4 Night Southern Yorkshire Dales Christmas Guided Walking Holiday
The Southern Yorkshire Dales set the bar high for seriously good views – so there’s an added magic to walks here during the winter months. Sightseeing greats like Malham Tarn, Janet's Foss, and Gordale Scar all look extra special under a crisp frost or a dusting of snow. And when you’re not out exploring the wintry landscapes of the Dales, cosy up at our characterful country house in Malhamdale. We pull out all the stops at this time of year and our houses welcome you with a sprinkling of festive cheer, seasonal food, and plenty of yuletide treats. So wrap up warm and step into Christmas with HF Holidays.
What you’ll love
- Getting into the festive spirit with a guided walking holiday
- A choice of winter walks with our experienced HF Holidays Leaders
- Discovering the stunning landscapes of Southern Yorkshire Dales on foot
- Staying in our country house near the village of Malham
- Enjoying festive fare and leaving all the organising to us
- A celebration dinner with all the trimmings on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve
What’s included
- Comfortable en-suite accommodation in our country house
- Cream tea on arrival day
- Cooked or continental breakfast every morning
- Daily packed lunches
- Three-course evening meals, plus tea & coffee
- Guided walking with experienced HF Holidays Leaders
- Choice of up to three different-grade daily walks
- All transport to and from walks where necessary
- Easy-to-follow routes, maps, and information in our Discovery Point if you want to explore independently
Trip Notes
Easy to download as a PDF, our trip notes provide detailed information for every holiday. Please click below to find the trip notes for your departure date.
All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take alternative routes or adapt the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.
You're welcome to check in from 4pm onwards. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea on arrival.
Option 1 - Ribblesdale
Distance: 7 miles (11.5km)
Ascent: 800 feet (240m)
In summary: Explore the attractive village of Langcliffe before heading north to Catrigg Force and the villlage of Stainforth. We shall visit the Hoffman lime kiln and follow the River Ribble past Stainforth Force to Settle.
Highlight: Settle is a picturesque market town, first chartered in 1249 and famous for the Settle-Carlisle railway.
Option 2 - Above Settle
Distance: 9 miles (14km)
Total ascent: 1,200 feet (380m)
In summary: A circular walk from Settle, we take the Ribble Way to Stainforth Force Waterfalls before visiting the Hoffmann lime kiln from Stainforth. A steady ascent up a stoney old lane takes us to Catrigg Force. Our route down the eastern side of the valley leads past Winskill Stones to Jubilee Cave before descending along the Pennine Bridleway to Settle.
Highlight: Catrigg Force waterfall is a real hidden gem, situated in a deep wooded ravine.
Option 3 - Ribblesdale Circuit
Distance: 11½ miles (19km)
Total ascent: 2,000 feet (600m)
In summary: A longer circuit of Ribblesdale from Settle. We first explore the west side of the valley as we cross the hills to the hamlet of Feizor. We then have the option to visit the Hoffman lime kilns and return via Catrigg Force.
Highlight: Enjoy views of Ingleborough as we explore this quintessential Dales' landscape.
Option 1 - Otterburn Beck
Distance: 7.5 miles (11.5km)
Ascent: 600 feet (180m)
In summary: Our walk takes us across fields to Kirk Syke and along lanes to the small village of Otterburn before returning via Bell Busk to Newfield Hall.
Highlight: Discover the hidden history of Otterburn, which was mentioned in the Domesday Book. The village took its name from the beck, "the stream of the otter", which runs through the middle of the village.
Option 2 - Otterburn and Wenningber
Distance: 10 miles (16km)
Ascent: 900 feet (240m)
In summary: From Kirk Syke, we follow lanes and field paths before descending by Otterburn Beck to reach the village. Field paths loop round Wenningber Hill and a green lane leads back to Otterburn. From here we head over Kendal Hill, towards Bell Busk and Kirk Syke Lane.
Highlight: The history of Otterburn and the ‘perfect green drumlin’ of Wenningber Hill.
Option 3 - Orms Gill and Hellifield Moor
Distance: 11.5 miles (18km)
Ascent: 1000 feet (300m)
In summary: Venture over undulating fields and lanes to the deserted farmhouse and lime kiln at Orms Gill before continuing across open fields to reach Hellifield Moor. After an opportunity to detour round Wenninger Hill, pass through Otterburn and Bell Busk to complete the circuit.
Highlight: Enjoy the tranquillity of rarely walked paths and the HF Pathways Plantation at Orms Gill Quarry.
Option 1 - Around Malham
Distance: 7 miles (11.5km)
Ascent: 1,000 feet (300m)
In summary: We ascend gradually along a green lane and over open moorland up to Malham Tarn and return to Malham past Malham Cove and beautiful Janet's Foss waterfall.
Highlight: Looking over the limestone pavement of Malham Cove is always an impressive sight.
Option 2 - Gordale and Malham Cove
Distance: 9 miles (14.5km)
Ascent: 1,600 feet (480m)
In summary: A classic walk from Malham that leads to the beautiful sights of Janet’s Foss and magnificent Gordale Scar before heading north over moorland, past the top of Malham Cove, to reach Malham Tarn. The return route provides stunning views of limestone countryside before descending by a green lane to reach the bottom of Malham Cove.
Highlight: The pretty woodland waterfall of Janet’s Foss, the collapsed cave system of Gordale Scar from the last Ice Age, and the serene Malham Tarn, that is surrounded by pervious limestone.
Option 3 - Moor above Malham
Distance: 10 miles (16km)
Ascent: 1,850 feet (560m)
In summary: Walk via Janet's Foss waterfall to view Gordale Scar before heading onto the moor. We walk as far as Water Sinks before following moorland paths and descending by the famous Cove to complete our circular walk in Malham village.
Highlight: Step onto limestone pavement atop Malham Cove and soak up panoramic views ahead over Malhamdale.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.
Newfield Hall
Looking every inch the baronial mansion, Newfield Hall sits in two acres of grounds near the village of Malham at the southern base of Yorkshire Dales National Park. Given it was this very landscape which inspired Wordsworth to write a sonnet and Charles Kingsley to pen The Water Babies, the countryside views are as gorgeous as you’d imagine. You’ll also have plenty of sightseeing greats within easy travelling distance, most notably Malham Tarn, Janet's Foss, Gordale Scar, Malham Cove, and The Dry Valley of the Watlowes. And then, of course, there’s Yorkshire’s famous trio of summits: Pen-y-ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough, collectively known as the three peaks. Stay at Newfield Hall and experience the exceptional service of a VisitEngland ROSE award winner. Find out more about the latest accolade awarded to our country house in the Southern Yorkshire Dales by reading our latest blog.
Rooms
Designed with your comfort in mind, Newfield Hall has 46 well-appointed guest rooms available in three categories: Classic, Premium, and Superior.
Classic Rooms are comfortable en-suite guest rooms, ideal for a peaceful night's sleep. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, and shower gel), and a TV.
Premium Rooms are more spacious en-suite guest rooms. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers, and comfortable mattresses.
Superior Rooms are even more spacious en-suite guest rooms offering upgraded views of the surrounds. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers, and comfortable mattresses.
We love: The guest rooms spread across the main building and the tastefully converted coach house. Rooms 3 and 6 are both corner rooms offering original features and large bay windows overlooking the gardens and beyond (Room 6 has its own telescope).
The Choose Your Room service is available at our UK country houses, allowing you the option of choosing and confirming a specific room for an extra charge of £30 per room. This is subject to availability. Upgrade supplements apply.
Check in & check out
You are welcome to check in from 4:00pm at the earliest. On arrival, you’ll enjoy a complimentary cream tea and get to meet your fellow guests, our HF Holidays Leaders, and the rest of the friendly team.
On the day of departure, we kindly ask all guests to check out by 10:00am. You’ll be asked to settle your bill prior to leaving. You may, of course, make a charitable donation to our HF Holidays Pathways Fund if you wish. Please note that we only accept card payments.
Room supplements
| Superior | Premium single | Premium double/twin | Choose your room |
| £25 pppn | £20 pppn | £20 pppn | £30 per room |
About your stay
A warm welcome
We want you to feel comfortable from the moment you arrive. You’ll find a welcome pack in your room with guest registration forms, menus, order forms for dinners and picnic lunches, the Wi-Fi password, and the front door code. Our houses are locked at night, so we recommend noting the Duty Manager’s number on arrival in case of an emergency (or getting locked out).
Evening entertainment
While evening entertainment varies from house to house, the HF Holidays Big Pub Quiz held after dinner on Wednesdays is a weekly staple. Your HF Holidays Leader may be around for tips on guided and self-guided walking routes as well as visit-worthy local attractions.
Walks talks
Our HF Holidays Leaders host guided walking information briefings before dinner on arrival days. This is followed by a group Walks Talk for information on the following day’s walking delights (held before dinner every evening). Self-guided walking guests are, of course, welcome.
The walking day
Prior to setting off on walks, your HF Holidays Leader will run you through a short safety briefing. There’s also an up-to-date weather forecast on display at the house to ensure you have appropriate clothing and footwear. If you choose to do your own walks or are on a self-guided walking holiday, we ask that you please complete an Independent Walker Card each day. These can be found near the Discovery Point in the house.
Food & drink
Led by experienced chefs, we serve a wide range of dishes made with fresh and seasonal ingredients. We always aim to source the best produce available and use home-grown herbs and vegetables from our own gardens whenever possible. Additionally, we have a licensed bar with beers, soft drinks, and a superb selection of spirits. Full-board comes as standard and includes a cream tea on arrival and a hearty breakfast on departure day.
HF Holidays understands the importance of managing allergens effectively to ensure food is safe for guests with food allergies. Whilst we are always able to confidently inform guests which allergens are present in our ingredients and dishes, we are unable to guarantee absolute freedom from the 14 main allergens in our kitchens. Vegetarian and vegan menu choices are available. If you have allergies, food intolerances, or any special dietary requirements, please inform our reservation team at the time of booking.
Accessibility
For accessibility and assistance information, please contact our expert team on 020 3974 8865 or view the accessibility information online for Newfield Hall
Getting to Newfield Hall
Find out more about this location including travel details and room types.
More InformationEssential information
The UK has a famously unpredictable climate so it's best to be prepared for weather that’s sunny one minute and raining the next. To make it easier, here’s a list of items you should consider packing.
Essentials
- Suitable footwear such as waterproof walking boots that provide ankle support and good grip
- Waterproof and windproof jacket, preferably insulated
- Comfortable clothing (jeans & waterproof capes are not suitable)
- Waterproof overtrousers
- Gloves and a warm hat (or sunhat)
- Rucksack
- Water bottle (at least 1 litre capacity)
- A small torch
- Sunscreen
- Mobile phone and portable charger
- Watch
- UV sunglasses
Recommended
- Several base layers (long-sleeve or short-sleeve)
- Cushioned walking socks to avoid blisters
- First aid kit, including plasters and insect repellent
- Sit mat
- Spare pair of socks
- Energy snacks
- Waterproof pouch for valuables
- Rubbish bag (remember to always leave no trace)
- Wallet/purse
Optional extras
- Walking poles, useful for descents
- Flask for hot drinks
- Durable lunch box
- Gaiters
- Blister kit
- Waterproof rucksack liner
- Head torch
- GPS device
Newfield Hall Calendar
- Guided Walking
- Self-Guided Walking
- Special Interests
- Unavailable to Book
Guest reviews
All holidays are subject to availability. Supplements may apply.
Non-member fee: £30 per person.
All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take an alternative route, or vary the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.
Holiday prices
| Date (Start - End) | Itinerary | Double / Twin Room | Single Room | Notes / Offers | Trip Notes | Book | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | ||||||||
|
23 Dec - 27 Dec 2023 4 nights |
Festive Single from £985 Double from £985 pp |
from £985 pp |
from £985 |
Trip Notes | Book Now | |||
|
30 Dec 2023 - 03 Jan 2024 4 nights |
Festive Single from £895 Double from £895 pp |
from £895 pp |
from £895 |
Trip Notes | Book Now | |||
| 2024 | ||||||||
|
23 Dec - 27 Dec 2024 4 nights |
Festive Single from £1,055 Double from £1,055 pp |
from £1,055 pp |
from £1,055 |
Trip Notes | Book Now | |||
|
30 Dec 2024 - 03 Jan 2025 4 nights |
Festive Single from £959 Double from £959 pp |
from £959 pp |
from £959 |
Trip Notes | Book Now | |||