A Dales High Way 

An exhilarating 90 miles across the glorious high country of the Yorkshire Dales

Walk this spectacular landscape from Saltaire to Appleby-in-Westmorland

Explore its rich history, geology and culture

Return with a breathtaking train ride along England's most beautiful railway

More than just a walk

"For those who love long-distance walking, this new 90-mile route from Saltaire, near Shipley, to Appleby will be a delight."
- Ann Clarke, Westmorland Gazette

"Their description of the route makes you want to pull your boots on and set off immediately." 
- Mike Priestley, T&A

"An excellent and innovative route which is to be highly recommended for dedicated fell walkers - my feet are itching to get started on this walk!"
- Peter G. Davies, FoSCL magazine

"Promoted through a superbly illustrated Companion booklet, rich in local geology, history and wildlife, with detailed OS-based maps in an excellent Route Guide, the Dales High Way is a sure-fire winner for all keen Dales' walkers."
- Colin Speakman
Yorkshire Dales Review

News en route

Ramblers regroup after crisis year

As the Ramblers Association celebrates its 75th anniversary, grassroot activists are organising to reassert their authority following a financial crisis that threatened to derail the country's largest walking charity.

As news of the crisis began to emerge in June last year, trustees at the Ramblers Central Office in London were forced to cut £1.7 million from the charity's £6.7 million budget. The Ramblers' Scottish and Welsh offices were closed and 17 staff made redundant.

Chief Executive Tom Franklin said "Like many charities, the Ramblers has been affected by the worst post-war recession. We have had to reduce our spending and raise subscription rates for the first time in two years. But, as a result, our finances are stable and we're stronger for the future."

Key activists, shocked and dismayed by events, have organised under the banner "Concerned Ramblers" and look likely to win key policy changes at the Ramblers General Council meeting in April.

Keith Wadd, who chairs the group, said: "The Concerned Ramblers were meeting together for two main reasons, firstly because of dissatisfaction about how the RA's recent financial crisis had been handled and the poverty of information that had been communicated to members, and secondly because of deep concerns about the direction of RA strategy and, in particular, a widespread view that a diminishing priority is now being given to Rights of Way work."

The Ramblers has a membership of 120,000. At its heart are the 20,000 active volunteers, who run Area and Local groups, organise the upkeep and improvement of the local Rights of Way network and run an extensive programme of led walks.

In the last 75 years Ramblers have campaigned successfully to: 

* Put the Public Rights of Way network on a firm legal basis and ensure its inclusion on OS maps 
* Create the 14 National Parks and 19 National Trails 
* Establish the public "Right to Roam" over huge areas of upland country 
* Create public access to the entire British coastline

Without the work of the Ramblers, long distance trails like A Dales High Way would not exist.

Although Rodney Whittaker, chairman of the Ramblers nationally, did much to reassure members of the West Riding Ramblers at their annual meeting in Ilkley yesterday, two critical motions proposed by the Concerned Ramblers were approved overwhelmingly.

Find out more at The Ramblers website, the West Riding Ramblers and the Concerned Ramblers.

31 January 2010

Portillo revisits the Settle-Carlisle

Michael Portillo, the man responsible for saving the Settle to Carlisle Railway from closure, revisited the line after twenty years as part of his TV series "Great British Railway Journeys" which can be seen next Wednesday on BBC1 at 3.40 pm.

Speaking of the line, Portillo says "The reason it's so special is that this is a piece of magnificent railway architecture. It goes through some of the most stunning countryside and it has some of the most remarkable viaducts. You don't have to be a railway enthusiast to be blown away".

In the programme Portillo meets Pete Shaw and Mark Rand of the Friends of the Settle Carlisle Line, who helped organise the campaign against the proposed closure by British rail in 1985. The former Transport Minister explains: "The campaign raged for six years, generating huge publicity for the line. As a result, ever more people began to use it, strengthening the case for keeping it open. It was my job to get the Prime Minister on side".

Early in the campaign Portillo arranged a top secret cab ride over the line to assess it for himself. He admits it was a "really stressful" decision; "I did feel quite emotional about it, because I felt emotional about a line which is so important in our heritage, and by the way, I thought Margaret Thatcher would understand that argument too."

In the programme, filmed last September over two days, Portillo stops at Settle, Ribblehead, Dent and Garsdale, taking time out to visit the tiny chapel at Chapel-le-Dale where many of the bodies of the navvies and their families who died building the line are buried. He also joins a steam train over Ribblehead Viaduct, crossing the route of A Dales High Way.

Michael Portillo clearly enjoyed making this programme. He admits that saving the Settle Carlisle was his greatest achievement in politics. "Of all the things that I did, it's the one I can still point out and say 'look, that made this difference'".

If you miss the programme, catch it on the BBC's iPlayer, check out the Settle Carlisle Line or visit Michael Portillo's own website.

13 January 2010

Saltaire on film 100 years ago

Astonishing footage, filmed 100 years ago, of Edwardian mill workers visiting Shipley Glen and Saltaire, can now be viewed online. The Yorkshire Film Archive Online was launched last year with 21 hours of historic film, including this 4 ½ minute clip. Another 29 hours are to be added in the near future.

The film shows workers travelling from Bradford to enjoy the Easter fair on Shipley Glen, in 1910 or 1912. The Glen, which is climbed early on A Dales High Way, got its first attraction in 1887 following the closure of the Saltaire Exhibition. The Pleasure Ground, Glen Tramway and other attractions soon followed and it became a popular weekend day out.

In his notes accompanying the film, local historian Mike Short explains: "This film dates from Easter Monday 1910, when around 200,000 people visited the Glen, with around 17,000 using the Tramway. It was filmed as an advertising short to be played at the region's fledgling movie theatres as a way of attracting audiences. A local film maker, Eric Hall, salvaged the original film from a skip."

The film also shows crowds outside Salts Mill, at the bottom of Victoria Road which used to extend straight over the River Aire to the park gates. A steamboat is seen pulling alongside the Boathouse, and people explore Loadpit Beck below the Glen rocks.

The fairground finally closed in 2005, but the Tramway still runs, although it is currently undergoing repairs.

The Yorkshire Film Archive is a charity established to find, preserve and provide access to moving images documenting over one hundred years of life in Yorkshire and has been based at York St John University since 2003.

Watch Easter on Shipley Glen. Visit the Yorkshire Film Archive online or the Shipley Glen Tramway website.

4 January, 2010

New guide to Britain's Long Distance Trails

A brand new guide to over 700 of Britain's long distance trails has just been published, featuring many new routes - including A Dales High Way.

The UK Trailwalker's Handbook is produced by the Long Distance Walkers Association and this expanded and updated edition is the eighth version to be produced since 1980. The first contained just 150 trails, but the list has grown year by year up to the current 730 trails covering some 60,000 miles.

Producing such a detailed and well illustrated directory running to 380 pages has been a momentous task. Co-author John Sparshatt said "Our team have been working on the book for the past three years. Paul Lawrence has been involved with the database for over 10 years."

With the popularity and growth in long distance trails, deciding what to include was a major headache. John reckons over 300 trails had to be left out:

"Each trail we included in the Handbook had in the main to be over 15 miles long and have a publication that was still available and sufficient information so that a prospective walker could obtain details. Many very good trails have been left out because the associated guide book had gone out of print and was no longer easily available. A great shame for some walks whose publications were old - however these walks are still detailed on our website where a comprehensive list is available to the public free of charge."

It is estimated that some 16 million people - about a third of the population - has used a named long distance path in the last year. Walking is now the most popular outdoor activity. So, happy walking to all out there for 2010!

The UK Trailwalker's Handbook, 8th edition, edited by Paul Lawrence, Les Maple and John Sparshatt, published by Cicerone. ISBN 9781852845797 price £18.95.

Buy the Trailwalker's Handbook from the LDWA website, or check out A Dales High Way's listing.

24 December 2009

Sherpa to carry load for High Way walkers

It will cost £7 per day, subject to a minimum of two bags. Sherpa also offer full accommodation booking along the route if required.

Sherpa, the largest of the baggage courier companies, join Brigantes who have been servicing the route since May this year.

The Sherpa Van Project was the brainchild of Frank McCready, who organises walking holidays through his company Sherpa Expeditions. Sherpa Expeditions began in 1973 offering a months walking in Nepal. In the same year one Alfred Wainwrwight published his guide to a new long distance route - his Coast-to-Coast walk. Sherpa were soon organising walking and cycling holidays in Britain too.

In May 1998 Frank founded the Sherpa Van Project, which began carrying baggage for Coast-to-Coast walkers from B&B to B&B.

Frank said "Sherpa Van has been operating for about 10 years now. Demand for our services has been good - this year we are moving around 7000 bags every month in season."

Sherpa are currently featuring A Dales High Way as their "Trail of the month" on their website.

See The Sherpa Van website and Sherpa Expeditions. Brigantes are the other major baggage couriers.

13 December 2009

Settle-Carlisle railway in world top-ten

The railway journey on the scenic Settle to Carlisle line has been rated one of the top ten railway journeys in the world by ABC News in America.

The rail journey, enjoyed by walkers returning from A Dales High Way, is listed alongside the 1000-mile South African Blue Train journey, the Paris to Istanbul Orient Express, the Trans-Siberian railway and Canada's Rocky Mountaineer.

ABC's young London correspondent Samantha Fields said "For so many people, there is something undeniably romantic about the idea of train travel. Of the many great train journeys to be found around the world, we picked 10 of the most scenic and unforgettable; some expensive and luxurious, others historic and rustic. From Siberia to South Africa, Switzerland to Singapore, these are trips that will whisk you back in time, and away through some of the world's most stunning countryside.

Mark Rand, chairman of the Friends of the Settle Carlisle line, said: “We always knew the Settle and Carlisle was extra special, but to be ranked number two in the whole world is a real honour. Now we need to spread the word and bring in people from all corners of the globe to come and visit this wonderful line.”

See the ABC News article here, and watch the Yorkshire Post video of the journey.

1 December 2009

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A Dales High Way Companion

[ Buy Direct from Publisher ]

"If you fancy hiking the 93 miles from Saltaire to Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, this beautifully designed and illustrated book would indeed be an ideal companion to have in the back-pack."
- Jim Greenhalf, T&A

"I cannot recommend this guide highly enough."
- Mike Addison, Westmorland Gazette

"it would make a fine present for you, or a friend. Thoroughly recommended"
- Pete Shaw, FoSCL magazine

A Dales High Way: Route Guide

[ Buy Direct from Publisher ]

"At £6.99 this is an excellently-produced, pocket-sized publication, printed in full colour on quality paper." 
- Mike Priestley, T&A

"This pocket sized book contains many interesting photographs and informative descriptions of the history, geology and the culture of the area - worth buying for these alone."
- Jay Dingley, Strider

"It contains large-scale coloured maps for every two to four miles of the route, and these are full of detailed helpful directions."
- Keith Wadd, West Riding Rambler