The good stay guide: Yorkshire Dales walking breaks from Newfield Hall

If you’re searching for Yorkshire Dales walking holidays, it’s hard to beat a stay in a country house that puts the region’s most famous limestone scenery within easy reach.

Set just a few miles outside the muchloved village of Malham, Newfield Hall is one of HF Holidays’ most treasured country houses. With sweeping views, an impressive history, and some of the finest walking in the Southern Yorkshire Dales right from the doorstep, its little wonder members return year after year.

Often described by HF Members and guests as “their very own Downton Abbey”, Newfield Hall combines period grandeur with the easy sociability HF Holidays is known for – all within walking distance of some of the Dales’ most celebrated landscapes.

Newfield Hall’s story begins in 1855, when it was built as a private residence by Skipton lawyer William Nicholson Alcock. Over the following decades, the house passed through notable hands before becoming part of the HF Holidays family in 1933. HF went on to purchase the property outright in 1959, securing its future as a place for shared walking, fresh air, and companionship. 

Today, many of the original features remain, including: 

• The pillared entrance  
• The impressive reception hall 
• The sweeping staircase that greets guests on arrival 

These historic details give Newfield Hall a sense of occasion from the moment you arrive, while still feeling welcoming and relaxed. Best of all, you’ll share well-planned walking days with the easy company of other guests who love being outdoors as much as you do.

Someone else who can attest to the draw of the Yorkshire Dales is Newfield Hall’s Assistant Manager, Javier Ramos. 

What began as a six-month stint to improve his English turned into a five-year love affair with the Dales. 

Originally from the cooler north of Gran Canaria, Javier found Yorkshire’s friendly people and outdoor lifestyle reminded him of home. 

A former walk leader back in Gran Canaria, he shares a natural affinity with guests who come for nature, walking, and connection. 

“People feel at home and there is less of a distance between service and customer. I like my job, I like dealing with the guests, and if I can make their stay better, that’s good,” he says. 

His long-term plan? To take everything he’s learned at HF Holidays and one day open his own hospitality business providing walking holidays in Spain. 

Today, Newfield Hall is led by HF Holidays’ Senior House Manager, Owen Heath.

With over 20 years’ experience in hospitality – from city-centre pubs to five-star resort hotels – Owen Heath has spent the last 12 years with HF Holidays.

“I love the views Newfield Hall commands over the Yorkshire Dales and the quietness of the countryside,” says Owen. “Even the drive up to the house is impressive. Guests refer to it as their very own Downton Abbey and the delight on their faces when they first walk into our main hall is really special to see.”

Under Owen’s leadership, Newfield Hall has gone from a 3-star guest accommodation to 4-star, and in 2023 became the first HF Country House to win the prestigious Visit England Rose Award.

His philosophy remains simple: “It’s about taking care of the little details – being first in, last out, tidying as you go. That care trickles down to the rest of the team.”

Location is everything on a walking holiday, and Newfield Hall excels. Just five minutes from the Pennine Way and the River Aire, it’s perfectly placed for exploring the best of the Southern Yorkshire Dales on foot.

Practicalities matter on a walking holiday, too, and the house has the essentials covered — including full-board meals, boot and drying room, plus on-site parking.

It’s also home to the HF Holidays Heritage Room, where the archive charts HF’s story through brochures, photographs, leader testimonials, and walk programmes dating back to HF’s foundation in 1913.

For many guests, that sense of heritage adds something special: you’re not just booking accommodation, you’re joining a tradition of people who’ve loved walking holidays for generations.

One of the most popular walks from Newfield Hall is the Malham Circuit, available as both a guided and selfguided option. 

Distance: 9.5km 
Time: 3.5–4 hours 
Grade: Moderate 

Highlights along the route include:

• Malham Cove, with its dramatic limestone amphitheatre 

• Gordale Scar, one of the Dales’ most striking natural gorges 

• Janet’s Foss, a waterfall steeped in local folklore 

• Malham Tarn, England’s highest marl lake - a lime-rich freshwater body 

It’s a walk that showcases everything people love about the Dales: limestone scenery, wide views, and a strong sense of place. 

Newfield Hall is set up to make guided walking feel straightforward and sociable: 

Guided walking information briefings take place with HF’s expert leaders on arrival days, followed by a Walks Talk each evening with information for the next day’s guided walks. 

Before you set off, your leader runs through a short safety briefing, and there’s an up-to-date forecast displayed in the house.  

There’s a Discovery Point in the house with maps and local information (handy if you want an extra stroll or a shorter outing). 

This is what makes guided Yorkshire Dales walking holidays with HF so appealing: you can focus on enjoying the day and chatting with your fellow walkers, while the planning and navigation are taken care of. 

In 2023, Newfield Hall received a VisitEngland ROSE Award (Recognition of Service Excellence) — given to accommodation providers that consistently go the extra mile for guests. The award is based on quality assessment, customer feedback, and online reviews.

That recognition matters on a guided walking holiday: when you return from the hills, you want things to run smoothly with warm welcomes, friendly faces, and the little details done well. Add to that relaxing lounge areas and an inviting bar, and you’ve got all the ingredients for the ideal walking break in the Yorkshire Dales.

Newfield Hall is set up to make guided walking feel straightforward and sociable: 

Guided walking information briefings take place with HF’s expert leaders on arrival days, followed by a Walks Talk each evening with information for the next day’s guided walks. 

Before you set off, your leader runs through a short safety briefing, and there’s an up-to-date forecast displayed in the house.  

There’s a Discovery Point in the house with maps and local information (handy if you want an extra stroll or a shorter outing). 

This is what makes guided Yorkshire Dales walking holidays with HF so appealing: you can focus on enjoying the day and chatting with your fellow walkers, while the planning and navigation are taken care of. 

In 2023, Newfield Hall received a VisitEngland ROSE Award (Recognition of Service Excellence) — given to accommodation providers that consistently go the extra mile for guests. The award is based on quality assessment, customer feedback, and online reviews.

That recognition matters on a guided walking holiday: when you return from the hills, you want things to run smoothly with warm welcomes, friendly faces, and the little details done well. Add to that relaxing lounge areas and an inviting bar, and you’ve got all the ingredients for the ideal walking break in the Yorkshire Dales.

A guided walking holiday should feel relaxed from start to finish. At Newfield Hall, all stays include a cream tea on arrival, hearty breakfasts, customisable picnic lunches to take with you on walks, plus three-course evening meals.