Luxury walking holiday in Wensleydale
Superb scenery and fantastic accommodation - this is the ultimate luxury walking holiday! Spend your evenings relaxing in some of the best accommodation in the Yorkshire Dales and your days taking in all of the highlights of Wensleydale!
Routes available from 3 to 6 nights and include taking in the stunning views along Wensleydale from the top of Penhill, visiting the famous waterfalls at Aysgarth, exploring remote Raydale and Semerwater and lots of peaceful riverside walking and classic Yorkshire Dales scenery, all on surprisingly unfrequented footpaths.
SUMMARY
Number of nights: 3-6
Price: From £495 per person for three nights (based on two people sharing a double or twin room) - get in touch for options for differing lengths of trip.
Amount of walking: For the full six nights, two days of ‘hotel-to-hotel’ walking of 15km/9 miles (353m ascent) and 11.5km/7 miles (340m ascent) and three circular walks of 10km/6.5 miles (423m ascent), 14.5km/9 miles (436m ascent) and 11.5km/7 miles (275m ascent). (An alternative 18km/580m ascent route is available for the final day!)
Difficulty level: 6/10 (moderate/fairly challenging)
Terrain: A mixture of peaceful riverside, classic Dales farmland, remote valleys and some steeper, more rugged moorland sections on some walks.
Accommodation: This is a trip where the accommodation is as beautiful as the views! Stay in a charming 17th century inn turned luxury boutique hotel with individually styled rooms and an acclaimed seafood and steak restaurant; a former Victorian school house turned luxury hotel and fine dining restaurant on the banks of the River Ure; and a stunning country house with fantastic views, recently renovated to combine all of its traditional charm with some modern touches. For full details of the accommodation included on each of our routes see our accommodation page.
CONTACT US TO BOOK THIS TRIP OR FIND OUT MORE
Itinerary (full 6 nights)
Day 1 - Arrive at your base in the traditional village of West Witton and settle into a 17th century inn turned boutique hotel for the evening. If time allows, stretch your legs down to the River Ure before enjoying a delicious meal in the excellent restaurant.
Day 2 - Your first full day’s walking is a circular route from West Witton, taking you up to the summit of Penhill (526m). The effort is well worth the reward as this hill stands alone giving fantastic views up and down Wensleydale and into Coverdale. You’ll also pass through interesting mining remains, visit the site of an Elizabethan Beacon and have the chance to spot some of the country’s top race horses exercising on the gallops!
Day 3 - Your first ‘hotel-to-hotel’ day takes you first to the interesting remains of the Knights Templar Preceptory then along the river to see famous Aysgarth Falls. Some gentle walking along the banks of the River Ure and the old Wensleydale railway line takes you to the village of Askrigg, known for being used as the location for ‘Darrowby’ in the BBC’s adaption of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’, before arriving at your small luxury hotel on the edge of Bainbridge.
Day 4 - A circular walk from Bainbridge takes you up the ‘dead end’ valley of Raydale, a tributary of Wensleydale. You head first along the shortest named river in England, the River Bain, to reach the stunning location of Semerwater, one of only two natural lakes in the Dales. The route takes you through remote hillside hamlets and past the ruins of an old church before you join a Roman Road for the return leg to Bainbridge, with great views back to Wensleydale all the time.
Day 5 - Your second ‘hotel-to-hotel’ route take you away from the river to visit the pretty wooded waterfalls outside Askrigg then along the valley sides to enjoy more wide open views. More pretty hamlets and classic Dales scenery lead you to your third fantastic hotel of the trip, where you will settle into an impressive country house with stunning views across the valley and lots of traditional character, but with a warm welcome and modern comforts.
Day 6 - You can choose between a gentle and a challenging route for your final walking day, depending on how your legs are feeling! Take on the third highest summit in Yorkshire by heading up Great Shunner Fell, for wonderful 360 degree views back over Wensleydale, into Swaledale, over the Yorkshire Three Peaks and, on a clear day, across the fells of the Lake District. Alternatively, have a more relaxing day strolling to the nearby market town of Hawes and on to hidden Aisgill Force before returning for a final relaxing evening at your hotel.
Day 7 - Enjoy a last hotel breakfast before taking a taxi back to your starting point to collect your car and head home (or travelling back to the train station to catch your train).
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Three to six nights’ accommodation on a B&B basis;
Luggage transfer;
Detailed walking notes;
A route-marked OS map; and
The ‘Muddy Boots Survival Pack’ including our guide to places to visit and eat and drink on your route.
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Room upgrades.
Packed lunches (or order these the night before at your accommodation).
Additional nights accommodation.
A personal guide for some or all of your trip.