Wainwright's footsteps: the best Yorkshire Dales walks of all time?

Simon Edward • February 22, 2025

Walking boots at the ready! Discover the walking routes in the Yorkshire Dales created by Alfred Wainwright.

As any seasoned rambler will tell you, the landscape of Yorkshire Dales is perfect for walking.

Its varied terrain of hills, moors and waterways makes it ideal for walks of all kinds – from gentle strolls to epic treks.

There are many much-loved walking routes in the Yorkshire Dales. Each year, to take one classic example, thousands of walkers attempt the Three Peaks Challenge, climbing Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-Y-Ghent.

No account of Yorkshire walks, however, would be complete without mention of Alfred Wainwright. While closely associated with the Lake District, Wainwright also plotted some unforgettable routes in the region.

In this article, we're going to take an in-depth look at two of these. Be warned: these are long and at times arduous walks. Yorkshire offers some superb walks for the casual stroller. These very much don't fit in that category.

So, get your boots and crampons – we're going for a walk!

Wainwright's Pennine Journey

The Pennines, also known as the Pennine Chain or Pennine Hills, are often considered "the backbone of England". Look at the hills on a map and you'll see why!

The hills straddle Northumberland, Cumbria, County Durham, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. But Wainwright's Pennine Journey began and ended in the Yorkshire Dales – the town of Settle, to be precise.

It all started in September 1938 when Wainwright headed out on a 211-mile-long walk through the Pennines. Over the next 11 days, he travelled from Settle to Hadrian's Wall and back.

Wainwright wrote up his journey in A Pennine Journey: The Story of a Long Walk. It's a travelogue, combining vivid descriptions of landscape with musings on the people he met, all against the backdrop of turmoil in Europe.

Much of the journey took place on quiet minor roads. Today, these roads aren't quite as peaceful. For this reason, today's walkers often tackle the route on public rights of way and trails.

The 2010 Pennine Journey guidebook splits the walk into 18 stages. Like many classic long-distance walks, it can be attempted in one go over several days or split into more manageable chunks.

Picture of a walk in the North Pennines.

It's a challenging trudge that offers some truly spectacular scenery. Over half of the journey, in fact, lies within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This includes the first legs of the journey in Yorkshire, heading from Settle through the Dales and into County Durham.

Two-hundred-odd miles later, and you're back where you started. Time for a well-deserved trip to the pub, we think…

The Coast to Coast Walk

The Coast to Coast Walk does what it says on the tin. It's one of the most popular long-distance trails in the UK (perhaps the world).

It takes you from the Irish Sea at St. Bee's Head 190 miles across the North of England, ending at Robin Hood's Bay on the North Sea.

On the way, the coast-to-coast hiker traverses three National Parks: the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and, finally, the North York Moors.

In the introduction to his book A Coast to Coast Walk, Wainwright fizzes with enthusiasm: "Surely there cannot be a finer itinerary for a long-distance walk! […] The countryside traversed is beautiful almost everywhere, yet extremely varied in character, with mountains and hills, valleys and rivers, heather moors and sea-cliffs combining in a pageant of colourful scenery."

Like the Pennine Journey, there's more than one way to tackle it. Wainwright broke the walk into day-long chunks spanning a two-week holiday (with a day or two off to take care of blisters).

But Wainwright was all about the landscape, not physical effort for its own sake. He encouraged readers to make their own routes and soak up the scenery. After all, who would want to race through such jaw-dropping landscapes as these?

Tradition has it that walkers attempting the Coast to Coast route should dip their feet in the Irish Sea and pick out a pebble to take with them for the whole journey. At the journey's end in Robin Hood's Bay, drop the pebble into the North Sea and wet your feet. This marks the end of one heck of a journey.

Who was Wainwright?

Alfred Wainwright was a fellwalker and writer. He's best known for his Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells, which he described as a "love letter" to the area. These seven guidebooks combine pen-and-ink sketches, maps and thoughts from the man himself.

Born in Blackburn, Lancashire, he visited the Lake District for the first time aged 23. It was love at first sight. He moved to Kendal and spent many years mapping the area.

He was described by his wife Betty as "a sensitive, shy man who sought anonymity, hiding himself behind a gruff exterior". His works reveal an emotional, passionate side to his personality and a deep love of England's landscapes.

When Wainwright died in 1991, his ashes were scattered on Haystacks, a hill at one end of Buttermere Valley. "This," he wrote, "is in fact the best fell-top of all", highlighting its "beauty, variety and interesting detail", its "sheer fascination and unique individuality".

What is a Wainwright?

Wainwright's legacy isn't restricted to his guidebooks and walks. He also gave a name to fell tops.

A Wainwright is the summit of a "true" fell top. Wainwright listed 214 of these – and to this day, many walkers try to climb them all.

Wainwrights vary wildly in height and difficulty. Black Fell, Latrigg and Castle Crag are at the easy end, while Helvellyn, Great Gable and Scafell Pike (the tallest of the lot) are for hikers who thirst for a challenge.

Speaking of thirst, a Wainwright is also a type of ale named after the great man. The perfect refreshment at the end of a day's walking in the Dales…

Stump Cross Caverns is an ancient cave system surrounded by the bleak beauty of the Yorkshire Dales. Why not explore more of our favourite Yorkshire walking routes? And while you're here, we'd love to welcome you to our underground caverns. It's easy to book tickets online.

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