Yorkshire Dales villages - West Burton, Bishopdale
Cauldron Force, West Burton
We are continuing our series of blogs about villages you can visit on our walking holidays - this one focusing on West Burton in Bishopdale. While the scenery is often the main reason people come walking in the Dales, we think the small, traditional, stone villages are themselves one of most alluring parts of the Dales landscape, and always a welcome sight on a long walk.
It was never going to take us long to cover West Burton in this series, as it is where we live and work and, although we may be biased, is one of the most beautiful villages in the Dales!
Overview
A collection of charming stone cottages set around an enormous village green that remains the heart of the village, West Burton is undoubtedly a beautiful place and a lovely spot to find yourself in during a walk through the Dales countryside.
The village has retained a thriving community and the village pub, shop and butchers are well-frequented. You will often see local children playing football on the green or splashing in the stream at the bottom of the village.
The village has a great location on a ‘no through road’ – the only road out of the south side of the village splits to run down either side of the ‘dead-end’ valley of Walden – so it is a peaceful place, sitting on a slope where two tributary valleys to Wensleydale meet – Walden and Bishopdale – and tucked under the western slopes of Penhill. Access to the village is from the road that runs down Bishopdale, linking Wensleydale to Wharfedale.
Sunset over West Burton and Bishopdale
As well as the village itself, West Burton is known for its pretty waterfall – Cauldron Force – on the beck that runs along the bottom of the village. It is hidden from view when in the village itself – to access it, take the track that runs left off the road, just as the road bends right up to the village green (next to a long, low house called ‘Mill House’). For those who don’t mind a bit of cold water, the pool at the base of the main waterfall and the one at the smaller falls just under the packhorse bridge are lovely spots for a dip! JMW Turner sketched this waterfall during his tour of northern England and the original sketch hangs in the Tate Gallery.
Buildings and History
West Burton’s buildings are an eclectic collection, with architecture from a variety of periods. It is lovely to have a stroll around the village looking at the different styles, but buildings to particularly look out for include:
Flanders Hall. This eighteenth century country house and stable block sits at the bottom of the village on the main Wensleydale road, close to Burton Bridge. The best view of it and its charming woodland gardens is gained by crossing the bridge and following a track (a bridleway) along the far side of the house.
The Grange. As you enter the village having come off the main road, you can’t miss the Grange on your right-hand side. As well as a private home, this nineteenth century country house is also a B&B with self-catering lets in the stable block. It has beautiful gardens both to its front (clearly seen from the road and running down to the beck) and at its rear.
The Old Hall Stables. Close to the top of the village on the left hand side, just before the Village Hall, the stables are all that is left of the Old Hall, thought to have been another grand residence in the village which burnt down. It is a beautiful building in its own right and has been a private home since the 1970s.
View over West Burton to Addlebrough
Also make sure to have a stroll around the village green to see the unusual market cross, which was built in 1820 when West Burton still had many shops and a thriving market, the village stocks and the original bull ring (just to the other side of the paved path across the green from the market cross).
A pamphlet entitled ‘a prowl around West Burton’ can be picked up from the village shop or pub and provides more detail on these buildings and many others in the village.
Local Walks
The Waterfalls Walk
West Burton is on a popular circular route that takes in both Cauldron Force in the village and the famous triple falls about 1.5 miles away at Aysgarth. The route takes you through some lovely scenery with great views down Bishopdale and a lovely riverside path along the River Ure, on the quieter side to the main paths used to access Aysgarth Falls. It can be started either from the National Park Car Park at Aysgarth Falls or from West Burton itself (where parking is in the small parking area down the track to the waterfall or on the road around the green – please take care not to block garage access!).
Walden, Coverdale and Wensleydale
For more of a challenge, a fantastic 10 mile route takes you down into the quiet Walden Valley, steeply up over the moors to drop down into Coverdale – another quiet tributary valley of Wensleydale where you can stop for a drink or lunch in the excellent Foresters Arms in the village of Carlton – before returning high above Wensleydale on a traditional walled track along the slopes of Penhill. Much of this route is covered on our ‘Wensleydale and its Tributaries’ walking holiday.
West Burton village green
There are, of course, many other options, so do feel free to get in touch if you would like any further information.
Refreshments
Unfortunately, the tea room attached to the village shop is currently closed (although the lease for both is for sale, so look it up if you are looking for a new business venture in an idyllic location!), so the only place for refreshments in the village is the pub – the Fox and Hounds. However, the pub is open from breakfast time until late at night so it is a handy stop whatever time of day you arrive in the village.
It serves a selection of drinks, snacks and hearty pub food as well as teas and coffees, ice cream and its own fruit cake with Wensleydale cheese!
If you would like to visit West Burton – or any other parts of the Yorkshire Dales – on a Muddy Boots Walking Holiday, please do get in touch.