Hi all,
My eldest is due to sit his GCSEs in a couple of months.
After they finish, there's a good chunk of time available to do something fun and he quite fancies doing a multi day trip with me.
I'm thinking 3 days / 2 nights or 4 days / 3 nights.
This could be walking or cycling. I'm erring towards walking as he's not really a keen cyclist and would need to do some training! He'll happily walk for miles.
Any recommendations?
All I've come up with so far is C2C cycling, some kind of circular lakes walking route, or maybe walking part of the dales way through Yorkshire (might be a bit much to attempt it all walking over 4 days!)
We live in Leeds, so somewhere relatively close, or at least fast to get to, is a good idea to make the most of the time and avoid too much travel.
We'd probably be better off staying in b&bs, but I wouldn't rule bivvying out completely if it opens up great route choices
The Cleveland Way or the Yorkshire Wolds Way are doable and accessible from Leeds. Partner and I did the Esk Valley Way, finishing in Whitby, for our 25th wedding anniversary. It was 3-4 days slow walking and lunches and overnights in pubs that had good food and beer.
There's the dale's way as you say, Ilkley to bo'ness on Windermere, five days of around 17 miles a day though the last days about 11. It's lovely, we b&BD it last summer, swam in rivers every day, there's pubs and cafés along most of the route. Train to Ilkley, train home from Windermere.
You could compress it into four days, or stop in Kendal and get the train from oxenholme.
If considering a cycle tour, the 'coast and castles south' route from Newcastle to Edinburgh is a good on and not especially hilly at all. We took the route west from Berwick via Innerleithen. Lots of options for accommodation. Shuttle services available to take you back to your starting point.
How fit are you both and used to walking?
Had friends who have done circular walk in Lakes - hard because of the ascent and distance between places to stay - and bits of the Pennine Way - which is HARD because of the same, much more up-and-down hard on the knees stuff. I would opt for a slower paced (less distance) loop or point-to-point with train or bus connection.
If he finishes exams end of June though, you might have to take time off mid-week to find B&B / pub accommodation you can book for single nights in July. Places with more accommodation options (maybe):
- North Yorkshire Coast (Cleveland Way) - start park at Scarborough, bus to Whitby and then Staithes; 2.5 days walking Staithes to Sandsend/Whitby to Robins Hood Bay to Scarborough; 10-12 miles each day.
- southern Yorkshire Dales. Park the car at Skipton, train to Settle. Walk Settle to Malham via the Malham Cove, then to Grassington and back to Skipton. Or get the bus on to Ingleton and walk 4 days Ingleton-Horton in Ribblesdale (over Ingleborough)-Malham-Grassington-Skipton.
- Peaks, with 5 days I would try and loop from the Hope railway line through Tideswell, Monsal, Lathkill Dale and back along the edges towards Hathersage, but it's too much for a short trip. But you can use the railway line to walk Edale to Hathersage area, but use each day to go up the hills and walk the ridgelines and Stanage Edge via Ladybower and you can make appropriate distances.
If you live in Leeds and want something accessible, get the train to Ribblehead and walk home? Could use a mix of Pennine Way, Dales Way and Dales Highway and get him to navigate.
Thanks all, I'll give those options some thought.
@teaandbiscuit there's something really rewarding about that sort of trip. Where you either set off from home for a far away place, or aim to get back home under your own steam 🙂
Offa's Dyke would keep you busy, but Google reckons ~12 days to walk it! 😮
Mrs NS had a great time walking Hadrian’s Wall staying in B&Bs. Train to Newcastle, walk to Carlisle (about 70 miles) and train back to Leeds would be doable.
@teaandbiscuit there’s something really rewarding about that sort of trip. Where you either set off from home for a far away place, or aim to get back home under your own steam 🙂
Totally. I did Dent to home (Ilkleyish) over a couple of days last summer and loved it. Long days though! The feeling of getting home and lying in the garden with a beer was magic 🙂
Cumbria Way walk- 73 miles south-north (or vice versa) through the lakes but through valleys and passes so not too full on. Ulverston-Carlisle so easy train access, can even get a train to Leeds home from Carlisle via the beautiful Settle line. Can shorten it by pulling out at Keswick if heading north or Coniston if heading south.
There is the newly opened cumbrian coastal path https://www.visitcumbria.com/wc/the-cumbria-coastal-way/ . That would be easy to start / finish at any point along there as it's all near the railway.
I have similar plans for number 1 child.
C2C is my preferred option but it depends on Alpkit delivering my new Sonder in time, didnt really consider a walking route but I will now.
