Route: From Ilkley to Bowness-On-Windermere

Overview

The 78 mile long Dales Way officially begins at the Old Bridge in Ilkley, a village steeped in history stretching back to the Bronze Age, with evidence of such remains viewable at the local museum. Before starting on your adventure try one of the locally brewed ales. Following pathways alongside the local rivers, you traverse through the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park with its breath-taking and imposing limestone geology and native flora and fauna within the fields and woodlands. 

Awe inspiring natural landmarks abound – high Tarns, waterfalls , gentle babbling streams , roaring rivers, calming meadows and sheltering woodland are certainly worth a few photographs during your walk . 

Climbing upward you are rewarded with views of Whernside, Pen-y-ghent and Ingleborough, the three great peaks heralding your closeness to the Lake District National Park as you continue on the well-marked pathway towards your goal of Bowness-on-Windermere and journeys end. 

Idyllic little villages such as Burnsall and Sedburgh nestle within the hills and dales to welcome you after each days walking. Local pubs and inns offer you a chance to swap your days experience with other walkers who may be on the same path, or will inspire you to try some of the other paths which criss-cross this exceptional walk.


Walk the Trail offers 2 itineraries along this route to cater for all levels of walker.


INCLUDED

All our holiday packages include:

  • Overnight accommodation staying at carefully selected B&Bs, Inns and Hotels
  • A detailed holiday pack
  • Luggage transfers
  • Transport from path to accommodations if necessary
  • Maps
  • Guidebook
  • Emergency support.

NOT INCLUDED

Our holiday packages do not include:

  • Transport to and from the start and end of the holiday, unless stated.  We can help you with your options.
  • Packed Lunches and Evening Meals
  • Travel Insurance

Itinerary & Costs

Walk the Trail provides 2 different itineraries for The Dales Way. This itinerary is walking average distances each day and most walkers would choose this option.
A perfect introduction to inland long distance walking, The Dales Way is a more genteel walk across the North West of England, taking in both the National Parks of the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District with outstanding geology and stunning landscapes from Ilkley onward to the iconic Lake Windermere in Cumbria.


The Daily Itinerary

Click on a day for further information.

Day 2:
Ilkley to Burnsall
Distance: 13 miles Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Day 3:
Burnsall to Kettlewell
Distance: 10 miles Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
- Day 4:
Kettlewell to Oughtershaw
Distance: 12 miles Difficulty: Easy/Moderate

Due to a lack of accommodation in Oughtershaw, it may be necessary to accommodate you elsewhere and include transfers to and from the accommodation.

Day 5:
Oughtershaw to Lea Yeat
Distance: 11 miles Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Day 6:
Lea Yeat to Sedbergh
Distance: 10 miles Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
- Day 7:
Sedbergh to Grayrigg
Distance: 11 miles Difficulty: Easy/Moderate

Due to a lack of accommodation in Grayrigg, it may be necessary to accommodate you elsewhere and include transfers to and from the accommodation.

Day 8:
Grayrigg to Bowness-On-Windermere
Distance: 16 miles Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Day 9: Depart
Bowness-On-Windermere
 

What's Included

  • Accommodation for the length of your holiday including the night before you start walking and the evening after your final day's walking in good quality B&Bs, Inns and small hotels. This will be en-suite wherever possible.
  • Breakfast - This may be a full cooked or continental option depending on accommodation. Evening meals can be arranged with certain accommodations for an additional charge.
  • A Personalised Holiday Pack containing maps and addresses for accommodations, pick up points and daily mileage information.
  • Luggage transfers between each accommodation. 1 bag per person up to 20 kilograms. Additional bags can be added upon request.
  • If required, path to accommodation or round river transfers (free of charge)
  • Phone line support between the hours of 0900-1900, 7 days a week for the length of your holiday.

Optional Extras

The following items are optional and can be removed to reduce the cost of your holiday.

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Important Information

Reviews

4/5 Trusted Customer
Very good service | The customer service was excellent. We had a major upset in one B&B and Walk the trail responded extremely positively and we were very satisfied.
5/5 Sally Shabtay
A very good company to walk with | Communication with Walk The Trail was excellent. They promptly answered all our calls/mails and dealt with our enquiries efficiently and were always friendly.
5/5 David Roseberry
I couldn’t have planed the walk as well as they did. | The accommodations were all very nice, our luggage was always there when we arrived and the one issue we had (which wasn’t their fault) they fixed right away. So of course I will use them again and recommend them unconditionally.
Holiday Summary

Select:

Itinerary

7 Days / 8 Nights 11.5 miles daily avg


Difficulty

Rating: 3


Walkers

Number in Group: 2


What's Included
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Cost £997 per person

Based on Two people sharing a Double or Twin Room


Total Cost £1,994

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