Walking in the Yorkshire Dales: South and West

The Yorkshire Dales need little introduction: their picturesque scenery and hundreds of miles of footpaths, tracks and bridleways have been attracting walkers for decades. Part of a two-volume set, this guidebook presents over 40 routes in the south and west of the National Park, with bases including Sedburgh, Malham, Grassington, Skipton, Settle and Kirkby Lonsdale. The walks cover the valleys of Wharfedale, Littondale, Malhamdale, Ribblesdale and Dentdale – each with its own distinctive landscape and character. Also included is the Yorkshire Three Peaks, a 23 mile (37km) challenge to bag three iconic summits – Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough.

Mostly circular and ranging from 3.5 to 13 miles (6–21km), the routes showcase Yorkshire's diverse landscapes, beautiful views and rich heritage and celebrate the 'ups, downs and endless in-betweens' of the Dales. With the exception of the Three Peaks walk, they are designed to suit most abilities: steeper sections are rare and usually short-lived. Detailed route description and 1:50,000 OS mapping are provided for each route, along with information on nearby points of interest and facilities. In addition, an introduction presents an overview of the region's plants and wildlife, geology and history and offers an insight into iconic local industries such as farming and quarrying.

From bucolic pastureland to wild moors, the Dales have it all. Highlights include delightful riverside walking in Wharfedale, spectacular views of the distant Howgills and Lake District Fells, and the arresting limestone cliffs of Malham Cove. Charming villages and cosy pubs offer a warm welcome, but it is also possible to find tranquility and seclusion. The walks in this guide take in rolling hills, sweeping valleys and dancing streams, providing a wonderful introduction to this magnificent area.

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book

This book contains 44 walks from Wharfedale, Littondale, Malham dale, Dentdale and Ribblesdale and follows on from their previous book of walks in the North and East of the Yorkshire Dales. It includes seven walks that I know but there are many others that I have walked in these areas over the last 50 years that Dennis and Jan have also included.

They are seasoned walkers, writers and photographers and the 44 walks that they have selected range from 3.5 miles around Attermire above Settle to 23 miles for someone who wishes to tackle the Three Peaks in one day in the Ribblehead chapter. The book is divided into six chapters; Lower Wharfedale, Upper Wharfedale, Littondale, Malhamdale, Dentdale and Ribblesdale and range from four walks in the Litton dale chapter to eight in the Ribblesdale one.

As well as the walks themselves, the book also contains chapters on the evolution of the landscape, Plants and Wildlife, the area covered by the walks, the Yorkshire Dales National Park, practicalities and how to use the guide. The text, maps and photographs are all very concise and my only criticism of the book is that some of the walks start or finish partway down a page and the next walk carries on from there on the same page. By enlarging or reducing some of the photos or realigning of the text these could have been made to fit so that each walks started on its own separate page. 

Apart from this minor blemish,  I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will be using it to cover some of the walks I have either not done before or where it has been several decades since I last trod some of these "broad acres" of Yorkshire.

John Burland, Yorkshire news