The Dales Way officially starts at Ilkley and finishes at Bowness-in-Windermere - a distance of around 80 miles (130km) which follows riverside paths as far as possible. There are also links from Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate. From Ilkley you'll still have the satisfaction of walking the full length of Wharfedale, thought by many to be the most picturesque of the Yorkshire Dales, climbing out onto the roof of England and crossing the great Pennine watershed with impressive views of the Three Peaks. The Dales Way then drops into the beautiful valley of Dentdale and on to Sedbergh. You then head for the Lune valley and on to the Lake District, finishing by the shores of England's largest lake - Windermere.
The route is well connected to train lines making it easy to get to the start and finish or to break the journey into manageable chunks.
For more information visit the Dales Way Association website at www.dalesway.org.uk.
