I can recommend this book, and the walk, to members without any reservations.
The 79 mile-long Dales Way starts in Ilkey, meanders its way through the Yorkshire Dales and finishes at Bowness after a brief foray through the southern part of the Lake District. Of course, you can start from Bowness and reverse the route should you wish. It is a Way that I am quite familiar with having walked it both ways in the past and it is one of my favourite walks.
This guide has been around for quite a long time with the first edition being published in 1992 and the second edition in 2005. A lot can happen in thirteen years so an update was due. The guide divides the Dales Way into six stages thus making it suitable for a week-long hike. The stages vary quite a lot in length; the smallest being circa seven miles and the longest about 19 miles. As the author is keen to stress it is quite possible for anyone walking the route to take it more slowly or quickly as they prefer. It is worth noting that the stage from Buckden to Cowgate is 17 miles over fairly wild country so is likely to be the toughest day for most walkers. Especially so when I suspect many walking the Way will prefer to move onto Dent which is some four miles further on.
The book is enclosed by a waterproof sleeve and is structured in the standard Cicerone format and is none the worse for it. The sections are:
An initial section with overview map and planner. This comes into its own when planning your walk.
The second section provides an introduction to the Dales Way followed by information on suggested itineraries, transport links, accommodation, cash, what kit is required, dogs, weather, watermarking, health and safety. It concludes with a section about the geology, geogra-phy, plants, wildlife, history and culture. All is very useful information and is written clearly and concisely. I really enjoyed reading the last section.
This action consists of route descriptions of the six daily stages. It provides clear instructions and information about what can be seen on the route. Uniquely, the guide also provides clear instructions for those attempting the Way in the other direction. Clear overview maps for each stage are provided. A bonus of this guide is that the whole route is printed on 1:25,000 in a separate booklet that fits inside the guide cover so the walker does not need to carry anymore maps.
The final section of the guide provides information on useful contacts, a very good accommodation guide and further reading suggestions.
I had hoped to use this guide while I walked the Dales Way for a third time. Annoyingly, an Achilles tendon strain that developed during my walking the Wolds Way reoccurred while I was on the Dales Way so I had to cut it short. However, for the days I did manage to complete I am able to confirm that the mapping, instructions and accommodation details are absolutely spot on. I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of the uncompleted stages. I did find the commentary on what I might see during the day to add considerable value to the walk as it’s easy to just trod on and miss things if they aren’t directly on a route.
I can recommend this book, and the walk, to members without any reservations.
Jon Ivins, Backpack magazine
An excellent step by step guide to the route which includes some stunning pictures and is extremely easy to follow.
Looking for something to do for a week this summer?
Well, here is a thought for you. What about walking from Ilkley to the Lake District via the Dales Way?
At a distance of 78 miles, it is an ideal walk for completing in 6, 7 or 8 days (13, 11 or 10 miles per day respectively). The ascents are mostly gentle with an average of about 1,000 feet per day.
It is over 40 years since I first walked this particular long-distance route when I was Scout Leader in Horsforth taking the Scouts on this walk during a week at Spring Bank Holiday but having read Terry Marsh’s updated guide it is about time to renew acquaintance with this superb trail.
Terry’s first guide to the Dales Way came out 26 years ago and there have been quite a number of improvements to the route since then necessitating periodic revisions. Both the starting point in Ilkley and the finish at Bowness are well served by public transport with train stations at each location. Windermere Station is a mile from the finish point but for anyone who has already walked 78 miles, a further mile is not an issue, particularly if you have had a good meal at The Trattoria, the best Italian Restaurant in Bowness, to celebrate the completion of the walk.
As well as an excellent step by step guide to the route, Terry has also included a breakdown into the stopping points for a 6, 7 or 8-day completion. There is also an appendix of accommodation on route, plus details of facilities, where to obtain cash at overnight stays, equipment to take and wear, weather and waymarking. Accompanying the book there is a 1:25,000 route map booklet which includes the area up to a mile or so adjacent to the walk as well as the clearly defined route itself.
For anyone wishing to walk the route in reverse i.e. West to East, starting at Windermere and finishing at Ilkley, Terry has included a reverse route description at the end of each stage in the book. This is an excellently produced guide which includes some stunning pictures and is extremely easy to follow.
I can conclude no better than quoting from the first page of Stage 1. “This first stretch into Wharfedale presents no real challenges other than coping with a surfeit of beautiful landscapes and joyful walking”. What more can I say?
Why not give it a go?
John Burland
A very good guide which I can recommend to all those undertaking this fantastic walk.
Just completed the last section of the Dales Way from Dent Head to Windermere (did the first half last year). Used the new Cicerone guide which we found to be excellent. It is accurate, precise and clearly written. All the route instructions were unambiguous and left no room for doubt. The route passes through areas with numerous paths, many of which are more obvious on the ground than the Dales Way route so this level of clarity is vital to avoid any errors and delays. The background information was relevant and clearly presented to avoid interference with route descriptions. We had booked our travel and accommodation before the book was published so did not use that element of the book. All round a very good guide which I can recommend to all those undertaking this fantastic walk.
Richard, by email
Cicerone Guides have their own loyal followers, and Terry Marsh’s guidebook will not disappoint them.
Terry Marsh produced his first guide to walking the Dales Way 25 years ago, and the latest edition to his popular guide book has just been published by Cicerone Press.
The new book matches the revamped layout of Cicerone’s long distance guides, coming with a separate map booklet with the route shown on OS mapping at a scale of 1:25,000.
As well as a detailed account of each days walking – in both directions – Terry includes a broad range of information on accommodation, public transport, suggested itineraries, facilities on route, wildlife, geology, history and culture, along with a host of his colourful photos.
Terry is a seasoned walk writer, with over 120 titles to his name. He is also a generous supporter of the Dales Way Association and his passion for the trail is clear; “When it came to this new edition, I again walked the route in its entirety between October 2016 and August 2017. The enchantment I experienced during that first effort has reduced not one iota – the Dales Way is every bit as beautiful and charming and agreeable as ever it was… This still ranks as the finest multi-day walking route in Britain on which to cut your teeth.”
Cicerone Guides have their own loyal followers, and Terry Marsh’s guidebook will not disappoint them.
The Dales Way Association
