Lady Anne's Way Highlights: The Yorkshire Dales

Skipton to Buckden

The route starts at Skipton with its well preserved Medieval castle, the birthplace of Lady Anne Clifford. This section is dominated by the majestic River Wharfe which you will follow from the imposing ruins of Lady Anne’s Barden Tower to the tiny village of Buckden nestling at the foot of Buckden Pike. At times the trail wanders along by the side of the river through broad-leafed woodland and beautiful meadows, passing picturesque villages and the typical Dales scenery of dry-stone walls and isolated barns. At other times the path takes you high up onto the fell-side, entering limestone country and passing the remains of Iron Age settlements with superb views across to Littondale and back down into Wharfedale. All along this section of the trail there are plenty of opportunities to buy refreshments in quaint teashops or cosy village inns.

Buckden to Hawes

Truly up hill and down dale, this is another very varied section as the trail leaves Wharfedale behind and crosses the moorland of Stake Allotments on part of an old roman road with stunning views across to Addlebrough. The path then drops down into Wensleydale where you will encounter Nappa Hall which once belonged to Lady Anne, before entering the charming market town of Askrigg, famous for its use in the television series “All Creatures Great and Small”. Now following the River Ure, you are once again walking through the quintessential Dales Country scenery of flower filled meadows divided up by limestone walls and barns. Hawes is one of the highest market towns in England and famous for its cheese and the Dales Countryside Museum.

Hawes to Kirkby Stephen

A dramatic section, this part of the path begins with a climb up onto Cotter End (500m). It then contours round on a ledge above the valley with excellent views across to the Dandrymire viaduct on the famously scenic Settle to Carlisle railway line. You are now on “Lady Anne Clifford’s Highway”. This route has been used since prehistoric times. It was later adopted by the Romans and then used by packhorses and drovers on their way to the markets in the Dales. The path follows the headwaters of the River Ure until at Hellgill you leave Yorkshire behind and enter Cumbria, or Westmorland as it once was. The trail then picks up the River Eden and descends into the dramatic Mallerstang Common with views across to the imposing Wild Boar Fell. Here you will find St Mary’s Church and the romantic ruins of Pendragon Castle both of which were once restored by Lady Anne. Then pleasant valley walking leads you to Kirkby Stephen which boasts an interesting church with cloisters to shelter market folk, and the famous Saxon Loki Stone.

Moderate

This route is within the grasp of any reasonably fit walker who can follow a map! Lady Anne’s Way spends much of its time in valley bottoms, alongside rivers and through woodlands, but it also involves some more remote sections over moorlands, rather than mountains.

Terrain: A mixture of wooded valleys, riverside paths, and remoter moorlands. A bit of everything the Dales (and Eden Valley) have to offer!

What’s it like underfoot? The paths and tracks are reasonably well defined and maintained. Sections can be muddy in wet weather.

How much up & down? The route climbs and descends on most days – with three days having up to 300m (1000 ft) of ascent. The maximum altitude is over 1800ft between Buckden and Askrigg.

Signposting: None. You will need to use your route description and map.

Navigation: The paths are well defined over most of the route, but you will need to be able use a map and compass in case the mist is down over the moors. On some valley sections the route follows quieter, less travelled footpaths, which can be less well defined at times.

Weather: You may be lucky enough to encounter warm, dry weather over the whole route and enjoy dry paths and tremendous views, but you must be prepared because the weather can change quickly. Good clothing and waterproofs are essential!

Good accommodation and friendly hosts are an essential part of any holiday. We understand this and go out of our way to find the best. We put a great deal of effort into hand picking our accommodation and matching it to individual customer requirements. As well as visiting the accommodation ourselves, we ask all our customers to complete a short evaluation on each night’s accommodation, which then gives us an insight into the day-to-day operation and lets us spot any potential issues before they become a problem.

We use a variety of accommodation. Over the course of your trip you might stay in a village inn, a bed and breakfast in a converted barn, a Victorian guest house, or on a working farm. In selecting the accommodation we look for helpful, friendly hosts with good quality, characterful accommodation close to the trail. Occasionally we may use a chain hotel.

We always try to arrange en suite accommodation, i.e. rooms with their own bathrooms for each night of your stay. However, in some of the more remote locations accommodation is limited and occasionally we may have to book rooms with shared bathrooms for one or two nights of your holiday, (especially if the booking is made at short notice), but we will always let you know if this is likely to be the case.

We are happy to book single rooms on our holidays but cannot normally book more than two for any one group. Single room bookings include a supplement.

Here are some examples of the accommodation we use on Lady Anne’s Way:

Romany Cottage, nestled beneath Buckden Pike with stunning views of Upper Wharfedale, is a perfect place for relaxation. Lady Anne’s Way and the Dales Way pass through the village, attracting walkers from all corners of the world. As a Dark Sky Reserve, it’s also a perfect spot for stargazing, with The Milky Way often visible on clear nights. Visit their website

Chrissie welcomes you to Lockholme Bed and Breakfast in Kirkby Stephen, a peaceful haven in the Eden Valley. Perfect for walkers, explorers, and those seeking relaxation, it offers everything you need after a long day on the trail. Enjoy hot showers, sumptuous beds, crisp white linen, thoughtful extras – and best of all, homemade cake! Visit their website

The Harker family welcome you to The Wilding Hotel in Brough, a 300-year-old coaching inn combining historic charm with modern comfort. Guests can enjoy locally sourced food and drink, roaring fires, and 15 beautifully appointed bedrooms, perfect for a relaxing stay in the heart of the Eden Valley. Visit their website

Bank House, a charming period property with extensive gardens, enjoys a peaceful location overlooking the town of Penrith. Perfectly situated for exploring Lady Anne’s Way and the Lake District, its elegantly decorated rooms, some featuring antiques, reflect the home’s Victorian heritage. Shops and restaurants are just a short walk away. Visit their website

General travel information on the Lady Anne’s Way will be in your holiday pack including train and bus timetables where available.

Detailed instructions on getting to your first night’s accommodation by car, or on foot from the nearest train or bus station, will also be included in the holiday pack on individual accommodation maps.

To view train times please visit the trainline website where you can also purchase tickets in advance. For information on bus timetables please visit traveline

If you require secure car parking whilst walking this route, please contact us for detailed information – we can usually arrange car parking in Skipton and you can return to your car by public transport or taxi transfer.

Getting There:
By Air: The nearest airports are Manchester International (MAN) and Leeds Bradford (LBA). From Manchester you can take a train to Leeds and connect to Skipton from there.
By Public Transport: Skipton has a train station, and is easily accessible from the north and south via Leeds. There are trains from London, which take around four hours.
By Road: Skipton is situated in the Yorkshire Dales on the A65. The nearest city is Leeds (17 miles). There are National Express coach routes to Skipton.

Returning from Kirkby Stephen:
The train station is 1.5 miles from the town centre – a list of taxi numbers are included in your holiday pack. Kirkby Stephen is on the northern rail line with connections to most UK cities.

There is a direct train back to Skipton (journey time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes)

Skipton

With its beautiful and well preserved medieval castles, cobbled streets and its location on the southern edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Skipton is a nice place to spend an extra day. It is a friendly small town with a market four days a week, you can explore the castle or take a boat trip on the canal.

Hawes

Hawes is a bustling market town, lying in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and surrounded by spectacular scenery. With many craft workshops, antique and speciality shops and restaurants on offer, it’s the perfect place to spend a well-earned rest day. This picturesque town is home to the famous Wensleydale Cheese and the renowned Dales country side museum.

Kirkby Stephen

Kirkby Stephen is a traditional market town of historic buildings, cobbled yards, quaint corners and interesting shops. It is situated in a landscape of pastoral rural scenery with wild uplands. Being remote from large towns and population centres, Kirkby Stephen has developed a strong and self-sufficient identity and a vibrant sense of community.