A guidebook to the Dales Way between Ilkley and Bowness-on-Windermere. Taking in the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District National Park this week-long 128km (79 mile) walk is a perfect introduction to a multi-day hike.

The route is presented in 6 stages between 11 and 31km (7–19 miles) in length and described from south to north, a summary description is also provided for those wanting to walk in the opposite direction. The Watershed variant between Wharfedale and Dentdale is included.

• Contains step-by-step description of the route alongside 1:100,000 OS maps
• Includes a separate map booklet containing OS 1:25,000 mapping and route line
• The book features a trek planner that highlights information about accommodation, facilities and public transport along the route
• Full accommodation listings are included

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 wanting 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.

August 2023

Trek planner and Route summary table

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