Bolton Abbey · Strid Wood · Barden Bridge
Ilkley to Appletreewick
Leave Ilkley's Old Bridge along the Wharfe, past the 12th-century Priory ruins at Bolton Abbey, through Strid Wood and on to the traditional stone village of Appletreewick.
Self-guided · Yorkshire Dales
Up Wharfedale
to the great
viaduct
65 kilometres from Ilkley to Ribblehead along the southern Dales Way — riverside meadows, stone villages, and a final climb across the watershed to the 24-arch viaduct on the Settle–Carlisle line.
- Distance
- 65 km
- Ascent
- 856 m
- Stages
- 2 – 3 days
- Grade
- Easy–Moderate
Trail Essentials
Start
Ilkley
West Yorkshire
End
Ribblehead
North Yorkshire
Distance
65 km
40 miles
Total Ascent
856 m
2,808 ft
Difficulty
Easy–Moderate
Hilliness
Rolling
Time to Complete
Explorer
3 days
~22 km/day
Hiker
3 days
~22 km/day
Fastpacker
2 days
~33 km/day
Trail Runner
2 days
~33 km/day
When to Walk
Best Good Avoid
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
This is river walking at its gentlest — the highlight 65 kilometres of the Dales Way, Ilkley to Ribblehead, up the Wharfe through the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Rolling riverside paths, honey-stone villages, the ruins of Bolton Abbey, and a final push across the watershed to the great Ribblehead Viaduct.
It's the gentlest of our English long walks — 856 m of ascent spread across three days, on well-drained paths that follow the river valley for most of the way. Trains at both ends and one of the most photogenic finishes in northern England. A very good first long-distance walk, or a satisfying long weekend for experienced walkers who want the highlights without the four further days to Bowness-on-Windermere.
How the trail unfolds.
The southern Dales Way divides naturally into three stages — the lower Wharfe past Bolton Abbey, the middle valley through Grassington and Kettlewell, and the wilder run across the watershed to Ribblehead.
Grassington · Kettlewell · Buckden
Appletreewick to Buckden
Follow the Wharfe past Loup Scar and Linton Falls to cobbled Grassington, then climb onto the Dales Way Link with expansive views of Wharfedale before descending to Kettlewell and pushing on to Buckden.
Hubberholme · Langstrothdale · Cam Houses · Ribblehead Viaduct
Buckden to Ribblehead
The young Wharfe through Hubberholme and Langstrothdale, then a climb over the watershed to Cam Houses and the trail's high point at 520 m — descending to Blea Moor Road and the great 24-arch Ribblehead Viaduct.
Build your trip
Customise your Dales Way South.
Pick your pace, party size and dates. The itinerary, distances, nightly stops and the price all update live — no commitment until you're happy.
- Days sized to your walking speed
- Each night ends at a stop with accommodation
- Pricing reflects party size and seasonality
- Save and share the itinerary with your group
Hiker · 4.0 km/h
2 walkers
Days
2
Distance
65 km
Walking
19 hrs
Your day-by-day itinerary updates live in the Your itinerary section below.
Trip total
£378
£189 per person · 1 nights · party of 2
Build your itinerary above.
This is the itinerary you're building. Change the pace, party size or start date in the planner above and every stage, distance and date updates here.
Where you'll stay
Where you'll rest up the valley.
Stone-village B&Bs and Dales pubs with rooms — the Craven Arms at Appletreewick, the Buck Inn at Buckden, the George at Hubberholme. Three nights, all within sound of the Wharfe.
- Yorkshire pub meals in Grassington, Kettlewell and Buckden
- Hearty breakfasts before the watershed climb
- Family-run B&Bs and inns, not chains
- The Cam Houses bunkhouse if you fancy the wilder option on the final night
Every trip is planned around your dates and party, so we can't promise you a specific inn — but we can promise the kind of welcome that makes a walking holiday feel like a proper holiday.
What's included?
Self-guided, but properly supported. You turn up, you walk, you eat well, you sleep well. We handle the logistics.
Custom weekend itinerary planned around your pace
Comfortable accommodation booked for you
Daily luggage transfer between stages
GPX + day-by-day route notes
Big Trail Adventures app for door-to-door navigation
On-trail route support for the whole trip
Not included
- Travel to Ilkley and from Ribblehead
- Lunches and evening meals (we'll recommend the best places)
- Travel insurance
Travelling solo? You're still connected.
Walking the Dales Way South alone doesn't mean being out of touch. We lend you a small GPS tracker for the trail, and a private map link lets the people who care about you follow along from home.
A lightweight GPS tracker
Carry it in your pack and it updates your position as you walk — no phone signal required.
A private live map
See your own progress on a secure map, with your overnight stops visible at a glance.
Share with people you trust
Send the private link to family or friends so they know you've arrived safely each day.
Book your Dales Way South adventure.
Your Dales Way South adventure
Configure your trip in the builder above and it will appear here.
Per Person
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Trip Total
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Deposit Today
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- Free cancellation to 60 days
- Confirmation within 24 hrs
- ABTOT financially protected
Not quite ready?
We'll start planning your trip right away. Not happy with anything? We'll adjust it or refund you — no questions asked.
The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Big Trail Adventures (member 5690). Protection is provided for non-flight packages. Full details in our booking conditions.
Things walkers ask us.
How fit do I need to be?
The Dales Way South is one of the gentlest multi-day walks we plan. On the 3-day Explorer pace you'll walk 18, 25 and 22 km — mostly riverside paths with rolling elevation. The only sustained climb is the final day up to the 520 m watershed above Cam Houses. Suitable for anyone with a reasonable base fitness who walks regularly, and one of our top picks for a first long-distance walk.
When should I walk it?
May to September is prime — long days, wildflowers along the Wharfe and mostly dry underfoot. Spring brings the meadows into flower; autumn gives clearer views across the Dales. Winter walking is possible but the daylight is short and the watershed section takes the weather. Book well ahead for July and August, especially around Grassington and Kettlewell.
How do I get to Ilkley and home from Ribblehead?
Ilkley has direct trains from Leeds and Bradford Forster Square (roughly 30 minutes from Leeds). Ribblehead is on the celebrated Settle–Carlisle line, with trains south to Leeds or north to Carlisle. A satisfying end to the walk: pint at the Station Inn, then a scenic train ride home.
Do you include luggage transfer?
Yes, every day. Your main bag moves between accommodation each morning with a 20 kg allowance; you walk with a daypack containing water, lunch, waterproofs and layers. Carriers cover the whole southern Dales Way route.
What kind of accommodation do you book?
A mix of Dales village B&Bs, walker-friendly inns (the Craven Arms at Appletreewick, the Buck Inn at Buckden, the George at Hubberholme) and, on request, the bunkhouse at Cam Houses for the wilder final stretch. En-suite where the village allows, with breakfast and drying space.
What's the realistic total cost?
The 3-day Explorer package starts at £180 per person — accommodation with breakfast, daily luggage transfer, planning, route notes and our support line while you walk. On top, budget £10–15 a day for a picnic lunch and £20–30 for a pub dinner. Most walkers spend an additional £150–250 across the weekend on food and drinks.
Want the Dales without a full week?
The Dales Way South is what I recommend to people who want a first long-distance walk, or to walkers based in the north of England who want a proper weekend without a big travel day at either end. Three days up Wharfedale, finishing under the Ribblehead Viaduct with the Settle–Carlisle train home. Hard to beat.
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