Discover the Dales Way, one of Britain's gentlest long-distance walks, a picturesque 128km (79-mile) trail from Ilkley through the Yorkshire Dales National Park to Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District. This beginner-friendly route follows riverside paths through Wharfedale, Dentdale and Lakeland fringes, passing Bolton Abbey, Grassington, Hawes, Sedbergh and classic Dales scenery over 6 stages (11-31km), perfect for a 6-8 day introduction to multi-day hiking.

This expertly written Cicerone guidebook provides everything you need to plan and complete the Dales Way with confidence. Authored by experienced long-distance walker Terry Marsh, it combines clear route descriptions, reliable mapping, practical planning tools, and background insights that bring the landscapes and communities of northern England to life.

• All 6 stages are supported by detailed route descriptions alongside elevation profiles, allowing you to anticipate ascents, descents, and terrain before setting out each day
• A separate OS 1:25,000 map booklet is included, showing the full route with a clear route line to provide reliable, easy-to-follow navigation throughout the Dales Way
• The guidebook includes a Watershed alternative, offering an optional higher-level route of rewarding views that utilises the Pennine Bridleway for walkers looking to add variety or challenge to their journey
• A comprehensive trek planner details accommodation, refreshment stops, and facilities at key centres along the route, including Ilkley, Grassington, Hawes, Dent, and Sedbergh, helping you plan each stage with confidence
• Additional historical and cultural background brings the route to life, with highlights such as the dramatic gorge of Strid Wood, the historic church at Hubberholme, and other landmarks along the way

Designed to support walkers from start to finish, this guidebook allows you to enjoy the gentle rhythm of the Dales Way, from riverside paths and limestone villages to the dramatic views of Lake Windermere on the approach to Bowness. Walk with confidence, knowing each stage has been carefully described, while taking time to appreciate the scenery, history, and character that make the Dales Way such a rewarding long-distance route.

Lancashire-born writer and photographer Dr Terry Marsh specialises in the outdoors and travel. He has been writing guidebooks since the mid-1980s, and is the author or revision author/editor of over 100 titles, including the award-winning Cicerone guides to the Coast to Coast Walk (first published in 1993), The Shropshire Way (1999) and Great Mountain Days in the Pennines (2013). Terry has a long-standing interest in Cumbria and the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. Academically, he is an historical geographer holding a Master of Arts degree with Distinction in Lake District Studies and a PhD in Historical Geography. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS) and a Life Member of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild (www.owpg.org.uk).

A fully waymarked trail from Ilkley to Bowness-on-Windermere, the Dales Way links two of England's most celebrated national parks, the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District. Well served for accommodation and facilities, and with easy walking on riverside paths, it is one of the gentlest multi-day walks in Britain and therefore an ideal introduction to long-distance walking. It can be comfortably completed in 6-8 days. The guide offers comprehensive notes on local points of interest, as well as an overview of Dales geology, history, plants and wildlife to enhance the walking experience. The practical information is all there too, including when to go, how to get there and what to take, making for an ideal companion to enjoying this delightful route. Presented in six daily stages of 7-19 miles (with suggestions for alternative schedules), this guide describes the Way in both directions, with the main route description running from south to north. Step-by-step route description is accompanied by 1:100,000 mapping, and a trek planner, showing where facilities are available, is included to facilitate planning. Accommodation listings and useful contacts can be found in the appendices. A separate, conveniently sized map booklet located in the back-cover sleeve provides all the OS 1:25,000 mapping needed to complete the trail.

Map key Overview map Route summary table The Dales Way Trek Planner Preface Introduction About the Dales Way Planning the walk Suggested itineraries When to go Getting there and back Public transport First and last nights Accommodation Facilities en route Pack-carrying services (baggage transfer) Cash management Equipment Dogs Planning day-by-day Using this guide Maps Weather Waymarking and paths Health, safety and emergencies Phones and Wi-Fi All about the region Geography Geology Plants and wildlife History and culture The Dales Way: Ilkley to Bowness Wharfedale Stage 1 Ilkley to Burnsall Stage 2 Burnsall to Buckden Langstrothdale and Dentdale Stage 3 Buckden to Cowgill (Lea Yeat) Stage 3A The Watershed Alternative Stage 4 Cowgill (Lea Yeat) to Millthrop (Sedbergh) Lonsdale and the Lakeland Fringe Stage 5 Millthrop (Sedbergh) to Staveley Into Lakeland Stage 6 Staveley to Bowness-on-Windermere Appendix A Useful contacts Appendix B Accommodation along the route Appendix C Further reading