Lady Anne’s Way – 7 nights / 6 days walking

About this trail

Lady Anne’s Way begins at Skipton with its medieval castle, before climbing out of the town and crossing into beautiful Wharfedale. The trail continues up the dale, at times close to the river and at times climbing the valley sides, and passes Lady Anne’s Barden Tower and the villages of Grassington, Kettlewell and Buckden. Leaving Wharfedale just beyond Buckden, the trail offers great views as it climbs up and over Stake Allotments and down into Wensleydale and the village of Askrigg, famed for its connections with the TV series All Creatures Great and Small and home to another Lady Anne dwelling, Nappa Hall.

Following the River Ure upstream through meadows, you first walk to the picturesque town of Hawes and then climb higher up the valley before entering Mallerstang along what is known as Lady Anne’s Highway. Midway along the valley, you enter the watershed of the River Eden, a waterway that you will encounter on and off for the remainder of your walk. After staying at bustling Kirkby Stephen, you continue to follow the Eden past Brough Castle before swinging west through typically old fashioned villages and farmland with views of the Lake District and Pennine Hills on either side. The next stop is Appleby, county town of Westmorland, a delightful place with its castle and market place. From there you encounter villages constructed of soft red sandstone, the ancient ruins of Brougham Hall and the magnificent remains of Brougham Castle perched above the River Eamont before descending a short riverside stretch that leads you to the end of the walk in the market town of Penrith.

Terrain and navigation

Walking Lady Anne’s Way will take you through grassy meadows, alongside rivers and streams,  through woodlands, over the occasional fell and onto the tops of heathery moorland. It’s a classic northern English walk. Much of the route follows river valleys, there are no really high climbs so it is suitable for any reasonably fit walker. The ability to map read and use a compass is important: it may be necessary in bad weather when crossing moors and you’ll be following local footpath signage rather than any official Lady Anne waymarking system. Underfoot, the trail follows typical rural public footpaths and tracks with the occasional section of metalled country lane. Be prepared for mud in places, especially after heavy rain.

Route elevation

Highest point: 521 metres
Total ascent / descent: 2666 metres /2648 metres

Included as standard in the price

The price quoted is per person and is based on two people sharing a room. It includes:

• Carefully selected, en-suite bed and breakfast accommodation*
• Daily luggage transfers to your accommodation**
• All the necessary maps and guidebooks for your walk
• Route notes and maps detailing how to find your B&B at the end of each day
• The cost of any transfers that are required from the route to your accommodation if we are unable to book you into a B&B within easy walking distance of the trail
• Information about any special facilities offered by your hosts (eg hot tub or licensed bar)
• Suggestions and contact details for places for an evening meal each day
• Telephone support if required
• Advice from our team on travel to and from the start and end of the trail.

*En-suite is always chosen unless all options are booked out, in which case private bathrooms are sought. Customers are always consulted about non-en-suite options before details are finalised.

**Standard package includes one piece of baggage per walker, up to a maximum weight of 20kg. Additional bags can be transferred but incur an additional cost. Please enquire if you need this service.

Packed lunches and evening meals

The cost of these is not included in our standard package. All the accommodation providers we use offer packed lunches to keep you well fed during your walk. Payment is made directly to your hosts. Similarly, if you have an evening meal either at your accommodation or another local establishment, you pay them directly for it.

Optional extras that can be provided by Discovery Travel

Discovery Travel specialises in providing completely tailor-made services to our clients. This means that if our standard published itineraries do not suit our customers’ needs, we are always happy to discuss ways in which we can adjust accommodation, shorten or lengthen itineraries and distances to make for the perfect trip.

We also offer the following services to make for a seamless holiday:

• Transport to and from the start and finish of a trail
• Airport transfers
• Minibus and driver service, in particular for large groups where multiple accommodations are required each night and transfers are frequently required at the end of the day’s walk

If you are interested in any of the above or have any particular requirements, please do contact us to discuss your needs.

Make more of your break

If you would like to pause during your walk and explore one of the overnight locations for longer, you are free to select and add extra days to your holiday at any of your overnight stops. Prices for extra days are quoted above and will be added to the total cost of the holiday. If the itineraries on our website do not quite meet your requirements please do get in touch to arrange a bespoke trip.

Below are some suggestions for good places to spend an extra day or so.

Hawes

Hawes is a great centre for walking, lying as it does on the Pennine Way and the Herriot Way. It’s a handsome town, with good pubs, shops and eateries and is also home to the world famous Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese – which has its own festival held in September.

Kirkby Stephen

Kirkby Stephen is a traditional market town with historic buildings, cobbled yards and interesting shops. Located in the Upper Eden Valley it is part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and is surrounded by pastoral rural landscape and wild uplands with wonderful views in every direction.

Appleby

Appleby is a market town and one of the locations on this walk where Lady Anne devoted much of her time to restoring the neglected estates, castles and churches in the area. Appleby Castle was her home for a period of time and both Lady Anne and her mother, Lady Margaret, are buried in St Lawrence’s Church.

When to go

The weather in the UK can vary hugely so be prepared for all weathers whatever time of the year. April, May and June are when everything comes to life so it is very green, wild flowers are abundant and blossom abounds. July and August tend to be the warmest months, but it is rarely so warm as to be uncomfortable for walking. September is one of the most pleasant times in the countryside and is quieter as most people with children have finished their holidays. By October the days are getting shorter and the weather can be much more changeable.

Getting to and from the trail

By Air: The most convenient airports are Manchester or Leeds-Bradford.

By Rail: There are mainline train stations at Skipton and Penrith at the start and end of the walk. For train times and fares visit National Rail Enquiries.

Got a question about travel? If you need any advice about travel to and from your walk please get in touch with Discovery Travel and we will be happy to help.