Dales Way

A self-guided walking holiday from Ilkley to Windermere through the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.

7 to 10 nights
78 miles
Easy / Moderate to Demanding

From £595 per person

Discover the available tours

About this route

This holiday option takes in all 77 miles of the iconic Dales Way walking trail, showcasing some of the finest scenery the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District have to offer.

Admire the impressive ruins of Bolton Priory, meander through the peaceful Wharfedale Valley and visit many welcoming settlements on this magical walking holiday through two beautiful National Parks.

Dog friendly tours available

Dog friendly itineraries are available for this route. Look for the pawprint icon when choosing your itinerary. Please note that dog friendly walks may require more transfers than standard tours.

Standard
Interactive
© Contours Walking Holidays Dales Way map
Ilkley to Windermere
78 miles (125 km)
24th March to 31st October

Holiday Highlights

Crossing two national parks of the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District and enjoying the contrasting scenery of both areas.

Admiring the iconic dry stone walls and enclosed rolling fields of the Yorkshire Dales.

Exploring the wealth of interesting history along the walk, including the romantic ruins of Bolton Priory.

Available tours

CodeTourDurationDifficultyPrice per person
DAW1 From Ilkley to Bowness-On-Windermere 7 nights, 6 days walking Demanding£595
DAW2 From Ilkley to Bowness-On-Windermere 8 nights, 7 days walking Moderate£680
DAW3 From Ilkley to Bowness-On-Windermere 9 nights, 8 days walking Moderate£765
DAW4 From Ilkley to Bowness-On-Windermere 10 nights, 9 days walking Easy / Moderate£850

Dales Way 7 nights, 6 days walking

£NNN per person
  • Itinerary
  • What's included?
  • Extra nights?
  • Tour facts
  • Route profile
  • Travel info
  • Weather
Start

Travel to Ilkley where your first night's accommodation has been booked

Day 1

Ilkley to Burnsall. 13 miles (20.5km)

Day 2

Burnsall to Buckden. 14 miles (22.5km)

Day 3

Buckden to Lea Yeat. 17 miles (27.5km)

Day 4

Lea Yeat to Sedbergh. 9 miles (14.5km)

Day 5

Sedbergh to Patton Bridge. 12 miles (19.5km)

Day 6

Patton Bridge to Bowness-On-Windermere. 13 miles (20.5km)

Finish

Depart from Bowness-On-Windermere after breakfast

Your Itinerary

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this tour. Sometimes there may be a shortage of available accommodation in a preferred location, in which case we will transfer you from the trail to your accommodation and back again at no extra charge. Overnight stops marked with a (T) will always require transfers as standard.

The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to walk more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard.

Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Dog friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge, which will be listed below if applicable. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are walking on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Walker or Single Supplements apply respectively:

A note about transfers
Solo Walker Supplement
£40.00 per person / per night
Single Supplement
£35.00 per person / per night

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£55.00 per person / per night

What's included?

  • 7 nights accommodation in en-suite rooms (where available) in selected B&B’s, hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail, or a short distance away via taxi provided at our expense.
  • Breakfast each day.
  • Door to door luggage transfer.
  • Maps with the route marked on and a guidebook or route notes describing the trail.
  • An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night and a kit list.
  • Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.

Extra Nights & Rest Days

Taking an extra night is the perfect way to extend your holiday and give yourself extra time to explore the Yorkshire Dales.

Burnsall has an idyllic setting with heather covered hills that look down upon the village green, complete with maypole and bordering the River Wharfe. A sturdy bridge with massive breakwaters, an inn, church, school and ancient mullion windowed cottages complete the picture.

St Wilfrid's church has many fascinating features; a tapsel gate - a lychgate with a revolving 'turnstile' entrance, a medieval Adoration of the Magi, a Norman inscribed font and Viking 'hog-backed' gravestones. The school next door was one of the country's earliest grammar schools.

Buckden is another good choice for a rest day. It is an attractive jumble of stone cottages, with a shop and a lovely old inn, perched on the hillside overlooking the River Wharfe.

Many people have an extra day in Sedbergh, a very pleasant market town, while Windermere is a good choice for an extra night if you would like to explore the southern Lake District at the end of your holiday.

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£55.00 per person / per night

Tour Facts

Total distance: 78 miles (125 km)
Duration: 7 nights, 6 days walking
Minimum daily distance: 9 miles (14.5 km)
Maximum daily distance: 17 miles (27.5 km)
Code: DAW1 Grade: Demanding
Season: 24th March - 31st October
Start of holiday: Ilkley
End of holiday: Bowness-On-Windermere

Route Profile

Dales Way Route Profile

Travel Information

Useful information and travel links that will assist you in your plans to travel to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent to you with your full tour pack. A summary is given below:

By Air - The most convenient major city and international airports are Leeds-Bradford, Liverpool John Lennon and Manchester.

By Rail - There is a rail station at the start of the trail (Ilkley) and also at the end of the trail (Windermere).

By Bus - Various bus services run to Ilkley and from Windermere.

From London - Trains run from London Kings Cross station to Ilkley.

Return To The Start - The easiest way to return to the start of the trail, is to take a train from Windermere to Ilkley.

Weather Information

To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:

  • MetCheck - This website allows you to look up detailed weather information for specific locations as far as six months in advance.
  • Met Office - This website shows regional area forecasts a few days in advance, with a general UK forecast description of up to 30 days in advance.
  • Mountain Forecast - This website shows what the forecast is like up on specific hills and fells, and offers forecasts a few days in advance.

Routes on this trail

Dales Way Short Break

3 nights
23 miles
Moderate
From £270 per person
A short walking break from Ilkley to Kettlewell along the Lake District section of the Dales Way.Find Out More

Dales Way Highlights

4 to 5 nights
41 miles
Moderate+
Dog friendly
From £360 per person
A short walking holiday from Burnsall to Sedbergh through the Yorkshire Dales National Park.Find Out More
Explore more holidays on the Dales Way trail

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Customer reviews from the Dales Way

“Excellent week. Great landscape to walk through, excellent weather as well as very good accommodation and everything running smoothly.”
Mr Chilvers, UK
“Fantastic holiday, overnight stays excellent.”
Mr McInnes, UK
“Surprisingly, my first ever visit to the Yorkshire Dales. A lovely, not-too-strenuous walk through rolling hills and along pretty river banks, often staying in characterful pubs with excellent food.”
Mr Julyan, UK
“The scenery was great. The organisation was excellent. We are very pleased to have completed the walk. But it was hard going on some days! Everything went very smoothly.”
Mrs Rosser, UK
“Beautiful countryside, great people and places to stay.”
Mr Lent, USA
“Very attractive walk. The variety of accommodation added to the enjoyment of the holiday. Apart from the weekend we met few other walkers. Small villages & towns along the way added variety.”
Mrs Badger, UK
“It was amazing -one of the best holidays we have taken! We enjoyed the walking, going through endless stiles, seeing hundreds of sheep and cows, walking along beautiful rivers, crossing over historic bridges, crossing under viaducts, and stopping in small towns to eat and sleep. The directions and our luggage delivery were perfect. We'll definitely use Contours again and recommend you to our American friends. Most of our friends had not heard of this type of experience and thought it sounded fun. Thanks for arranging an unforgettable vacation!”
Ms Lewellen, USA
“I would have no hesitation in recommending your company to my friends who would be interested in doing this walk. The landscape was delightful, so green. We thoroughly enjoyed the 7 days rambling through the Yorkshire countryside. I loved it all really. I loved that we were walking along a river a lot of the way. Always pleasant to be near water. I loved that I got to walk across stepping stones in the River Wharfe. Always wanted to do that.”
Mrs Thompson, Australia
“Yes, we had a great time! We loved the woods beyond Bolton Abbey and all of the riverside walking. I enjoyed the last few miles into Bowness very much.”
Mrs Lawrie, UK

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