Guided Walking with Sightseeing at Malhamdale

Up to 5 miles with some ascent.

Each day’s guided walking and sightseeing will be selected from the following provisional programme.

Admission fees are not included in the cost of your holiday; please allow £30.  If you have a National Trust or English Heritage card, remember to bring it along.

Malhamdale

We explore the village of Malham and walk along the banks of the river. We pass Aire Head Springs where the stream that flows from Malham Tarn and disappears underground at Watersinks, emerges as the true source of the River Aire. From Kirkby Malham with its beautiful old church, known affectionately as The Cathedral of the Dales, we continue along part of the Pennine Way, visiting the hamlet of Airton.

Distance 5 miles with 300ft of ascent.

Wharfedale and Bolton Abbey

Today takes us to Barden Tower, a ruined hunting lodge overlooking the River Wharfe, to Barden Bridge and a section of the Dales Way through the Cavendish family’s Bolton Estate. We pass The Strid, where the river is forced through a deep, narrow sandstone channel, before an area of delightful woodland brings us to the Cavendish Pavilion. We continue to the 12th-century Bolton Priory Church and the village of Bolton Abbey.

Distance 4 miles with 270ft of ascent.

Kilnsey to Grassington        

Admire the imposing Kilnsey Crag at Kilnsey and perhaps visit the Trout Farm before crossing the river to Conistone from where we ascend gently to a section of the Dales Way. We make our way into Grassington, often called the “capital of Wharfedale”. Here there will be time to explore the village with its cobbled square, folk museum and Visitor Centre.

Distance 4¼ miles with 460ft of ascent.

Fountains Abbey

We visit Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, which is a World Heritage Site. Our walk starts with a visit to the ruins of the 12^th century Cistercian Abbey before continuing to Fountains Mill with its audio-visual presentation. Discover the delights of this once wild wooded valley, landscaped in Georgian times with an impressive water garden, ponds and cascades, follies and classical temples, amidst a deer park and farmland.

Distance up to 5 miles with 250ft of ascent.

Scenery around Malham

From Malham village we follow woodland paths to Janet’s Foss, a delightful waterfall. We continue into Gordale to view the impressive gorge before retracing our steps to Gordale Bridge, climbing gradually to the top of Malham Cove, a magnificent example of a limestone pavement. From here we return, via the stepped path beside the cove, to the village.

Distance 4¾ miles with 490ft of ascent.