Yorkshire
3
Day Itinerary •
UK
Three days in Yorkshire reveal the finest combination of limestone Dales, heather moorland and North Sea coast in Britain. The extraordinary limestone amphitheatre of Malham Cove, the steam railway over Ribblehead Viaduct, Whitby Abbey on its cliff above the Dracula harbour, Robin Hood's Bay and the most beautiful of all the Dales at Swaledale with its ancient field barns and lead mining ruins are all within reach of a north-south Yorkshire circuit. This route explores three of Yorkshire's most extraordinary landscapes: the limestone karst of the Dales, the purple heather moorland and dramatic coast of the North York Moors and the unspoiled river valley of Swaledale. Three days that reveal why Yorkshire is the largest and finest county in England.
Best Time To Visit
April to October
Getting There
Train to Skipton from Leeds, or Leeds Bradford Airport
Getting Around
Car essential throughout
Budget Per Day
Approx 90 to 220 GBP per person per day
Difficulity
Moderate, moorland and dale walking
DAY 1
THE YORKSHIRE DALES
MORNING
MALHAM COVE, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY NATURAL AMPHITHEATRE IN ENGLAND
Malham Cove is the most extraordinary natural rock feature in the Yorkshire Dales, a 260-foot curved limestone cliff created by a waterfall that dried up at the end of the last ice age. The limestone pavement on top of the cove, one of the finest in Britain, was used as the location for the chess match in Harry Potter. The walk from Malham village takes 20 minutes. The view from the pavement over the Aire valley is extraordinary. Entry free. Drive/Travel: 20 min walk
MIDDAY
GORDALE SCAR, THE MOST DRAMATIC GORGE IN THE YORKSHIRE DALES
Gordale Scar adjacent to Malham is the most dramatic limestone gorge in England, its extraordinary overhanging walls 300 feet high and the twin waterfalls cascading through the gorge giving it an atmosphere of complete grandeur. Turner painted it. Wordsworth called it one of the wonders of Britain. The scramble up the waterfall is straightforward for fit walkers. Entry free. Car park at Janet's Foss approx 3 pounds. Drive/Travel: 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
THE SETTLE TO CARLISLE RAILWAY, THE MOST SCENIC RAILWAY IN ENGLAND
The Settle to Carlisle railway is the most extraordinary mainline railway in England, its 72-mile route over the Pennines crossing the extraordinary Ribblehead Viaduct on 24 arches 104 feet above the valley floor and passing through some of the finest upland scenery in the Dales. The return journey from Settle to Ribblehead and back gives the finest 30 minutes of railway travel in England. Entry approx 15 pounds return.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
Tarn Moss at Malham Tarn, the highest lake in the Pennines at 1,229 feet, is a National Nature Reserve of extraordinary blanket bog, limestone heath and open water with a remarkable assemblage of upland plants including lesser bladderwort, bogbean and the rare water sedge. The surrounding limestone pavement and the extraordinary monastic fields system visible in the grassland around the tarn make it the finest hidden landscape near Malham. Entirely free via public footpath.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: The Buck Inn, Malham Outstanding Dales breakfast in the finest pub in Malham. Local bacon and eggs. | Lunch: The Lister Arms, Malham Outstanding pub lunch in the heart of the Dales. Local lamb and Yorkshire pudding. | Dinner: The Royal Oak, Settle Outstanding Yorkshire food at the finest inn in Settle. Local game and Dales beef.
DAY 2
THE NORTH YORK MOORS
MORNING
GOATHLAND AND THE NORTH YORKSHIRE MOORS RAILWAY
Goathland is the finest village on the North York Moors, its extraordinary open common grazed by sheep in the village itself, its waterfall of Mallyan Spout and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway steam station used as Hogsmeade in Harry Potter making it the most visited village on the moors. The steam railway from Pickering to Whitby via Goathland is the finest heritage railway journey in England. Train approx 25 pounds return. Drive/Travel: 30 min drive
MIDDAY
WHITBY AND THE ABBEY ON THE CLIFF, DRACULA'S INSPIRATION
Whitby is the finest historic town on the North Sea coast of England, its extraordinary ruined Abbey on the cliff above the town, the 199 steps from the harbour to the church and Abbey, the extraordinary Dracula connections where Bram Stoker wrote much of his novel and the finest fish and chips in Yorkshire making it the most extraordinary small town on the east coast. Entry to Abbey approx 9 pounds. Drive/Travel: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
ROBIN HOOD'S BAY, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY HIDDEN COVE VILLAGE IN ENGLAND
Robin Hood's Bay is the finest and most extraordinary hidden village in Yorkshire, its extraordinary cascade of red-roofed cottages tumbling down the cliff to a small cove beach accessible only through an extraordinary maze of ginnels and yards. The village was the finest smuggling port on the Yorkshire coast. The walk from Whitby along the Cleveland Way coast path to Robin Hood's Bay is 6 miles of extraordinary coastal walking. Entry free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Hole of Horcum near Goathland is one of the most extraordinary natural landforms in England, a vast natural amphitheatre 400 feet deep and half a mile across carved by spring sapping at the end of the last ice age. The extraordinary viewpoint from the A169 gives one of the finest unexpected panoramas in Yorkshire. The walk around the rim and down into the bowl takes 2 hours through extraordinary moorland. Entirely free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Shepherd's Purse, Whitby Outstanding breakfast at the finest wholefood cafe in Whitby. Local produce throughout. | Lunch: Magpie Cafe, Whitby The finest fish and chips in Yorkshire since 1939. Outstanding North Sea cod. Queue early. | Dinner: The Mallyan Spout Hotel, Goathland Outstanding Yorkshire dinner in the finest hotel on the moors. Local game and Dales lamb.
DAY 3
SWALEDALE AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DALE
MORNING
SWALEDALE, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF THE YORKSHIRE DALES
Swaledale is the most beautiful of all the Yorkshire Dales, its extraordinary dry stone wall field patterns climbing the hillsides, the ancient field barns at Muker and Keld, the extraordinary lead mining ruins above Gunnerside and the River Swale running through the finest valley bottom in the Dales making it the most extraordinary landscape in Yorkshire. The walk from Muker to Keld and back along both banks of the Swale is 6 miles of quite remarkable beauty. Entry free. Drive/Travel: 30 min drive
MIDDAY
RICHMOND CASTLE, THE FINEST NORMAN CASTLE IN THE NORTH
Richmond Castle is the most extraordinary Norman castle in northern England, its extraordinary 100-foot keep dating from 1071 giving the finest view over the River Swale gorge in the Dales. The medieval town of Richmond below the castle with its extraordinary cobbled market place, the Georgian Theatre Royal and the Frenchgate are all remarkable. Entry to castle approx 9 pounds. Drive/Travel: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
HARDRAW FORCE, THE FINEST SINGLE-DROP WATERFALL IN ENGLAND
Hardraw Force in Wensleydale is the highest single-drop waterfall above ground in England at 100 feet, its extraordinary plunge into a natural amphitheatre of limestone allowing visitors to walk behind the curtain of falling water completely dry. The force is accessible through the Green Dragon Inn, through whose garden the path runs. Entry approx 4 pounds through the inn. Turner painted Hardraw Force in 1816.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Buttertubs Pass between Swaledale and Wensleydale is the most extraordinary high road in the Yorkshire Dales, its extraordinary series of limestone potholes beside the road, called buttertubs because farmers used them to cool butter, the extraordinary bleakness of the moorland plateau and the extraordinary views from the summit into both valleys making it the finest high-level drive in Yorkshire. The Tour de France passed over the Buttertubs in 2014. Entirely free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: The Farmers Arms, Muker Outstanding Dales breakfast at the finest pub in Swaledale. Local bacon and eggs. | Lunch: The Black Bull, Moulton Outstanding Yorkshire lunch at the finest gastropub in the Richmond area. | Dinner: The Tennants, Leyburn Outstanding Yorkshire food at the finest restaurant in the lower Dales.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Skipton or Grassington, Night 1 The Devonshire or Grassington House. Approx 90 to 180 GBP per night. Whitby, Night 2 The White Horse and Griffin or La Rosa Hotel. Approx 80 to 160 GBP per night. Leyburn, Night 3 The Tennants Hotel. Approx 80 to 140 GBP per night.
Top Tips
1. Malham Cove limestone pavement: the finest view is looking back from the path below. Do not walk on the pavement.
2. Whitby fish and chips at Magpie Cafe: arrive before noon to avoid queues. The best in Yorkshire since
1939.
3. Swaledale barn walk from Muker: the finest 6-mile walk in the Dales. Take OS map
30. Boots essential.
4. Ribblehead Viaduct: the layby below gives the finest photograph of the viaduct with a steam train crossing.
5. Robin Hood's Bay: park at the top of the village and walk down. Cars cannot access the lower village.
6. Gordale Scar waterfall scramble: straightforward in dry conditions but requires hands and feet. Not suitable for children.
Total Budget
90 to 215 GBP/day