Enjoy the tranquil beauty of the Dales Way, a picturesque long-distance trail stretching 130 km (81 miles) from Ilkley in West Yorkshire to Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District, passing through some of northern England’s most stunning countryside.

Follow gentle riverside paths and rolling green valleys, traversing the heart of the Yorkshire Dales and the foothills of the Lake District, with highlights including Bolton Abbey, Dentdale, and the breathtaking views of Windermere.

This map book provides all the detailed mapping you need to walk the Dales Way:

• Features 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey (OS) maps
• Covers the entire trail from Ilkley to Bowness-on-Windermere
• Suitable for walking the trail in either direction
• Compact and easy to carry, perfect for your jacket pocket or backpack
• For step-by-step route descriptions, an accompanying Cicerone guidebook, ‘Walking the Dales Way,’ is also available
• Part of a comprehensive series for long-distance walkers

Plan your journey along the Dales Way with confidence and experience the peaceful charm of England’s iconic landscapes.

CONTENT
Map key
Overview map
Route summary table
The Dales Way Trek Planner
Preface
INTRODUCTION
About the Dales Way
Planning the walk
Suggested itineraries
When to go
Getting there… and back
Public transport
First and last nights
Accommodation
Facilities en route
Pack-carrying services (baggage transfer)
Cash management
Equipment
Dogs
Planning day-by-day
Using this guide
Maps
Weather
Waymarking and paths
Health, safety and emergencies
Phones and Wi-Fi
All about the region
Geography
Geology
Plants and wildlife
History and culture
THE DALES WAY: ILKLEY TO BOWNESS
Wharfedale
Stage 1 Ilkley to Burnsall
Stage 2 Burnsall to Buckden
Langstrothdale and Dentdale
Stage 3 Buckden to Cowgill (Lea Yeat)
Stage 3A The Watershed Alternative
Stage 4 Cowgill (Lea Yeat) to Millthrop (Sedbergh)
Lonsdale and the Lakeland Fringe
Stage 5 Millthrop (Sedbergh) to Staveley
Into Lakeland
Stage 6 Staveley to Bowness-on-Windermere
 
Appendix A Useful contacts
Appendix B Accommodation along the route
Appendix C Further reading

Seasons

The walk is scenically at its best in Spring and Autumn (April-June and September-October), but is an all-year round walk for suitably equipped walkers.

Centres

Ilkley, Grassington, Hawes, Sedbergh, Bowness-on-Windermere

Difficulty

This is an ideal route for anyone wanted to attempt multi-day walking for the first time. There are no significant physical difficulties beyond the basic need to walk a certain distance each day.

Must See

Historic buildings, roads, bridges, etc. Landscape, flowers and wildlife. Bolton Abbey, Dent, Dales villages. The scenery is outstanding throughout, and a string of communities line the route but without detracting from the sense of freedom.

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