesbus
DalesBus is a network of bus services, which operate in and around the Yorkshire Dales, England. The network is managed by Dales and Bowland Community Interest Company – a volunteer-run subsidiary of the Yorkshire Dales Society.
History
Dal ...
network serves the route at many points, and the
Settle–Carlisle railway also assists the sectional walker. At the northern end of the route there are frequent trains on the
Windermere branch line, and
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are draw ...
buses between
Kendal
Kendal, once Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England, south-east of Windermere and north of Lancaster. Historically in Westmorland, it lies within the dale of th ...
,
Windermere
Windermere (sometimes tautology (language), tautologically called Windermere Lake to distinguish it from the nearby town of Windermere, Cumbria (town), Windermere) is the largest natural lake in England. More than 11 miles (18 km) in leng ...
and Bowness.
The largest settlements on the route are Ilkley and Bowness at either end. Grassington and Sedbergh have a range of facilities, and provisions are also available at Kettlewell, Dent, Burneside and Staveley. The larger town of Kendal is not far from the route.
Warnings
The most difficult section is over the
watershed
Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to:
Hydrology
* Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins
* Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...
from Buckden to Gearstones. This section has the greatest ascent and descent, and passes through remote country with limited accommodation and no other facilities. The distance from Buckden to the next public transport at Ribblehead is , and it is from Buckden to the first accommodation in Dentdale, near Cowgill.
For much of its length the Dales Way follows riverside paths in upland areas. Paths may become flooded and impassable and alternative routes may need to be followed. The Dales Way Association
maintains up-to-date information on flooding and other hazards on its website and publishes suggested route alternatives.
Connecting trails
From its initial conception the Dales Way was planned with link routes to Ilkley from three urban centres in the
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...
:
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...
,
Bradford
Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...
and
Harrogate
Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and the administrative centre of the Borough of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist destination and its visitor at ...
. The Leeds Link runs for from
Woodhouse Moor
Woodhouse Moor is an open space approximately one mile (1.6 km) from Leeds city centre, West Yorkshire, England. Today it consists of 3 parts: a formal park, Woodhouse Moor (often referred to as Hyde Park - see below), of around 26 hectares ...
along the
Meanwood Valley Trail and over
Otley Chevin and
Ilkley Moor
Ilkley Moor is part of Rombalds Moor, the moorland between Ilkley and Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. The moor, which rises to 402 m (1,319 ft) above sea level, is well known as the inspiration for the Yorkshire "county anthem" ...
to Ilkley. The Bradford Link is long from
Bradford Cathedral
Bradford Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter, is an Anglican cathedral in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, one of three co-equal cathedrals in the Diocese of Leeds alongside Ripon and Wakefield. Its site has been used for Chri ...
via
Shipley Glen
Shipley is a historic market town and civil parish in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, by the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, north of Bradford. The population of the Shipley ward on Bradford City Council taken at ...
and Ilkley Moor to Ilkley. The Harrogate Link is long, running from the
Valley Gardens
The Valley Gardens are of woodland garden, part of the Crown Estate located near Englefield Green in the English county of Surrey, on the eastern edge of Windsor Great Park. The Valley Gardens and the nearby Savill Gardens are Grade I listed ...
in Harrogate by
Haverah Park
Haverah Park is a civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located west of Harrogate.
The parish consists of several scattered farms. There is no village in the parish, and there are no public roads. Access i ...
and the
Washburn Valley to Ilkley.
At Ilkley the Dales Way connects with the
Ebor Way
{{Infobox hiking trail
, name=Ebor Way
, photo=Ebor Way Sign Eccup 2016.jpg
, caption=Signpost north of Eccup, Leeds
, location=England: North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire
, length_mi=70
, trailheads=Helmsley, North Yorkshire
{{coor ...
. On its course through Wharfedale,
Lady Anne's Way
Lady Anne's Way is a hiking route between Skipton and Penrith in Northern England. The trail is punctuated by houses and towers once owned by the Clifford family, but is named after Lady Anne Clifford who renovated and repaired the buildings ...
runs in conjunction with the Dales Way.
At Cam Fell between Langstrothdale and Ribblehead the Dales Way briefly coincides with the
Pennine Way
The Pennine Way is a National Trail in England, with a small section in Scotland. The trail stretches for from Edale, in the northern Derbyshire Peak District, north through the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland National Park and ends at Kir ...
and the
Pennine Bridleway
The Pennine Bridleway is a National Trail in Northern England.
It runs roughly parallel with the Pennine Way but provides access for horse riders and cyclists as well as walkers. The trail is around long, extending from Derbyshire to Cumbria. ...
. At Ribblehead the trail connects with the
Ribble Way
The Ribble way is a long-distance walk between the Lancashire coast and the Yorkshire Dales National Park largely following the course of the River Ribble.
The route begins in Longton and ends at the source of the Ribble at Gayle Moor near Ribbl ...
. Just before it reaches the end at
Bowness-on-Windermere
Bowness-on-Windermere is a town in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. It lies next to Windermere lake and the town of Windermere to the north east with which it forms the civil parish of Windermere and Bowness. The town was histor ...
the route connects with the
Windermere Way.
The
Dales High Way
A Dales High Way is a long-distance footpath in northern England. It is long and runs from Saltaire in West Yorkshire to Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, roughly parallel to the line of the Settle and Carlisle Railway.
Route
The Dales High Wa ...
is a high level route which runs parallel to the Dales Way between
Ilkley Moor
Ilkley Moor is part of Rombalds Moor, the moorland between Ilkley and Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. The moor, which rises to 402 m (1,319 ft) above sea level, is well known as the inspiration for the Yorkshire "county anthem" ...
and Dent and on to Sedbergh.
References
External links
*
The Long Distance Walkers Association
{{coord, 53.9289, -1.8324, region:GB-BRD_type:landmark, display=title
Footpaths in West Yorkshire
Footpaths in Cumbria
Long-distance footpaths in England
Yorkshire Dales
Footpaths in North Yorkshire