Visiting the Yorkshire Dales
The coronavirus pandemic has taken travel off the cards for many of us over the course of the last year and a half or so. If you had a getaway planned, chances are it’s been cancelled or postponed. It’s not all too surprising that many of us are now planning trips a little closer to home and within the country’s borders. If you’re planning a staycation of sorts, the Yorkshire Dales could provide you with the perfect location for your trip. Just think about it – stunning valleys, beautiful moorland and meadows, countless rivers and streams, miles of historic, drystone walls, traditional barns and notable limestone formations ranging from caves to caverns and waterfalls. These are just a few different things you can look forward to. Here are some things you can do to create the best trip in this area and truly make the most of your time there!
- Book Your Accommodation
Before heading away, it’s highly recommended that you book your accommodation in advance. The Yorkshire Dales are, understandably, a highly popular destination and, while there’s a lot of land to explore, accommodation can be relatively limited. This contributes to the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of the area. Look for quaint Holiday Cottages and book one that has sufficient room for you and any other guests you will be travelling with.
- Plan Some Short Walks
If you’re not used to hiking, but would still like to experience some of the natural splendour of Yorkshire, you can plan some short walks that will introduce you to beautiful sights with minimal physical effort. There are countless stunning short walk routes you can attempt to take in the stunning scenery.
You can find a range of short walks, starting from 0-2 miles, through to 3-5 miles and 6-10 miles (17 of which have ‘miles without stiles’ status) on the Yorkshire Dales National Park site.
- Plan Some Longer Walks
If you are a more experienced hiker, or more confident in your walking skills, you might want to plan some longer walks. Some challenging options include Pennine Way, Coast to Coast, Pennine Bridleway, Pennine Journey (a mammoth 100-270 miles), Lady Anne’s Way, Dales High Way, Dales Way (80-100 miles) and the Herriot Way, Ribble Way, Dales Inn Way (52-76 miles). If you want to go all out, you can also engage in the famous Three Peaks challenge. This will see you walk 24 miles, covering all three summits in the area – Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. The Three Peaks challenge takes roughly 12 hours, so is a full day activity.
- Take a Trip on the Heritage Railway
If you don’t fancy a hike, but still want to see the beautiful environment of the Yorkshire Dales, you can book a trip on an old, traditional, steam locomotive. There are several heritage railway lines for you to choose from in the area. These include the Wensleydale Railway, the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway and the Stainmore Railway.
Of course, there are countless other great things to do while in the Yorkshire Dales, but these are just a few suggestions to get the ball rolling!
