Swaledale
Swaledale is the grandest of all the dales!
It has the wildest, most unspoilt scenery in the Yorkshire Dales, and it is much rugged than the prettier and busier Wensleydale.
At the eastern end of Swaledale stands Richmond, a busy market town.
At its western end, the road climbs and curves through some fantastic scenery towards Mallerstang.
The River Swale
The heart of Swaledale is the River Swale, one of the fastest rising flood rivers in England.
It flows through traditional hay meadows surrounded by miles of drystone walls and dotted with carefully preserved stone field barns.
These barns form one of the most important visual aspects of the Dales. Together with its breed of hardy sheep off course!
Swaledale villages
Where Arkengarthdale meets Swaledale, you will find the bustling village of Reeth. With its art and craft shops, pubs and cafés, it is the focal point within Swaledale.
Further up the dale you will encounter the remote and attractive villages of Gunnerside, Muker, Thwaite and Keld.
From Keld the Swaledale road goes west through some of the most dramatic scenery in the whole of the Yorkshire Dales before arriving at Nateby in the valley of Mallerstang.
Walking
There is only one thing you must do: start walking!
#1
Start with a classic. A 6-mile circular walk in Upper Swaledale from Keld to Muker along Kisdon Side and backed by the River Swale.
#2
Or start in Muker and walk via Thwaite to Keld and back along Kisdon Side.
#3
Try a short 3-mile circular walk from Reeth to Healaugh, with a return along the riverside.
#4
Why not take the bus in Reeth and ride through picturesque Swaledale to Gunnerside and then walk the 6,5 miles back to Reeth, through riverside meadows.
#5
At the western end of Swaledale (Mallerstang Edge) you can enjoy a remote 7-mile high level circular walk on Open Access land.
It offers fine views of Cumbria and Brockholes waterfalls.
#6
Or head for Ivelet Moor. This easy access 5 mile walk with tremendous views of Swaledale, follows a well-surfaced track over the heather moorland.
Herriot Way
The Herriot Way is a 4-day, 52-mile long distance path that runs through some of the best scenery in the Yorkshire Dales, including Wensleydale and Swaledale.
The circular route traditionally starts and ends in Aysgarth.
The walk is named after James Herriot; the fictional name given to the real-life veterinary surgeon who lived and worked in the Dales for many years.
Along its length the Herriot Way visits beautiful valleys, high, open fells and rolling, heather-clad moorland.
Swale Way
The Swale Way is a 6-day, 80-mile walk that follows the length of the River Swale from its confluence with the River Ure near Boroughbridge, to its source at the head of Swaledale, where Birkdale Beck and Great Sleddale Beck meet.
Starting in Boroughbridge it passes through Thirsk, Richmond, Reeth, Keld and finishes in Kirkby Stephen.
Cool Places to Explore: Aysgarth Falls | Hardraw Force Waterfall | Hawes | Leyburn Shawl | Ribblesdale | Kettlewell | Richmond.
Cool Places to Eat: Middleton Lodge.
