Quintessential English countryside at its best — Dales Way

The Dales Way is an enchanting hike through the heart of the Yorkshire Dales to the foothills of the Lake District.

Following tranquil riverside paths for the most part, the trail explores a landscape of picturesque farmland interspersed with crumbling dry-stone walls, rugged moorland, lonely fells, idyllic valleys and sleepy villages.

From Ilkley, West Yorkshire, the Way runs for 79 miles (127 km) to Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, to finish on the banks of England’s most magnificent lake.

Along the way, you pass some iconic sights including the awe-inspiring 12th-century ruins of Bolton Abbey, the gushing waters of The Strid ravine, the atmospheric Yockenthwaite Stone Circle, as well as many impressive Victorian viaducts and old buildings.

The walking is generally quite leisurely along the Dales Way. Whilst there are hills, they are gentle and yet reward you with breathtaking views. The trail is well-maintained and well-signposted, too.

Due to how remote some sections of the Way are, accommodation options and places to eat and drink are not always abundant. Whilst every stage in this Collection finishes close to accommodation, even if there are only a few options nearby, it is worth planning in advance and scheduling any rest days accordingly.

The most common way to walk the Dales Way is from southeast to northwest, as per this Collection. Whilst there is nothing to stop you from completing it the other way, starting from Ilkley, just outside the national park, and finishing with spectacular views over Lake Windermere, in the heart of the Lake District, is widely considered to be the best option.

In this Collection, I split the route into five stages of between 10.4 and 20.4 miles (16.7 - 32.8 km). Of course, you can split up each stage into as many days as you are comfortable with. You can also walk any single stage, or a couple of stages, in isolation.

You can enjoy these Tours at all times of year and each season brings its own unique character. I recommend sturdy footwear and waterproofs no matter what season, as well as sunscreen.

If you are planning to arrive by public transport, you can catch a train to Ilkley railway station, typically with a change in Leeds or York, depending where you are coming from. It is then a 10-minute walk from the station to the start of the trail. To get home, you can catch the 599 bus service (or walk for 30 minutes) from Bowness Pier to Windermere railway station, which has connecting services around Britain, typically via Lancaster or Oxenholme.