Yorkshire Dales National Park

Getting to and around the Yorkshire Dales

The two main gateways into the Yorkshire Dales are Ilkley and Skipton, each linked by very frequent, fast train services from Leeds and Bradford.

Bus services 72 and 74 run Monday to Saturday from Skipton and Ilkley railway stations to Upper Wharfedale, Skipton has also got the 210 service to Malham and the X59 to Bolton Bridge and Blubberhouses en route to Harrogate.

For a truly spectacular train journey into the Yorkshire Dales, travel on the scenic Settle to Carlisle railway. Trains from Leeds to Settle and Carlisle run every two hours, stopping at Gargrave, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Ribblehead, Dent and Kirkby Stephen (Coast to Coast Path).

Footpaths starting at the stations make possible a number of walks, including climbs up Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent, the famous Three Peaks. There is a weekend programme of guided walks from the Settle-Carlisle line. This year, guided walks on Settle Carlisle are celebrating their 30th anniversary, with additional themed walks and special attractions on offer. Pick up a leaflet at railway stations in Yorkshire, or contact Friends of the Settle-Carlisle for details.

There are also useful, if less frequent, services on the Leeds to Morecambe line, along the southern boundary of the National Park, with stations at Gargrave (for the Pennine Way), Hellifield, Giggleswick, Clapham (2km walk from the village!) and Bentham.

Friends of the Settle - Carlisle Line

Leeds to Settle & Carlisle and Leeds to Morecambe train timetables (via Metro website)

Leeds and Bradford to Ilkley train timetables (via Metro website)

Arriva bus services Dalesbus & Darlington

Dales & District bus services Eastern Dales

Keighley & District bus services Southern Dales (Craven)

Harrogate & District bus services Eastern Dales

For other operators see
Travel Dales

At weekends you can hop on one of the Dales Buses - a network providing a popular hikers' service direct from West Yorkshire into the Dales. The Sunday service 805 runs from Wakefield and Leeds to villages in Wharfedale and Wensleydale, through Grassington to Hawes.

During the summer, there are morning Dalesbuses on Sundays until the end of September connecting the towns and cities of West Yorkshire with the Yorkshire Dales:

Dalesbus 800 travels to Upper Wharfedale and Wensleysdale along a highly scenic route, via Ilkley, Grassington, Buckden, Aysgarth and Hawes.

Dalesbus 802 travels via Nidderdale (connecting with Nidderdale Rambler minibus to Lofthouse and Middlesmoor) to Leyburn and Wensleydale.

Dalesbus 803 travels via Lightwater Valley and Leyburn to Swaledale before crossing the Buttertubs Pass to Hawes.

The 807 summer Sunday service runs from Skipton and Settle to Hawes, Wensleydale and Richmond.

The 210/804/843 Saturday and Sunday services from Skipton get walkers to Malham. From Malham a shuttle hail and ride bus service runs at summer weekends from Malham National Park Centre to Malham Tarn and Settle.

There are also Summer Sunday bus links into the Dales from York (service 812 to Pateley Bridge and Grassington) and Darlington (service 830 to Swaledale and Hawes).

Improved Summer Sunday bus links within the Dales are provided in 2006 between Grassington and Kettlewell (Upper Wharfedale Shuttle service 805) and between Ripon and Fountains Abbey (Ripon Roweller service 139).

Nidderdale is accessible daily all year by the regular 24 bus service from Harrogate to Pateley Bridge (Harrogate enjoys a 20 minute service frequency from Leeds and Ripon by 36 bus) and is also linked by Summer Sunday services from York, Ripon and Otley.

On the eastern side of the Dales, weekday service 159 now runs between Ripon, Leyburn and Richmond on a two-hourly basis. These buses connect with the hourly (2-hourly on Sundays) bus services (156/7) along Wensleydale at Leyburn). The Wensleydale Railway runs from Leeming Bar via Bedale and Leyburn to Redmire.

In Swaledale there are weekday buses from Richmond to Reeth and Keld (services 30/30A), and summer Sunday buses running up the dale and over into Wensleydale.

Outside these corridors, most bus services are infrequent and careful pre-planning is required.

Details of all the main services are on the Dalesbus website.

Regular users of the Dalesbus run a programme of guided linear walks, available at weekends throughout the year to all bus travellers, see www.dalesbusramblers.org.uk for details.

The Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust

The Yorkshire Dales Society

The Dales Way Association

Daelnet - The Yorkshire Dales' based internet Information Hub

Cultural Events in the Upper Dales

Eagle Intermedia's Yorkshire Dales

westwindsinyorkshire Tearoom and B&B, Buckden

An additional reward to those who come to the Dales without a car is the newly launched Dalesbus Discount Scheme. It offers those in possession of a valid bus or train ticket discounts at participating businesses, including cafes, shops, B&Bs and museums. So far, 50 businesses have joined the scheme. Look out for a Dalesbus Discount sticker in the window. Full list of businesses offering discount is available from the Traveldales website.

During the summer, there are morning buses on Sundays until the end of October connecting the towns of West Yorkshire with the Yorkshire Dales. Dalesbus 800 travels to Upper Wharfedale, and Wensleysdale along a highly scenic route, via Wakefield, Leeds, Ilkley, Grassington, Buckden, Aysgarth and Hawes. The 807 summer Sunday service runs from Keighley, Settle and Skipton to Hawes and Swaledale, and the 804 Saturday and Sunday service from Wakefield, Leeds and Skipton gets walkers to Malham.

A shuttle hail and ride bus service runs every Sunday from Malham National Park Centre to Malham Tarn - details on the Dalesbus website.

Useful Contacts

Yorkshire Dales National Park and Visitor Information tel: 01756 752774

Public Transport Information: Yorkshire Journey planner or tel. 0870 608 2 608 ext.885

West Yorkshire Transport Enquiries 0113 245 7676

For the North West Dales (Dentdale, Garsdale, Sedbergh, Kirby Lonsdale, Kirkby Stephen), Cumbria Journey Planner or tel. Traveline - 0870 608 2 608 ext.874

Tickets:

Dales Rover tickets are available on all Sunday/Bank Holiday buses in the Dales, on a zonal basis. See Dalesbus website for details.

Many bus operators have their own Explorer type tickets valid only on buses of that particular operator - see Travel Dales bus page.

Best Places to stay without a car: Grassington, Settle, Hawes, Richmond.