Barns near Hawes in North Yorkshire, England

Herriot Way

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Overview

Route

What's Included?

Itineraries & Prices

Accommodation

Travel Info

Additional Days

Overview

Walking Holidays

5 - 6 Nights

52 miles / 84 km

Prices from: £595 per person
Start: Hawes, North Yorkshire
Finish: Hawes, North Yorkshire
Availability: Any start date from March to October
Grading: Easy to Moderate
Way-marked: No, but easy to follow

Herriot Way Highlights

James Herriot

Follow in the footsteps James Herriot, the British veterinary surgeon and writer, and visit his favourite beauty spots.

Superb waterfalls

Visit England’s highest single-drop waterfall, and the spectacular triple-drop waterfalls at Aysgarth.

Fine hospitality

Enjoy the delightful hospitality of the Yorkshire Dales, in particular, Wensleydale and Swaledale.

Charming villages

Explore picturesque and quaint Yorkshire villages such as Hawes, Askrigg, Thwaite and Keld.

Stunning scenery

Enjoy the spectacular view of the Dales in almost every direction from the peak of Great Shunner Fell, the Yorkshire Dales’ third highest mountain.

Wensleydale Creamery

Visit the home of the famous and delicious Wensleydale Cheese!

A Quintessential English Walking Route

The Herriot Way is a 52-mile long-distance route which passes through the beautiful scenery of the Yorkshire Dales. The circular path features rolling hills, wildflower meadows, picturesque waterfalls and charming, welcoming villages.

The route is based on a walk taken by James Herriot, the pseudonym for Alf Wight, and his son. Alf was a British veterinary surgeon and a writer, and is best known for writing what later became the well-known TV series All Creatures Great and Small.

The 52 miles / 84 km Herriot Way explores some of the world-famous literary vet’s favourite locations in Wensleydale and Swaledale, passing through famous waterfalls, charming villages and wonderful rolling scenery.

The route begins and ends in the small town of Hawes, best known for its production of Wensleydale Cheese. It meanders its way past Hardraw Force, England’s highest single-drop waterfall, before following the River Ure towards Aysgarth.

The Way takes you along old lead miners’ tracks, with breathtaking views of Swaledale. Strolling over heather moors, enjoying pretty hamlets and soaking up the Yorkshire Dales, this walk is gentle, straightforward and pleasing.

Herriot Way Route Map

Recommended Itinerary

Our most popular itinerary is HW1 which covers the route in 4 days / 5 nights.

Travel to Hawes for your first night’s accommodation

Arrive in the town of Hawes, the highest market town in England at 850 feet above sea level. Visit the Wensleydale Creamery on arrival and sample this famous and delicious cheese!

Day 1: Hawes to Keld (13 miles / 21 km)

Your first day on the Herriot Way takes you up and over the third highest summit in the Yorkshire Dales, Great Shunner Fell. The ascent is straightforward and not steep, and on a clear day the views from the top are remarkable.

From Great Shunner Fell it’s downhill all the way to the charming village of Thwaite, where you may wish to find refreshments in one of its tearooms. From here, it is three miles to the small village of Keld, your destination for this evening.

Day 2: Keld to Reeth (13 miles / 21 km)

This morning you will share the path with the Pennine Way and Wainwright’s Coast to Coast. Walk in the footsteps of the lead miners who used to work on these desolate moors. Take the high road and climb past the ruin of the eccentrically named Crackpot Hall, enjoying the surrounding views of Swaledale.

There is an alternative low-level route today but most walkers prefer the higher level option.

Day 3: Reeth to Aysgarth (13 miles / 21 km)

Today takes another pleasant and undulating stroll through picturesque valleys, with an opportunity to visit the impressive ruin of Bolton Castle.

Day 4: Aysgarth to Hawes (13 miles / 21 km)

Visit the spectacular triple-drop falls at Aysgarth, then follow the banks of the River Ure towards the delightful village of Askrigg. There are many stiles to be surmounted on this final day.

You then reach Hardraw Force, England’s highest single-drop waterfall at 98 feet. Access is available for a small fee to the Green Dragon Inn. The waterfall has been visited by many poets and notable figures over the years, as well as by Kevin Costner during the filming of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Your walk continues on the well-signposted Pennine Way until you return to where your walk started at Hawes.

Onward travel

After breakfast, you will start your journey home after a wonderful walking holiday on the Herriot Way.

What's Included?

Your Herriot Way walking holiday includes:

Carefully selected accommodation along the route and trail transfers when applicable
En-suite or private bathroom facilities whenever possible
Daily door-to-door baggage transfers
Comprehensive information pack, kit list, guidebook and map (one set per room)
Personalised itinerary with details of your accommodation, route and recommendations for lunch and dinner
Traditional English breakfast
24-hour emergency contact number
Full financial protection

Your walking holiday doesn't include:

Travel insurance
Transport to and from the start and end of the walk
Lunches and evening meals

Itineraries & Prices

We offer 2 suggested itineraries for walking the Herriot Way.

Our most popular itinerary is HW1 which covers the route in 4 days.

Tour code

Itinerary

Average miles

Difficulty

Price per person

HW1

4 Days / 5 Nights

13 miles per day

Moderate

From £595

Average miles : 13 miles per day

Tour code: HW1

Difficulty : Moderate

4 Days / 5 Nights (HW1)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

Arrive Travel to Hawes for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Hawes to Keld 13 miles / 21 km

Day 2 Keld to Reeth 13 miles / 21 km

Day 3 Reeth to Aysgarth 13 miles / 21 km

Day 4 Aysgarth to Hawes 13 miles / 21km

Depart Onward travel from Hawes

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £975 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location. As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed.

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £595 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

Enquire Now

HW2

5 Days / 6 Nights

10.5 miles per day

Easy

From £720

Average miles : 10.5 miles per day

Tour code: HW2

Difficulty : Easy

5 Days / 6 Nights (HW2)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

Arrive Travel to Hawes for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Hawes to Keld 13 miles / 21 km

Day 2 Keld to Reeth 13 miles / 21 km

Day 3 Reeth to Aysgarth 13 miles / 21 km

Day 4 Aysgarth to Askrigg 7 miles / 11km

Day 5 Askrigg to Hawes 6 miles / 9.5km

Depart Onward travel from Hawes

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £1110 per person

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £720 per person

Enquire Now

Herriot Way Accommodation

All of the accommodation that we reserve for you has been personally selected by our expert team to ensure it meets our exacting standards. We regularly review our extensive database.

We will always prioritise accommodation as close to the walking trail as possible. Occasionally, your accommodation may be located a short distance from the trail, or you may need to spend more than one night in the same place, in which case we will provide return transfers.

Travel Information

As an environmentally conscious tour operator, we actively encourage the use of public transport by providing clients with a detailed breakdown of travel options in their information packs. The following information may help with your pre-trip planning.

Getting to and returning from Hawes

By Air

Nearest Airport: Manchester International Airport or Leeds/Bradford Airport

There is a train from Manchester Airport to Garsdale via Leeds (journey time 3 hours). There are also frequent bus services from Leeds/Bradford Airport to Leeds city centre, where you can connect with a train to Garsdale.

A local bus then runs between Garsdale Station and Hawes.

By Public Transport

Nearest Railway Station: Garsdale

The nearest train station to Hawes is Garsdale, which is on the main Leeds/Carlisle line. A local bus service runs from Garsdale Station to Hawes four times a day.

National Express coaches also run to Leeds or Carlisle.

By Road

If you plan to travel by car it is sometimes possible to leave it at Hawes for the duration of your holiday. We can check this for you when your booking is confirmed.

Additional Days

We would be delighted to arrange additional accommodation for you along the Herriot Way.

You may wish to plan a rest day or have an additional night at any of the locations along the route which offer activities or sightseeing opportunities – we’ve made some suggestions below. Please request this when you make an enquiry.

Hawes

Visit Hardraw Force, England’s highest single-drop waterfall
Take a tour of Wensleydale Creamery; see how this famous local cheese is made and best of all, sample some!
Explore the Dales Countryside Museum to find out more about life in the Yorkshire Dales

Keld

Visit the four waterfalls – Kisdon Force, East Gill Force, Catrake Force and Wain Wath Force – at a nearby limestone gorge on the River Swale. These are particularly spectacular after a lot of rain!

Reeth

Visit the Swaledale Museum to find out more about the areas you are walking through
Cross the swing bridge over the River Swale and enjoy some short local riverside walks
Take the bus to Richmond, a half hour away, and explore this popular North Yorkshire town with its Norman Castle and Georgian architecture

How do our Walking Holidays Work?

For more than 20 years, we’ve been weaving together unforgettable walking holidays amidst the enchanting landscapes of the British Isles. Dive deeper into how they work in our comprehensive guide. Read more

Our client walking in the North York Moors National Park

Delightful Dales: 5 Reasons to Walk the Herriot Way

The rolling hills of Yorkshire, stretching out in glorious green as far as the eye can see, have been immortalised in books and television countless times over the years. In James Herriot’s words, “the fields glittering under the first pale sunshine and the wisps of mist still hanging on the high tops” are truly magical. Read more