A Dales Walk Guided Trail

 74 miles. 10-16 miles and up to 1,650 feet of ascent in a day

Day 1: Arrival day

Day 2: Leyburn to Aysgarth - From Leyburn, a small market town at the foot of Wensleydale through which the River Ure flows, we have a choice of routes.  The lower level path follows the river most of the way.  The more challenging route goes via Middleham, an ancient town with a fine castle associated with Richard III.  It traverses Middleham Gallops, where racehorses are exercised, and climbs to Penhill, the finest viewpoint in the dale, before descending to Aysgarth, passing the excavated ruins of a 14th-century Crusader chapel.  Aysgarth is well-known for its series of waterfalls. Distances: Low level 8 miles.  High level 12½ miles with 1,400 feet of ascent

Day 3: Aysgarth to Hawes - The route follows a mid-level series of limestone terraces with traditional meadows and grassy pastures giving fine views across the dale on the south side.  It goes through Askrigg, associated with James Herriot’s ‘All Creatures Great and Small’, then continues to Hardraw where we have a chance to visit England’s highest unbroken waterfall (there is a small charge).  We then follow the Pennine Way into Hawes, a bustling market town much favoured by tourists. Distance:  12½ miles with 575 feet of ascent

Day 4: Hawes to Kirkby Stephen - This is the longest walk of the week.  Our path leaves Hawes via fields and minor roads to climb to the broad ridge of Cotter End.  Here it joins Lady Anne Clifford’s Highway, over which she was carried in a horse litter when visiting her Westmorland castles.  It passes Hell Gill, the source of the River Eden, before descending to the Thrang.  We follow the River Eden down the Mallerstang Valley, parallel to the famous Settle-to-Carlisle railway.  En route we pass Pendragon Castle, Lammerside Castle and Wharton Hall, an Elizabethan house, before arriving in Kirkby Stephen. Distance:  15½ miles with 850 feet of ascent

Day 5: Kirkby Stephen to Keld - Today provides a real contrast as the route now leaves the green valleys to climb the stony, peaty moorland track to the top of Nine Standards Rigg, so-called because of the nine stone cairns on its summit.  We continue over the moors down to Keld, at the head of Swaledale.  We are now on Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Path. Distance:  10½ miles with 1,650 feet of ascent

Day 6: Keld to Reeth - The first part of the walk goes along the wooded side of the Swale Gorge, a contrast to the broader dale we see later in the day.  When we reach the village of Gunnerside we have a choice of routes.  We can stay close to the river all the way to Reeth.  If we prefer to see something of the lead-mining industry which used to dominate the dale we take a higher path which passes some of the old workings and smelt mills.  Reeth is the largest village in the dale and has an interesting folk museum which tells about the life of the miners. Distances:  Low level 11¾ miles.  High level 12¾ miles with 1,000 feet of ascent

Day 7: Reeth to Richmond - Our walk today follows the Coast to Coast Path down the dale.  The first section rises above the valley and passes through Marrick and Marske.  The final section goes beneath Whitcliffe Scar and passes some fine woodland before descending to Richmond, an interesting town with a Norman castle and cobbled streets. Distance:  10½ miles with 750 feet of ascent

Day 8: Departure day