The Inn Way to the Yorkshire Dales

6 day Walking Trip The Inn Way... to the Yorkshire Dales

With Mark Reid the bloke who wrote the book!

76 miles, 6 days, 26 pubs
A wonderful journey through eleven beautiful valleys in the Yorkshire Dales

Walk ‘The Inn Way… to the Yorkshire Dales’ in the company of Mark Reid, who will share his detailed knowledge of this wonderfully varied route through the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, with plenty of little detours and extra experiences along the way.

ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE…

Discover the Yorkshire Dales with Mark Reid
Explore the history and heritage of the area
Enjoy far-reaching views across sweeping dales, heather moorlands and majestic fells
Relax in cosy Yorkshire country inns each evening
Forget about map reading, and enjoy the journey instead!

ITINERARY

Sunday – Grassington to Buckden (13 miles)
Route highlights: Iron Age settlements, two Nature Reserves, glacial meltwater channels and spectacular limestone scenery, imposing Kilnsey Crag, beautiful Littondale, one of England’s most authentic pubs, windswept moorland, a Norman hunting forest and breathtaking views.

Monday – Buckden to Askrigg (13 miles)
Route highlights: Walking in the footsteps of Romans, wonderful waterfalls, one of England’s finest ‘green lanes’ across the breezy heights of Stake Moss, the legend of the flooded city, a glacial lake, England’s shortest river, a fortified farmhouse and Darrowby village from James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small.

Tuesday – Askrigg to Reeth (13 miles)
Route highlights: Wild Oxnop Ghyll, a haunted bridge, the old Corpse Way, traditional hay meadows, Viking villages, the legacy of the lead mining industry, a hidden waterfall, Maiden Castle hill-fort and probably the most beautiful valley in the world – Swaledale.

Wednesday – Reeth to Aysgarth Falls (10 miles)
Route highlights: The Cathedral of the Dales, Apedale and Gibbon Hill, Bolton Castle where Mary Queen of Scots stayed, James Herriot’s honeymoon hotel, medieval villages and field systems, Garibaldi’s Red Shirts, the three waterfalls of Aysgarth Falls and the medieval monastic Jervaulx Screen.

Thursday – Aysgarth Falls to Kettlewell (15 miles)
Route highlights: England’s prettiest village, the secret valley of the Welsh, wild heather hills of Fleensop Moor, a remote Dales inn, monastic roads and stagecoach routes, wonderful riverside walking through Coverdale, stones with strange powers, the Iron Age defensive ditch of Tor Dyke and what a view down Wharfedale!

Friday – Kettlewell to Grassington (12 miles)
Route highlights: Ancient green lanes, far-reaching views from Capplestone Gate, deserted farmhouses that date back to the Vikings, a fascinating moonscape of deserted lead mines, the swaying bridge across the Wharfe, the hidden village of the cobblers, an idyllic scene of pub and village green, and the powerful force of Linton Falls.

BEST PUBS ALONG THE WAY…

The Yorkshire Dales boasts some of England’s finest country pubs, and this walk calls in to many of them. Mark’s top pub picks include:

Falcon Inn, Arncliffe
Queens Arms, Litton
George Inn, Hubberholme
Kings Arms, Askrigg
Crown Inn, Askrigg
Kings Head, Gunnerside
Black Bull, Reeth
Aysgarth Falls Hotel
Fox & Hounds, West Burton
Thwaite Arms, Horsehouse
Blue Bell Inn, Kettlewell
Fountaine Inn, Linton

plus another 14 pubs along the route!

ACCOMMODATION

Grassington – INN / HOTEL / B&B / SHOP
Buckden – INN / B&B / CAMP / SHOP
Askrigg – INN / HOTEL / B&B / CAMP / SHOP
Reeth – INN / HOTEL / B&B / CAMP / SHOP
Aysgarth Falls – INN / HOTEL / B&B / CAMP / SHOP
Kettlewell – INN / B&B / CAMP / YHA / SHOP

We now stay at Aysgarth Falls instead of West Burton, as there is more accommodation choice at Aysgarth Falls.

Camping – I can lend you all the camping kit you need for this trip (except sleeping bags) at no extra cost – lightweight tent, sleepmat and stove. There are campsites at Buckden, Askrigg, Reeth, Aysgarth Falls and Kettlewell, so it is possible to camp this route.

We will email you a detailed list of accommodation providers when you book. Please contact the accommodation provider directly to book your accommodation. Baggage transfers are included in our price and they will drop your bags at your accommodation or campsite, so you only need to carry a day-sack.

HOW TO GET TO GRASSINGTON

The nearest train station is at Skipton (10 miles from Grassington), from where there is a regular bus service to Grassington. By car, Grassington lies along the B6265 in Wharfedale. There is long stay parking available at the National Park Centre at Grassington, or at your B&B if you are staying before and/or after your walk (please check with your B&B).

YOUR GUIDE - MARK REID

EXPERIENCE, FITNESS, TERRAIN ETC...

This is a 6-day walking trip in the Yorkshire Dales. Some hill-walking experience is required as we will be walking across valleys, hills, fells and moorland, although full guidance will be given.
Multi-day walking across the dales, hills and fells of the Yorkshire Dales requires a good level of fitness and stamina, as we will be walking between 10 and 15 miles each day for 6 days in succession, with some significant climbs across rough and steep terrain.
You will need to have completed two back-to-back full day walks prior to this walking holiday (at least 12 miles on a Saturday and on Sunday).
The terrain includes field, riverside, woodland, moorland, hill and fell paths and tracks, some of which are uneven, rocky, rough, boggy and steep underfoot. The route also includes lanes and roads, as well as numerous stiles and some stream crossings. We may also experience adverse weather conditions on the hills.
Each day there is a sustained ascent and descent across the moors and fells as we walk from one valley to the next, with climbs each day. For example, on Day One there is a climb of 360 metres from Litton up onto Birks Fells that reaches a height of 605 metres.
There will be rest stops throughout the day, as well as 30-mins for lunch. Please provide a packed lunch each day, as it is not a good idea to rely on pubs for lunchtime food. We will call into pubs along the way for refreshments, however, as this is an adventurous activity then we ask you not to drink alcohol during the walk.
Mark Reid is an experienced Mountain Leader. Mark has walked over 29,000 miles of footpaths throughout the North of England over the last decade and knows the Lake District extremely well. Since 2007, we have taken over 17,000 people out walking in the countryside.
Part of the attraction of valley and hill walking is the challenge of tackling different terrains, landscapes and weather conditions. Every effort is made to minimize potential hazards; however, the very nature of hill and mountain walking involves a certain level of unavoidable risk of accident and/or injury. By taking part in this activity, you are aware of and accept these risks.
We are fully insured (public, civil & professional indemnity insurance)
Over 18s – this walk is designed for adults.
Terms and Conditions