OpenAir Tools — Outdoor Planning & Performance

How Our Planner Helps

Choose Your Pace

Four speed profiles from trail runner to explorer.

Set Your Dates

Pick a start date and daily walking hours.

Add Rest Days

After generating your itinerary you can add rest days along the way.

Interactive Map

View each day's segment with trail details.

GPX Downloads

Export a free GPX file for each day of your trek.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Guide to the Dales Way

Panoramic view of the Dales Way walking trail through the Yorkshire Dales river valley

How Long Does the Dales Way Take?

The Dales Way runs approximately 127 km (79 miles) from Ilkley in West Yorkshire to Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District, following river valleys through some of England's finest upland scenery. How long it takes depends entirely on how you choose to travel it, based on averaging 8 hours a day on the trail.

Most walkers complete the route in 5 to 6 days, averaging around 13 to 16 miles per day with comfortable overnight stops in the villages and towns along the way. This is the classic pace — unhurried enough to enjoy the riverside paths, the limestone scenery of the Yorkshire Dales, and a good pub meal at the end of each day.

For those who move light and fast, fastpacking the Dales Way in around 4 days is a popular challenge, covering 18 to 20 miles a day with a stripped-back pack. At the sharp end, experienced trail runners tackle the entire route in as few as 3 days.

Our planner lets you adjust daily hours and speed profile to find the perfect schedule for however you choose to travel.

Bolton Abbey ruins beside the River Wharfe on the Dales Way walking route

What to Expect on the Dales Way

The Dales Way is one of England's most rewarding self-guided walking routes, stretching from the market town of Ilkley in West Yorkshire to the shores of Lake Windermere in the Lake District. It trades dramatic mountain summits for something quietly compelling: a sustained journey through the heart of northern England's pastoral landscape.

The walk begins at Ilkley's Old Bridge and quickly picks up the River Wharfe. The path threads through lush meadows to Bolton Abbey, where the haunting ruins of a 12th-century priory make an early highlight. Villages like Burnsall, Grassington and Kettlewell punctuate the way with cobbled squares, stone pubs and riverside cafés.

Beyond Kettlewell the valley narrows and the mood shifts. Wildflower meadows give way to wilder ground as the route climbs toward Buckden and the ancient hamlet of Hubberholme, eventually crossing the watershed at the trail's highest point near Cam Houses, the loftiest farm in Yorkshire.

The descent into Dentdale brings an immediate change of character. Dent village, with its cobbled lanes and whitewashed cottages, is a genuine delight. The final stretch from Burneside and Staveley brings you into Bowness-on-Windermere, where the lake stretches out ahead and the sense of arrival is well and truly earned.

Yorkshire Dales wildflower meadows in spring with rolling hills and blue sky

The Best Time to Walk the Dales Way

May and June are outstanding months. The Yorkshire Dales are at their most lush and green, the riverside sections along the Wharfe and Dee are beautiful in the long evening light, and the wildflower meadows are in full colour. The route is quiet, the days are long, and the villages feel unhurried and welcoming.

July and August bring warmer, more settled conditions, and the Dales in high summer have a gentle, pastoral charm. Popular overnight stops like Grassington, Dent and Sedbergh fill up in peak season, so booking accommodation ahead is sensible.

September is arguably the finest month of all. The summer visitors ease away, the dale meadows take on golden tones, and the weather often stays settled well into the month. October can deliver superb walking, with autumn colour along the wooded riverside sections and crisp clear days.

November through to March is perfectly walkable on most sections, as the route follows valleys rather than exposed high ground, but riverside paths can flood and days are short. The combination of long days, dry ground and the Dales in full bloom makes late May and early June hard to beat.

Rural train station in the Yorkshire Dales with hills in the background

Getting There and Away

Ilkley station is the terminus of the Wharfedale Line, with regular services from both Bradford Forster Square and Leeds. From further afield, take a train to Leeds and change onto the Wharfedale Line. From London, LNER trains run from King's Cross to Leeds in around 2 hours 10 minutes. The X84 MetroBus also runs between Leeds city centre and Ilkley.

At the finish, Windermere station has direct trains as far south as Manchester Airport, with connections at Oxenholme on the West Coast Main Line for London, the Midlands and Scotland. From Bowness itself, the 599 bus runs up to Windermere station.

The 555 bus service connects Windermere with Kendal and Lancaster for onward connections across the country — slower than the train, but useful if you're heading north into the Lake District rather than home.

Our Other Trail Itinerary Planners

Free itinerary planners for trails across the UK and Europe — each with personalised daily stages and GPX downloads.

UK

Anglesey Coastal Path (Wales) — 200 km · 10–14 days
Coast to Coast (England) — 309 km · 12–16 days
Cotswold Way (England) — 164 km · 7–10 days
Cumbria Way (England) — 112 km · 5–7 days
Dales Way (England) — 127 km · 5–7 days
Fife Coastal Path (Scotland) — 137.5 km · 3–6 days
Great Glen Way (Scotland) — 117 km · 4–6 days
Hadrian's Wall Path (England) — 135 km · 6–8 days
Pembrokeshire Coast Path (Wales) — 300 km · 12–18 days
South Downs Way (England) — 161 km · 7–9 days
Ridgeway (England) — 139 km · 5–7 days
Rob Roy Way (Scotland) — 127 km · 5–7 days
South West Coast Path (England) — 1,014 km · 40–56 days
St Cuthbert's Way (Scotland/England) — 100 km · 4–5 days
West Highland Way (Scotland) — 154 km · 6–9 days

Europe

Alta Via 1 (Italy) — 120 km · 8–12 days
Camí de Cavalls (Spain) — 185 km · 8–12 days
GR221 (Spain) — 135 km · 6–9 days
Tour du Mont Blanc (France/Italy/Switzerland) — 170 km · 8–12 days

View all planners on our Itinerary Planners page.

Dales Way Planner

Create Your Dales Way Route Itinerary

Choose your Direction

Choose your Pace

Choose your Start Date

Choose your Daily Hours

Generate Your Instant Free Itinerary

Free Dales Way GPX Route Files

How Our Planner Helps

Choose Your Pace

Set Your Dates

Add Rest Days

Interactive Map

GPX Downloads

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Guide to the Dales Way

How Long Does the Dales Way Take?

What to Expect on the Dales Way

The Best Time to Walk the Dales Way

Getting There and Away

Sample Dales Way Route Itineraries

6-Day Explorer Itinerary

5-Day Hiker Itinerary

4-Day Fastpacker Itinerary

3-Day Trail Runner Itinerary

Our Other Trail Itinerary Planners

UK

Europe

Create Your Dales Way Route Itinerary

Choose your Direction

Choose your Pace

Choose your Start Date

Choose your Daily Hours

Generate Your Instant Free Itinerary

Free Dales Way GPX Route Files

How Our Planner Helps

Choose Your Pace

Set Your Dates

Add Rest Days

Interactive Map

GPX Downloads

Frequently Asked Questions

How does your Itinerary Planner help me plan my adventure?

How accurate are your time calculations?

How hard is the Dales Way?

Which direction should I walk it in?

What are the hardest parts?

Do I need to book accommodation early?

Is the route well signposted?

Kit & Practicalities — What footwear and other kit do I need?

Where can I get food and supplies?

Can I walk the trail with my dog?

Can I wild camp?

I need assistance with my itinerary, booking accommodation and bag transfer

Can I download GPX route files of my Dales Way itinerary?

Do you have any other Trail Itinerary Planners?

Your Guide to the Dales Way

How Long Does the Dales Way Take?

What to Expect on the Dales Way

The Best Time to Walk the Dales Way

Getting There and Away

Sample Dales Way Route Itineraries

6-Day Explorer Itinerary

5-Day Hiker Itinerary

4-Day Fastpacker Itinerary

3-Day Trail Runner Itinerary

Our Other Trail Itinerary Planners

UK

Europe