Our Guided walking holiday is done over 6 days

Day 1

Saltaire- Skipton 18 miles

The Route from Saltarie head to the hills straight way, the route follows the canal then crosses the river Aire  the starts climbing to the wild openness  of Ilkley moor, Ilkley Moor marks the Northern end of the Southern Pennine Range, when you reach the top the views are expansive you go pat a stone circle the 12 apostles believed to date back to the Bronze Age [2000-500 BC] the route continues past White Wells a Victorian bath house then skirts the edge of the moor with Ilkley down below going past the Swastika stone. Eventually the rout drops down to Addingham before climbing again to the hills that make Skipton moor the views are excellent  then the path begins to Descend along a wooded track in to Skipton. The name Skipton come from Saxon and means Sheep Town, it started of as a sheep farm   but grew into a trading Centre, Skipton has a castle the present building  dates back from 1650, it has a market and its charter was granted in 1204, Skipton is the largest town on the Dales High Way and has plenty of amenities

Day 2

Skipton- Settle 18.5 miles

The first half of this section covers moorland then comes a change at Malham with its limestone and dramatic scenery. From  Skipton we enter the Yorkshire Dales the route heads north over the Flasby  Fells, the route drops down the Hetton then climbs to Weet Top from here there are magnificent views to the limestone scenery there are stunning views all around. From here The route drops down to Goredale Lane if time permits  then it is worth while to make a short detout and visit the magnificent Goredale Scar one of the wonders of Malham, the route then climbs to Malham cove, once water cascaded down here from the now dry valley of warterlowes, the water came from the Malham Tarn area and now it disappear underground and form the river Aire, from the cove we go up the dry valley cross a moorland road climbing Kirkby fell passing Attermire Scar then dropping down into Settle, the town has plenty of amenities, Settle is the southern end of the Settle to Carlisle railway

Day 3

Settle- Chapel Le Dale 14.5 miles

Today we start of in the  valley  before climbing Ingleborough one of the Yorkshire 3 peaks, the route starts of by following the river Ribble to Stainforth Force then from there the route goes past Smearset Scar while climbing the limestone plateau going through the small hamlet of Feizor where there is a nice café then we drop down into the secluded valley of Crummackdale going past the Norber Erratic’s these are chunks of rock that broke of when a glacier pushed down the Dale when the ice melted they were dumped where they were, the rout reached a farm then climbs onto the limestone pavement’s then joins a well worn track for the final climb up Ingleborough which is long and easy  and rocky in some places, the summit is a vast  plateau  with stunning views all around with views to the Lake District Mountains, there was a Iron Age Hillfort on the summit, Ingleborough is the 2nd highest peak in the Dales at a height of 723 meters , from the summit the route head down a steep rocky path to Chaple Le Dale

Day 4

Chapel Le Dale Sedbergh 15.5 miles

The Craven way an ancient packhorse trail is followed into Dentdale, the route goes past the Church in Chapel Le Dale which is the final resting place of the many who lost there life’s during construction of the railway, the route carry’s on the Bruntscar from here there is the option of going up Whernside the highest of the 3 peaks and the highest in Yorkshire at a height of 736 meters this route takes a mile of  but is steeper and a hard climb if you take this route go through the gate on the left folllow the path when it reached the top turn right that takes you to the summit then carry straight on when the path curves round to the right carry straight on over a fence going past Whernside Tarns  then re-join the Craven Way turning left if you do not go up Whernside carry on towards Ribblehead Viaduct. the viaduct was built between  1869-1875 go underneath the viaduct turn left and the track follows going past Blea moor signal box the railway the path leaves the rail way which tunnels under Blea moor, this tunnel is the longest on the Settle to Carlisle Route, the track climbs steeply then descends into Dentdale, the route reaches Dent the Village is know for its  terrible knitters and Adam Sedgwick there are nice tea rooms in Dent an intersting place to visit is the Heritage centre. Dent also has a music festival, the Dalesway is joined for a riverside walk before the route climbs over Frostrow into the town of Sedbergh at the foot of the mighty Howgill Fells, Sedbergh is a booktown, the largest town in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Sedbergh has plenty of amenities

Day 5

Sedbergh- New Biggin On The Lune 11 miles

Today is the shortest section of the route but do not be fooled as the route traverses the entire Howgill Range if you are lucky you might see The Fell ponies that roam the are, there are no walls or stiles to climb as they are open, the Fells are steep sided and round and they separate the craggy mountains of the Lake District from the Pennine Hills, the Howgils have plenty of character. From Sedbergh the route goes past Winder and Arant Haw the climb is steep you reach flat ground at Calders then it is a short  walk to the Calf at 676 meters  is the highest mountain in the range, from here the track heads North East then you come to a small tarn the path continues above the valley of Bowderdale this is a superb ridge walk with fine views you drop down to the road here is a short walk to New Biggin On The Lune

Day 6

New Biggin On The Lune-Appleby In Westmorland  12.5 miles

Today is a change from the last 3 days as we leave the highland and the Dales behind but the land is full of remoteness, variety and character ,the route takes a short hike over to Sunbiggin Tarn over  Ravenstonedale moor then we have more limestone scenery at Great Ashby Scar and there are stunning views over the Eden valley, to the Howgills, Lake District and the Pennine range from here we go down hill to Great Ashby which is the halfway point of this section then it is a gentle amble a long Hoff beck taking in the rolling countryside of the Eden valley then finally Appelby comes into view then we come to a road then go past Appleby castle from there it is a short walk to the tourist information centre the finish of this fantastic walk, Appleby Castle was home to Lady Anne Clifford  there is a connection between the Skipton and Appleby  Castle as lady Anne also Skipton castle in her estate as also had more castle in her estate as well, there is along distance walk called Lady Anne Clifford Way that starts from Skipton and finishes Brougham castle near Penrith that is 100 miles the route follows the many important buildings on the estate, Appleby is on the Route of the Walk. Appleby is a market town and is on the route of the Settle to Carlisle railway

The Dales High Way is a fantastic walk with superb variety Northern Guiding runs fully Guided walking holidays along the route   go to our web page

https://www.northernguiding.co.uk/dales-way-walking-holiday