self-guided walking holiday in wensleydale - 5 nights
Begin your journey in the small market town of Middleham with its impressive castle ruins and spend a day exploring the quiet footpaths of exquisite Coverdale, remote Walden and idyllic Bishopdale before making your way west towards the head of Wensleydale, taking in famous Aysgarth Falls and the banks of the surprisingly peaceful River Ure.
SUMMARY
Number of nights: 5
Price: From £570 per person (based on two people sharing a double or twin room)
Difficulty level: 7/10 (reasonably challenging)
Amount of walking: Two days of hotel-to-hotel walking of 11 miles (18km, ascent 646m) and 10.5 miles (17.5km, ascent 479m) and two optional circular walks of 7.5 miles (12km, ascent 310m) and 12 miles (19km, ascent 586m).
Terrain: A mixture of gentle riverside footpaths, tracks across more rugged farmland and open moorland and a few short sections of road walking on quiet lanes or through traditional villages.
Accommodation: A charming townhouse hotel on the square in lively Middleham with an excellent French influenced restaurant (night 1); a country inn and hotel, with cosy bar, excellent restaurant and large beer garden with views across Wensleydale, a short stroll from famous Aysgarth Falls (nights 2 and 3); and a small country house hotel in a gorgeous setting with views over upper Wensleydale, not far from the market town of Hawes. Relax in the cosy lounges and large gardens and enjoy good food with a focus on local, seasonal produce (nights 4 and 5). For full details of the accommodation included on each of our routes see our accommodation page.
Contact us to book this trip or find out more
ITINERARY
Day 1 - Arrive at your base in a lovely townhouse hotel right in the square in the centre of Middleham. Get your trip off to an active start by enjoying a short walk down to the River Cover and along pretty ‘Cover Banks’ or explore the fascinating ruins of Middleham Castle.
Day 2 - Your first full day’s walking is a long and fairly challenging route but well worth the effort. From Middleham, spend the first part of your day enjoying the quiet paths of Coverdale. Stop for a well-earned lunch in the community pub in Carlton-in-Coverdale before heading over heather covered Carlton Moor, dropping into the dead-end valley of Walden and on to the picture-perfect village of West Burton in Bishopdale. A short final stretch takes you to your base for the next two nights in a popular inn close to famously beautiful Aysgarth Falls.
Day 3 - Enjoy a circular walk from Aysgarth, visiting the famous falls, the impressive remains of Castle Bolton, which offers stunning views down Wensleydale and Bishopdale from its roof, and the moorland paths above the village of Carperby, where there is another chance for a well-earned stop at a country pub!
Day 4 - Continue your journey along Wensleydale, spending much of the day following the route of the River Ure upstream. As well as surprisingly quiet stretches along the banks of the river, you will take in the former Wensleydale railway line, the popular village of Askrigg (with several good lunch options!) and the beautiful Mill Gill and Whitfield Gill waterfalls. The final stretch of the route takes you across classic farming country (complete with plenty of stiles through dry stone walls!) offering gorgeous views up and down Wensleydale, before arriving at a pretty country house hotel for your last two nights.
Day 5 - If you don’t want to spend the day relaxing, there are several good walking options from your base. We recommend heading to the charming village of Hardraw (home to England’s highest single drop waterfall) and taking the Pennine Way to the summit of Great Shunner Fell for expansive views stretching to the Howgill Fells, the Yorkshire Three Peaks and even the hills of the Lake District on a clear day. Alternatively enjoy a short stroll into the popular town of Hawes for a potter around the shops and cafes and a visit to the famous Wensleydale Creamery.
Day 6 - Enjoy a last hotel breakfast before taking a taxi back to your starting point to collect your car and head home (or travelling back to the train station to catch your train).
“We had a great time, it was lovely to be out in the fresh air and open countryside with stunning views! We enjoyed the combination of activity and relaxation, it felt like a really long break even though it was only a few days.
We didn’t have to worry about anything, everything was seamless, we had no problems at all.
I will definitely be looking at the website to arrange another break in the future!”
what’s included
Five nights’ accommodation on a B&B basis;
Luggage transfer;
Transport from your last hotel to your first hotel to collect your car (if travelling by train, contact us to discuss options);
Detailed walking notes;
A route-marked OS map; and
The ‘Muddy Boots Survival Pack’ including our guide to places to visit and eat and drink on your route.
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Room or hotel upgrades.
Packed lunches (or order these the night before at your accommodation).
Additional nights accommodation.
A personal guide for some or all of your trip.
If you would like a longer holiday, this trip can easily be combined with ‘Remote Swaledale and Arkengarthdale’ to make a 6, 7 or 8 night trip.