Dales Way
The Dales Way is a 129 km riverside trail from Ilkley in West Yorkshire to Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District, following the Wharfe and Dee valleys through the Yorkshire Dales before crossing into Cumbria.
This route has no official waymarking. Serious navigation experience is required — do not rely on GPS alone. Carry OS 1:25,000 maps and study the line before you go.
About Dales Way
The Dales Way is one of the most underrated long-distance trails in the north of England. Unlike the Pennine Way's exposed moorland, it follows river valleys for much of its length — the Wharfe from Ilkley to Ribblehead, then the Dee to Sedbergh and the Rawthey to the edge of the Lake District. The walking and running is correspondingly gentler, with limestone meadows, riverside paths and traditional Dales barns replacing the peat hags and windswept ridges of higher routes.
For trail runners it is an accessible multi-day route, typically covered in two to three days. The terrain is good underfoot — mostly grassy paths and tracks — and the route passes through several attractive Dales villages with pubs and accommodation. It is a good route for first-time multi-day runners.
The path passes through Grassington, Kettlewell, Buckden and Ribblehead before crossing into Cumbria via Dentdale and the Howgill Fells approach to the Lake District.
The route
Ilkley to Grassington (~30 km): Up the Wharfe valley through Bolton Abbey and Burnsall. Good paths, beautiful limestone scenery.
Grassington to Ribblehead (~35 km): Through Kettlewell and Buckden, over the watershed to Langstrothdale and across to Ribblehead Viaduct — a dramatic crossing.
Ribblehead to Sedbergh (~30 km): Dentdale — one of the loveliest Yorkshire Dales valleys. Dent village has a pub.
Sedbergh to Bowness (~34 km): Over the edge of the Howgill Fells, across the A684 and through Burneside to Windermere and the finish at Bowness.
Getting there & logistics
Start: Ilkley, West Yorkshire. Train station on the Wharfedale line from Leeds (45 min, regular service).
Finish: Bowness-on-Windermere pier. Bus to Windermere (3 km) which has a train station on the Oxenholme branch. Return to Leeds or Manchester by rail.
Accommodation: Grassington, Kettlewell, Dent, Sedbergh. Book ahead at weekends and in summer. The route is popular with walkers but less pressured than the Pennine Way or Lake District paths.
Best time: April to October. The riverside paths can flood in winter.
Safety
The Dales Way is a gentle route by long-distance standards — no sustained high ground and good paths throughout. The main hazard is river flooding on the lower Wharfe sections after heavy rain.
In an emergency: call 999 or 112. Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue covers the Dales section. Standard ambulance and emergency services cover the Cumbria approaches. Mobile signal is generally reasonable along the route.
Have you completed Dales Way?
Log your round — time, date, attempt type, photos. Connect Strava to pull in your activity automatically.
Completions
No completions logged yet — be the first.