Three Dales Way

Three Dales Way

A short, circular walking holiday through the beautiful Yorkshire Dales National Park.

4 nights
32 miles
Moderate

From £540 per person

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About this route

4 nights
32 miles
Moderate
2nd January to 24th December
Includes Dog-Friendly Tours

From £540 per person

Three Dales Way

The Three Dales Way weaves in sections of the Dales Way and the Pennine Way to explore some of the finest limestone scenery in Yorkshire. The trail follows the beautiful valleys of Wharfedale, Littondale and Malhamdale, sinking deep into farmland split by drystone walls and overlooked by limestone shelves.

It’s the perfect way to get a real taste of Yorkshire when time is at a premium, and even includes the unmistakeable cliffs of towering Gordale Scar.

Standard
Interactive
© Contours Walking Holidays Three Dales Way map
Circular trail beginning at Burnsall
32 miles (51 km)
2nd January to 24th December

Holiday highlights

Visiting some of the many charming villages of the Dales, including Burnsall, Grassington and Malham.

Marvelling at the natural wonders of Malham Tarn, England’s highest lake; Malham Cove; and Gordale Scar, a gigantic collapsed cave system.

Wandering through Littondale to the rushing waters of the River Skirfare.

Available tours

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
3DW A circular trail beginning at Burnsall(L) 4 nights, 3 days walking Moderate £540

Three Dales Way 4 nights, 3 days walking

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

Travel to Burnsall(L) where your first night's accommodation will be booked

Day 1

Burnsall(L) to Kettlewell. 10.5 miles (17km)

Day 2

Kettlewell to Malham. 11.5 miles (18.5km)

Day 3

Malham to Burnsall(L). 12.5 miles (20km)

Finish

Depart from Burnsall(L) 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.

Overnight stops marked with an (L) have very limited accommodation, and therefore more often than not will also require a transfer, particularly on bank holidays and weekends. We will use non-transfer accommodation wherever possible.

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 travel more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation in most cases; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard if practical. A very limited number of stops will require you to travel on foot up to two miles off the trail, however these instances will be clearly communicated to you if applicable.

Further transfers may also be required due to some accommodations having a two-night minimum booking policy, especially at weekends.

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 on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Traveller or Single Supplements apply respectively:

A note about transfers
Solo Traveller Supplement
£60.00 per person / per night
Single Supplement
£50.00 per person / per night


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

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Burnsall(L))
£70.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Malham)
£75.00 per person / per night
Standard
Interactive
© Contours Walking Holidays Three Dales Way map
Circular trail beginning at Burnsall
32 miles (51 km)
2nd January to 24th December

Holiday highlights

Visiting some of the many charming villages of the Dales, including Burnsall, Grassington and Malham.

Marvelling at the natural wonders of Malham Tarn, England’s highest lake; Malham Cove; and Gordale Scar, a gigantic collapsed cave system.

Wandering through Littondale to the rushing waters of the River Skirfare.

What's included?

  • 4 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

Whether you would like to spend a day exploring, writing postcards or resting your weary feet, an extra night is a wonderful way to extend your holiday.

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.

Kettlewell is also a good choice for a rest day. It is an attractive village with miners' cottages lining the banks of the stream trickling through the village. There is a church, shops and no less than three inns, reflecting its former importance as a river crossing on the old Wharfedale coach road.

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

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Burnsall(L))
£70.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Malham)
£75.00 per person / per night

Tour Facts

Total distance: 32 miles (51 km)
Duration: 4 nights, 3 days walking
Minimum daily distance: 10.5 miles (17 km)
Maximum daily distance: 12.5 miles (20 km)
Code: 3DW Grade: Moderate
Season: 2nd January - 24th December
Start of holiday: Burnsall(L)
End of holiday: Burnsall(L)

Route Profile

Three 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, Manchester and Liverpool John Lennon.

By Rail - The nearest rail stations to Burnsall are either Skipton (about 10 miles away) or Ilkley (about 12 miles away).

By Bus - There is no direct bus service between Skipton & Burnsall, so a taxi would be the best option. There is an extremely infrequent bus service on certain days between Ilkley & Burnsall, so a taxi is the best option in most instances.

From London - Trains run from London Kings Cross station to Skipton & Ilkley. A taxi/bus will be required to Burnsall.

Return To The Start - The Three Dales Way is a circular tour beginning and ending in Burnsall.

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.
"Penistone Old Pastures" by Tony Payne (2023) "Penistone Old Pastures" by Tony Payne (2023)
"River Wharfe at Wilfrid Scar" by Tony Payne (2023) "River Wharfe at Wilfrid Scar" by Tony Payne (2023)
"Just before Malham Cove" by Carolyn Hutton (2022) "Just before Malham Cove" by Carolyn Hutton (2022)
"Kettlewell" by Pauline Ellington (2019) "Kettlewell" by Pauline Ellington (2019)
"Malham" by Pauline Ellington (2019) "Malham" by Pauline Ellington (2019)

Customer reviews from the Three Dales Way

“We had a fantastic holiday, it was very well organised, and the places we stayed in were lovely.”
Mrs Bainbridge, UK
“Yorkshire Dales looking at their best, full of wildflowers and birdsong. The good weather helped as well. A really good route, one which is ideal for anyone considering walking longer distance trails, a bit of everything without being too strenuous. Ideal for all categories of walkers. Completely dog friendly which most breed of dog should manage. I have already completed about a dozen over the last few years and hope to complete a couple more next year.”
Mr Twigg, UK
“Well organised and instructions clear.”
Mrs Steiger, UK
“Very efficient overall.”
Mr McAndrew, UK
“The itinerary was perfect, we were very lucky with the weather. We loved The Red Lion at Burnsall in particular.”
Mrs Brighton, UK
“All days were different and all very enjoyable.”
Ms Nurse, UK
“All 11 of us had a very enjoyable holiday and am sure we will be looking to repeat the experience again.”
Mrs Evans, UK
“Excellent trip despite some average weather at times; great route accommodation and organisation.”
Mr Payne, UK
“Particularly enjoyed being able to eat our evening meal in our accommodation since we were in pubs each evening.”
Mrs Gray, UK
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