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A Literary Journey Through Northern England

Kerri Miller

May 2027

Number of Travellers: 8

Duration: 11 Days / 10 Nights

Overview

To celebrate the 180th anniversary of Jane Eyre, join a bespoke journey through the wild moors, rolling dales, and serene lakes that stirred the imaginations of Britain’s most beloved writers. From the cobbled charm of York to the rugged grandeur of the Yorkshire Dales and the poetic shores of the Lake District, this immersive adventure invites you to walk in the footsteps of Charlotte Brontë, Beatrix Potter, William Wordsworth, and Jane Austen.

Specially designed for your group, this tour blends thoughtful literary exploration with luxurious accommodation, breathtaking scenery, and local flavour. Visit the homes of literary icons, take part in a Bakewell pudding workshop, and enjoy lakeside cruises, all while diving deep into the stories that shaped English literature. This is a tour for those who want to celebrate books where they were born—amid the windswept moors and green hills of Northern England.

Highlights

Visit the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth, birthplace of Jane Eyre.
Tour Dove Cottage, the home of William Wordsworth, and cruise on England’s most scenic lake
Wander through the grand halls and gardens of Chatsworth House—long associated with Austen’s Pemberley

Day by Day

Day 1 - Arrival in York

Fly into London and take the train north to the enchanting city of York. Meet your Wilderness England guide and begin your literary journey with a guided walk through the medieval streets, including The Shambles—thought to have inspired Diagon Alley in Harry Potter. Marvel at York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe, and settle into your charming accommodation. Enjoy a welcome dinner and your first toast to Charlotte Brontë.

Overnight: York | The Grand Hotel York
Meals Included: None

Day 2 - Stories Through the Ages in York

Spend a full day exploring York’s rich cultural tapestry with your guide. The city’s layers of Roman, Viking, and Victorian history create the perfect backdrop for literary exploration. For a touch of indulgence, enjoy afternoon tea at the famous Bettys Café Tea Rooms.

Overnight: York | The Grand Hotel York
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 3 - Into the Yorkshire Dales

Travel west into the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. Stop in Ripon, which inspired parts of Anne Brontë’s Agnes Grey, and explore the evocative ruins of Fountains Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that reflects both Gothic decay and romantic beauty. Continue to the village of Malham and settle into Beck Hall, a welcoming country hotel nestled beside a babbling brook.

Overnight: Malham | Beck Hall
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 4 - Gordale Scar and Malham Cove

Head straight out of your hotel door this morning to explore the magnificent landscape of the Dales. Walk out to Gordale Scar, a hidden, atmospheric ravine, passing the lovely waterfall, Janet’s Foss, along the way. Take a moment to enjoy the tranquillity of the woodland setting and hear about the legend of the waterfall’s fairy queen. Later, arrive at Malham Cove, a spectacular limestone cliff formed during the last Ice Age. Notice its distinct curved shape, carved by glacial meltwater, and the fascinating geology of the limestone pavement. Today, the sheer rock face protects a pair of nesting peregrine falcons, which can be viewed during the summer months, along with house martins and jackdaws that also call the cove home.

Overnight: Malham | Beck Hall
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 5 - Exploring Grassington

After a relaxed breakfast, head out for a lovely morning ramble. Begin in Grassington, a pretty market town, and wind your way up onto the hillside. Stroll through Grass Wood, enjoying the sweeping views, and return along the banks of the River Wharfe. As you walk, look out for the limestone pavements, and as you make your way through Grass Wood (a Nature Reserve run by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust), listen out for the secretive woodcock and noisy chaffinches that make this broad-leafed woodland home. Enjoy some time in Grassington this afternoon, perhaps nosing around the shops and popping into the folk museum. A village of honey-stone cottages and literary resonance, it’s also the setting for the recent All Creatures Great and Small TV series.

Overnight: Malham | Beck Hall
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 6 - Into The Lakes

Transfer west to the Lake District, stopping to visit Hill Top, the 17th-century farmhouse once home to Beatrix Potter. Her illustrated tales of Peter Rabbit and friends were inspired by these very gardens and hills. Continue to Windermere, England’s largest lake and a place of deep poetic influence for the Romantics. Check in to the elegant Rothay Manor in Ambleside.

Overnight: Ambleside | Rothay Manor
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 7 - Wordsworth and Ullswater

Step into the world of William Wordsworth with a visit to Dove Cottage, where he composed many of his most iconic poems. Then take a leisurely cruise on Ullswater, whose glassy waters and gentle hills inspired Wordsworth’s Daffodils. This peaceful day combines nature, poetry, and connection with the Lake District’s enduring literary legacy.

Overnight: Ambleside | Rothay Manor
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 8 - Brontë Parsonage & the Peak District

Journey south into the Peak District, stopping in the village of Haworth to visit the Brontë Parsonage Museum. Walk through the rooms where Charlotte Brontë wrote Jane Eyre, and explore the moorland paths just beyond, which offered her daily inspiration. Continue on to Rowsley and check into The Peacock, an elegant 17th-century manor turned boutique hotel.

Overnight: Rowsley | The Peacock at Rowsley
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 9 - Bakewell and Stanage Edge

Begin your day in Bakewell, a small town on the River Wye and best known for its unique Bakewell pudding. Enjoy a workshop enveloped in the delicious aroma of buttery pastry as you enjoy assembling and taste-testing these delightful desserts. Then head to Stanage Edge, a dramatic gritstone escarpment featured in the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. With panoramic views and windswept heather, it’s easy to imagine Elizabeth Bennet striding across the peaks.

Overnight: Rowsley | The Peacock at Rowsley
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 10 - Chatsworth House

Visit the magnificent Chatsworth House, long thought to be the model for Mr. Darcy’s Pemberley. Tour its lavish interiors, art collections, and formal gardens. The estate offers a blend of opulence and history that captures the imagination of any literary traveller. Enjoy a farewell dinner and raise a glass to the end of an unforgettable bookish adventure.

Overnight: Rowsley | The Peacock at Rowsley
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 11 - Depart

After breakfast, transfer to Manchester for onward travel. Whether heading home or extending your stay, you’ll leave with unforgettable memories of a literary adventure around Northern England.

Meals Included: Breakfast

A Literary Journey Through Northern England

Kerri Miller

Overview

Highlights

Day by Day

Day 1 - Arrival in York

Day 2 - Stories Through the Ages in York

Day 3 - Into the Yorkshire Dales

Day 4 - Gordale Scar and Malham Cove

Day 5 - Exploring Grassington

Day 6 - Into The Lakes

Day 7 - Wordsworth and Ullswater

Day 8 - Brontë Parsonage & the Peak District

Day 9 - Bakewell and Stanage Edge

Day 10 - Chatsworth House

Day 11 - Depart

Trip Details

Accommodation

The Grand Hotel York

Beck Hall

Rothay Manor

The Peacock at Rowsley

A Literary Journey Through Northern England