Jan & Mary Explore The Dales - Final Information

Sunday 4th May – Saturday 10th May 2025

Number of Travellers: 2
Duration: 7 Days / 6 Nights

Overview

Final Information for v3 – Confirmed 11th Mar 2025

 

On Trip;

While we hope things run smoothly for the duration of their stay, we know that unforeseen circumstances do happen and there are times when the clients may need to contact us for assistance. Please see below for ways to get in touch while on the trip;

Please note that on days with your main driver-guide, please ask your guide for assistance in the first instance. As they are best placed to answer any queries directly & in a timely manner.

Email: If you have a general question please feel free to email your Sales Consultant or Agent.Note – Emails are monitored during office hours only.

Call us directly: Office number ++44 (0) 1479 420 120
Please note: Office hours are Mon- Fri 9:00 – 5:30

Out of Office Hours Number: +44 (0)7766 794 640 for use after 5:30pm and at the weekends.
Note: If you require immediate assistance for an issue, problem or emergency, please call, message or Whatsapp our Out of Office Hours Number

Itinerary at a Glance

Day 1 | Sunday 4th May | Welcome To The Dales | Overnight: Ripon

Day 2 | Monday 5th May | Malham Cove | Overnight: Ripon

Day 3 | Tuesday 6th May | Brimham Rocks & Pateley Bridge | Overnight: Ripon

Day 4 | Wednesday 7th May | Grassington Village & Nature Reserve | Overnight: Ripon

Day 5 | Thursday 8th May | North York Moors Option | Overnight: Ripon

Day 6 | Friday 9th May | Final Hike Options & Relaxing Finish | Overnight: Ripon

Day 7 | Saturday 10th May | Depart

Day by Day

Day 1 - Sunday 4th May - Welcome To The Dales

A happy reunion today as Ailsa picks you up from York or Harrogate and you head towards the gently rolling Dales. Depending on the timings you may want to stop for a scenic leg stretch.

Perhaps take the gentle stroll along the river to visit Fountains Abbey. This UNESCO World Heritage site offers elegant ornamental water gardens as well as the soaring vaulted ceilings and columns of the cathedral, sadly ruined now but still very impressive.

The Staveley Nature Reserve is a lovely tranquil space to soak in the slower pace of country life. There is a chance to spot otters and deer as well as a large variety of birds as you explore. Then continue onwards to settle into your luxurious accommodation.

Overnight: Ripon | Grantley Hall
Room Type: Grand Suite
Meals Included: None
Walk Details: 5 km / 3 miles | 50 m / 165 ft elevation gain | Approx: 2 hrs

Day 1 - Guide Details - Ailsa Armstrong Read More +

Name: Ailsa Armstrong
Contact Number: +44 (0) 7729 003 905
Meeting Place: No. 1 York Hotel | Meeting Time: 10:00

Day 1 - Dinner Details Read More +

Restaurant: The Orchard | Location: Your Hotel
Reservation Time: 18:30 | Booking Reference: Mary Marcy

Please note that this is a table reservation only. Please pay directly

Day 2 - Monday 5th May - Malham Cove

Revisit an old favourite today as you drive over the Dales to the awe-inspiring limestone amphitheatre that is Malham Cove. There are various hiking options in the area, so you can choose what will suit your day best.

We recommend walking to Gordale Scar, a hidden, atmospheric ravine, passing the lovely waterfall, Janet’s Foss, along the way. Later, arrive at Malham Cove. Keep your eyes peeled for rock climbers pitting themselves against the steep faces as you go. Imagine the massive waterfall which would once have flowed over the edge, tonnes of water plunging the 250 or so feet to the ground.

Your guide will agree a meeting time the day prior.

Overnight: Ripon | Grantley Hall
Room Type: Grand Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
Walk Details: 8 km / 5 miles | 200 m / 655 ft elevation gain | Approx: 4 hrs

Day 2 - Dinner Details Read More +

Restaurant: Eighty Eight | Location: Your Hotel
Reservation Time: 18:30 | Booking Reference: Mary Marcy

Please note that this is a table reservation only. Please pay directly

Day 3 - Tuesday 6th May - Brimham Rocks & Pateley Bridge

Today is a perfect day to get to know the local area around your accommodation with a shorter hike. Discuss with Ailsa what the best options are to suit your energy levels (and the weather!). The choice is yours.

Perhaps visit Pateley Bridge and walk a section of the Nidderdale Way, a 53 mile route which loops its way through this designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. (Length variable as per inclination)

Or enjoy the otherworldly rock formations of the Brimham Rocks. Take a circular route up onto the moor for lovely open views. See if you can identify all the different named formations such as ‘the writing desk’ and ‘the Sphinx’.

Your guide will agree a meeting time the day prior.

Overnight: Ripon | Grantley Hall
Room Type: Grand Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
Walk Details: 5 km / 3 miles | 155 m / 508 ft elevation gain | Approx: 2 hrs

Day 3 - Dinner Details Read More +

Pub: Local Pub

Please note that this is a table reservation only. Please pay directly

Day 4 - Wednesday 7th May - Grassington Village & Nature Reserve

The pretty market town of Grassington is a lovely starting point for your hike today. A gently winding trail takes you up the hillside into peaceful woodlands, which are a protected Nature Reserve. Keep your eyes open for chaffinches and woodcocks which make these trees home. Discover limestone pavements and scenic vistas along the way before you finish along the banks of the River Wharfe. You may want to have a look into the local shops and enjoy dinner at a local pub in the village before returning to your hotel for the rest of the evening.

Your guide will agree a meeting time the day prior.

Overnight: Ripon | Grantley Hall
Room Type: Grand Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
Walk Details: 10 km / 6 miles | 55 m / 180 ft elevation gain | Approx: 4 hrs

Day 4 - Dinner Details Read More +

Restaurant: Fletchers | Location: Your Hotel
Reservation Time: 18:30 | Booking Reference: Mary Marcy

Please note that this is a table reservation only. Please pay directly

Day 5 - Thursday 8th May - North York Moors Option

Today it is perhaps time to head out the Dales to the East. You can even reach the coast in under 2 hours if you want something quite different. Take in a clifftop wander from the unique fishing village of Robin Hood’s Bay, full of history and tall tales, a popular end point for Coast to Coast walks. Or take a relaxing stroll along the sweep of Whitby Sands and visit the Abbey which inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Or maybe stay a little further inland and compare the more open landscape of the North York Moors to the Dales where you are based. There is even a tiny steam railway if you fancied a different form of transport. Relaxed trails will take you through the softened countryside, discovering the history and geology along the way.

Closer to home you could choose to head to Masham, a small town with centuries of history and some lovely hiking. The local markets have been thriving for over 750 years, with various parties benefiting from them over the years. The Black Sheep Brewery here is also well worth a visit if you fancy a refreshing beverage!

(Hike details are given for a Masham option)

Your guide will agree a meeting time the day prior.

Overnight: Ripon | Grantley Hall
Room Type: Grand Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
Walk Details: 6 km / 4 miles | 127 m / 417 ft elevation gain | Approx: 2 hrs

Day 5 - Dinner Details Read More +

Pub: Pub in Ripon?

Please note that this is a table reservation only. Please pay directly

Day 6 - Friday 9th May - Final Hike Options & Relaxing Finish

Today is completely flexible depending on how far away from the hotel you fancy heading (and how far you want to walk of course!). You could take an hour’s drive north to Aysgarth and Newbiggin for short hiking options with soothing waterfalls and beautifully rolling woodland and dale paths.

Or if you fancy a challenge on your last day a superb option would be to venture a bit further away and hike the spectacular Pen-y-ghent, one of the three famous Yorkshire Dales peaks. The circular route here takes in a short section of the Pennine Way and interesting collapsed caverns revealing entrances to some of the area’s extensive underground caves system.

You may choose to spend some time appreciating your hotel’s facilities this afternoon to ensure that you finish your holiday fully refreshed and recharged. The choice is yours.

Your guide will agree a meeting time the day prior.

Overnight: Ripon | Grantley Hall
Room Type: Grand Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
Walk Details: 10 km / 7 miles | 470 m / 1,542 ft elevation gain | Approx: 4 hrs

Day 6 - Dinner Details Read More +

Restaurant: Shaun Rankin | Location: Your Hotel
Reservation Time: 18:30 | Booking Reference: Mary Marcy

Please note that this is a table reservation only. Please pay directly

Day 7 - Saturday 10th May - Depart

This morning Ailsa will take you to York Train Station to catch your onwards travel. Waving farewell for now, but taking with you many new special memories to keep with your old ones.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 7 - Train Details Read More +

Travel Date: May 10, 2025
Departure Train Station: York Train Station | Departure Time: 12:02

Trip Details

Inclusions Read More
  • 6 nights accommodation, as stated in the itinerary above
  • Most meals, as stated in the itinerary above
  • The services of a qualified and experienced guide from Day 1 to Day 7 inclusive
    • This will be Ailsa unless circumstances outwith our control make this impossible
  • All transfers in a private vehicle driven by our guide on guided days
  • All guided hikes mentioned in the itinerary
  • Entrance fees and activities mentioned in the itinerary, specifically:
    • Entry to Fountains Abbey
    • Donation Entry to Ripon Cathedral (or another attraction as per interest)
    • Ticket on Steam Train OR entry to another attraction as per interest
  • Pillow Gift in room for 1st night
  • £100 Per Person WOW Moment Budget
  • T-Shirt Drop Moment – FOC
  • £20 Per Person Per Guided Day Hosting & Enhancement Budget
  • Personalised trip design and delivery
  • 24/7 In-Country Support from the Wilderness Team
Exclusions Read More
  • Flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Meals not mentioned in the inclusions
  • Activities and entrance fees not mentioned in the inclusions
  • Gratuities for the main driver guide
Notes Read More

Activities are only private if so specified in the inclusions

 

Notes On Weather & Flexibility

Weather in The Dales can be very changeable. Suitable clothing and footwear is essential, as well as a flexible attitude. Plans may have to be changed to accommodate Mother Nature, and your guide will have back-up plans that they will discuss with you if required.

 

Essential Packing List for Hiking

  • Waterproof jacket with hood
  • Waterproof over-pants
  • Sturdy hiking boots/shoes (sneakers or tennis shoes are not suitable for any hiking in the UK)
  • Day pack 20-30 litre for carrying water and extra layers
  • Reusable water bottle
  • Warm layers
  • Warm hat, gloves and a neck gaiter
  • Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
  • Smart casual attire for dinners

Note: If you would like us to provide trekking poles for your use then please just let us know and we will ensure these are available for you.

 

Luggage Notes

Please note that we expect travellers to bring an average of One Large Holdall or Suitcase and up to Two smaller day-bags or hand-luggage sized pieces. If you expect to bring more than this then please let us know well in advance of arrival so that we can ensure there is capacity for this (additional charges will apply if separate luggage transfers are required).

 

Useful Contacts

24 hour in-country support (Wilderness Scotland):  +44 (0)1479 420 020, or outwith regular office hours +44 (0)7766 794 640 (urgent calls only, but can also be used for less urgent text messages or WhatApp messages)

Emergency services:  999 or 112NHS 24 (24 hour free medical advice):  111

 

Tipping Guidelines

For tipping our guides – We don’t generally recommend a set amount as tipping is not expected in the same way that it is in North America. However, similar North American travel companies generally suggest something along the lines of £10-30 per person per day for your guide, which is a wide range to choose from. Generally, we would encourage you to ask yourself what you were expecting from your guide, and then think about how they have exceeded those expectations and choose an amount you are comfortable with.

For local services such as restaurants again tipping is not expected but if you receive great service then 10-15% of the bill is normal.

Important Contact Numbers Read More
Wilderness Scotland Office | 9:00am – 5:30pm

UK: +44 (0)1479 420 020
US: 866 740 3890

Out of Office Hours | 5:30pm – 9:00am

+44 (0)7766 794 640

Emergency Services

999

Pricing Read More

The NET price for this itinerary, based on 2 clients on a twin-share basis, and including a £12 per person conservation contribution is:

  • £9,685 GBP per person

Conservation Contribution
This voluntary donation of £12 per person goes towards conservation projects in the locations we operate.  If you would like to opt out just let your trip designer know. Click here for more information.

Important Additional Information Read More
  • Walking/Hiking Kit List - PDF: View Now
Terms & Conditions Read More

Please see our booking terms here.

Accommodation

Grantley Hall

Ripon | Yorkshire |
HG4 3ET | England
Phone: +44 (0) 1765 620 070
Web: grantleyhall.co.uk

Meet Your Guide

Ailsa Armstrong

Contact Number: +44 (0) 7729 003 905

Having been brought up on one of Scotland’s beautiful west coast islands, I have always treasured the opportunity to explore Scotland’s wild places and this continues to bring me much pleasure today.

I particularly enjoy walking in the mountains and completed all of Scotland’s Munros some years ago. I also get a great deal of pleasure from the long distance, lower level, walks Scotland has to offer and continually seek out new adventures.

Travel has not just been limited to Scotland as I have been fortunate to have walked, climbed and ski toured in many parts of the world, although there is always something special about coming home to the Cairngorms.

Favourite Place to Play

I love heading off to explore and experience the wild places of the Highlands mountains, but also the beautiful low level walking routes and coastal paths. My perfect day is always complete when I come across a coffee shop and/or gallery with local Scottish artisan products in unusual places.

Not a lot of people know this

I am a keen mosaic artist and was delighted to have had a piece of work displayed in the National Gallery of Scotland.

Virtuoso

Jan & Mary Explore The Dales – Final Information

Sunday 4th May – Saturday 10th May 2025