6 Days & 5 Nights

4.7

Yorkshire's Herriot Way

Walk through James Herriot's Yorkshire, of "All Creatures Great and Small" fame
The lush green rolling valleys of Wensleydale and Swaledale
Hawes, a pretty market town and home of Wensleydale Cheese
Take in views across Yorkshire from the summit of Great Shunner Fell
Enjoy a pint of real ale and a Yorkshire roast dinner in a cosy Dales pub

A circular walk through James Herriot's Yorkshire, a land of rolling dales and heather-clad moorland, immortalised in the well-known books and TV series "All Creatures Great and Small". Leading you through classic Dales landscapes, the route heads from one pretty Yorkshire village to the next, starting and finishing in the attractive town of Aysgarth, with its famous triple waterfalls. Discover Hawes, the home of Wensleydale Cheese, and climb to the top of Great Shunner Fell for amazing views over the Yorkshire countryside. This delightful walk captures the essence of "Gods Own Country" wonderfully.

From $1,130.00

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Itinerary

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Day 1 Arrive in Aysgarth

Take a train to the little Yorkshire town of Garsdale (4.5 from London, 3.5h from Manchester) and on arrival you will be collected by a private taxi transfer and whisked to Aysgarth (15min) for your first night.

Enjoy a wander around this pretty Wensleydale village, home to the Aysgarth Falls. This famous sight is a series of three eye-catching waterfalls on the River Ure. In the evening enjoy a hearty meal at one of the local pubs.

Overnight Aysgarth

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Colman's of Aysgarth | Bed and breakfast

A family run B&B offering lovely guest rooms with large comfy beds, fluffy towels and luxury surprise treats! Enjoy a satisfying home-cooked breakfast made from locally sourced produce and amazing views of the surrounding countryside.

Aysgarth Falls Hotel | 4 Star | Hotel

A cosy country hotel with where the team will give you a warm welcome. They have a traditional pub bar and a restaurant serving quality, locally sourced and reasonably priced food.

Stow House | Bed and breakfast

Stow House is a boutique bed and breakfast set in the heart of Aysgarth. The bedrooms are dreamily comfortable and the bathrooms wonderfully indulgent. In the morning enjoy delicious local sausages, bacon and eggs, salmon which has been cured in Bedale (a mere 20 minutes away) and orange juice that's freshly-squeezed in our kitchen every morning.

Day 2 Aysgarth to Hawes 12 miles / 19 km

Your first day's walk on the Herriot Way leads you out of Aysgarth to follow the River Ure through green meadows and along an old railway track to the little village of Askrigg. This picturesque village was where "All Creatures Great and Small" was filmed and you can see the front of Skeldale House which featured as the vets surgery. Climb gently through lush fields high above the river to another famous waterfall at Hardraw, and then finally on to Hawes. This charming Yorkshire town is the highest market town in England and a lovely place to stop for the evening. If you have time, it is also well worth visiting Wensleydale Creamery, home to the extremely tasty Wensleydale Cheese.

Ascent/Descent: 121m/108m

Overnight Hawes

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Herriott’s | Bed and breakfast

The 300-year old ‘quirky’ Herriot building on the main cobbled street that runs through Hawes comprises of Herriot’s Guest House, Herriot’s Kitchen and The Herriot Gallery, an ideal location to browse local artwork, enjoy fresh home-made produce, and relax and become guests of Glenn & Liz. They offer six en-suite bedrooms, all of which benefit from the expected home comforts. All of their rooms have been refurbished over the last few winters and have new bathrooms throughout.

The White Hart Inn | Country Inn

The White Hart Inn, Hawes is a 16th-century former coaching inn, situated in the ancient market town of Hawes in Upper Wensleydale. Expect delicious food, local real ales on tap (they also have still keep a classic cellar), and comfortable guest rooms.

Wensleydale House | Bed and breakfast

Wensleydale House offers guests comfortably furnished spacious ensuite bedrooms, guest lounge and a separate breakfast room overlooking farmer's field and 'our' beck (small stream). The house is centrally heated and on cooler nights guests can enjoy an open fire in the lounge room. For breakfast they offer a choice of full English, continental or vegetarian. All ingredients are sourced from local suppliers featuring local produce wherever possible.

Check in is 3pm – 6pm

Day 3 Hawes to Keld 12.5 miles / 20 km

After enjoying a hearty breakfast, get ready for the most challenging day of the Herriot Way, as you enjoy an energising but straightforward climb to the summit of Great Shunner Fell, the third highest mountain in Yorkshire. A long, steady ascent brings you to the summit shelter, where it is possible to enjoy panoramic views across Yorkshire. Drop down into the tranquil valley of Swaledale filled with pretty wildflowers, and the village of Thwaite, where a lovely tearoom is a great place to stop for refreshments. Continue through Swaledale to Keld, a typical little Dales village.

Ascent/Descent: 728m/654m

Overnight Keld

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Butt House | Bed and breakfast

Butt House pride themselves on warmly welcoming walkers after a long day's trekking. They provide drying and laundry facilities, packed lunches, home cooked food, along with a fully licensed bar. All rooms have TVs, hairdryers, tea & coffee making facilities and fabulous views of the area. On the ground floor there is a drying area for boots and coats, a lounge with open fire, dining room, and bar/reception area, where, in the height of the season, you can enjoy a pint of Black Sheep Ale, available on tap.

Keld Lodge | Lodge

A warm welcome awaits you at Keld Lodge. This former shooting lodge is now a comfortable hotel and restaurant. You can enjoy the amazing views from the conservatory dining room, lounge, and many of the bedrooms. They place an emphasis on doing the simple things well.

Frith Lodge | Bed and breakfast

Frith Lodge is a 300-year-old Swaledale farmhouse which has been lovingly restored and refurbished. They have 3 doubles and 2 twin bedrooms which are all en-suite, have tea and coffee making facilities include fresh milk and homemade biscuits and each bedroom has FreeSat TV, hairdryer, welcome guide and breathtaking views from every window. Their guest lounge has stunning views and is the perfect place to rest and relax after a day walking.

Day 4 Keld to Reeth 11 miles / 18 km

You have a choice of two routes today. The first is a higher level option using an old mining track, taking you onto Melbecks Moor, a lovely heather-clad landscape before dropping down past old ruined mining buildings to follow riverside paths into Reeth. The other option is a slightly longer but easier route which mostly follows the River Swale all the way to Reeth, passing Gunnerside with its lovely tearooms and pubs. This village was once the "capital" of Swaledale's rich mining heritage.

High Level Route: 11m/18km, Ascent 529m, Descent 649m

Low Level Route: 12m/19km, Ascent 294m, Descent 403m

Overnight Reeth

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Ivy Cottage | Bed and breakfast

Ivy Cottage is a stylish B&B situated in a lovely position overlooking the renowned Green in the centre of Reeth. All of their rooms have comfortable beds, tea and coffee making facilities, hairdryers, colour TV, complimentary WiFi and central heating.

Cambridge House | Guest House

The owners extend a warm welcome, and are wholly dedicated to providing a high level of service with a distinctly personal edge. Their 5 bedrooms are all extensively equipped and benefit from breath-taking, south-facing views of the expansive Swaledale countryside.

Buck Hotel | Hotel

The Buck at Reeth was originally a Coaching Inn dating back to around 1760. There are many original features; the main bar features aged beamed ceilings adorned with an interesting array of horse brass and interesting door knockers.

Day 5 Reeth to Aysgarth 14 miles / 23 km

Head back into Wensleydale on your final day, walking through vibrant hay meadows before climbing gently to the lovely open heather moorlands of Apedale. Drop down through lush fields and pass the ruins of the medieval Bolton Castle before arriving back at the wonderful Aysgarth Falls. Stop here for one last look before following quiet country lanes back into Aysgarth, where you can enjoy one final night in this Yorkshire idyll.

Ascent/Descent: 723m/710m

Overnight Aysgarth

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Colman's of Aysgarth | Bed and breakfast

Aysgarth Falls Hotel | 4 Star | Hotel

A cosy country hotel with where the team will give you a warm welcome. They have a traditional pub bar and a restaurant serving quality, locally sourced and reasonably priced food.

Stow House | Bed and breakfast

Day 6 Onward Travel

THIS TRIP'S CARBON SCORE

This trip has a carbon score of 7kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 7kg is equivalent to 1 single running shoe (not even a pair!). Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information about how we've carbon counted our trips.

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Other Information

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Is it for me?

This is the perfect trip for you if you are looking to experience classic Yorkshire and a great introduction to a multi-day walking tour. The daily walks are between 12 and 14 miles, with up to 850m of ascent on the toughest day (the others involve around 200 and 600m ascent) on varied terrain. You will overnight in small B&B's, guesthouses or small hotels in traditional Dales villages.

Tour Type:

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way in Scotland, the world renown Tour Du Mont Blanc and Germany's Moselle Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Long-Distance Trails

Off the Beaten Track

Activity Level & Terrain

This tour is graded as moderate overall. Daily walks are between 11 and 14 miles and involve ascents of between 120m and 728m (on Day 3 when you walk up Great Shunner Fell). You will cross a variety of terrain including well-defined paths and tracks through meadows, open fells and heather moorlands. There are some sections which can become wet and boggy during bad weather.

Accommodation & Meals Navigation What's Included

Included

5 Nights in B&B's, guesthouses or small hotels
5 Breakfasts
Daily baggage transfers
Transfer from Garsdale Train Station to Aysgarth
Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
All your trip documents provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
24/7 Emergency telephone support from our UK office

Excluded

Travel to/from Garsdale
Dinners and lunches
Drinks and snacks
Personal equipment
Travel insurance

Extras

Additional nights before or after the holiday

When to go Travel & Transfers Info & FAQ

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes.

Equipment

Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.

Where would you recommend extra nights? How do the baggage transfers work? What is the best time of year? What happens if I can't walk a stage? Can I start elsewhere on the loop? Why can this tour only be booked starting a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Sunday?

Why Macs

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