Discover England: The Lake District to Yorkshire Dales

Explore the beauty of England’s North on this self-guided trip, combining two classic English destinations: the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. From the peaceful Borrowdale Valley and its serene lakes to the rolling hills and dramatic limestone cliffs of Malham Cove in the Dales, this trip offers a perfect blend of natural beauty and regional heritage. Choose from a mix of easy-to-moderate (3 - 7 miles in length) hikes along well-marked trails, or take time to explore the regions at your own pace! Our Discover England trips are perfect for those who want to see more of England in a single trip - combining the best of the Lakes District with the Yorkshire Dales. For those who'd like to see even more of England, you might think of adding our sister trip Discover England: Cotswolds & Cornwall Coast to the end of your trip.

Discovery | Think of it as a ‘local’s guide’ to the best of the region. It includes a combination of activity and transportation to give you the freedom to explore and cover more ground at your own pace. We do all the research and organisation for you. All you have to do is turn up and enjoy!

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.

Solo Travellers

The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years

The tour is graded as easy to moderate. The walks are in a variety of terrain including, farmland, limestone uplands, wooded and riverside trails. Expect walks around 6-10 miles a day, with some noticeable hill climbs. While moderately steep at points, it should be more than manageable for any active walker.

Accommodation

You will stay in hand-selected B&B and hotels of typical English character. Expect warm Northern hospitality, comfortable bedrooms and delicious breakfasts.

Alternate accommodation

During the high season, you might be booked into alternative accommodations which are not listed in the description. If those listed are unavailable the alternative accommodation will be of the same or better standard than those described.

Solo Walkers

This holiday is available for solo walkers but we would recommend that you are experienced in walking and navigating alone. 

Single Rooms

If your party, requires single rooms, we will make every effort to accommodate your request. However, this is subject to availability and typically incurs a substantial single supplement. 

Meals

Breakfast is included each morning and consists typically of a continental buffet with tea and coffee, fresh fruits, yoghurt, cereals, eggs and bread with jams. Often also on the menu are cooked options like freshly made porridge or a traditional cooked English breakfast (Bacon/Eggs/Sausage/Beans). This of course varies depending on what hotel you are overnighting in. We don't include lunch and dinner, so you are free to choose from the available options. As you walk along the trails you will see our recommendations on the Macs App. It shows the locations of convenient lunch, dinner, coffee, or pub stops – Expect a mixture of traditional English pubs, cosy tearooms or fine-dining restaurants. If you wish to go somewhere in particular for your evening meal, we recommend checking opening times and reserving a table well in advance before your visit to avoid disappointment.

Using the Macs Adventure Smartphone App is mandatory for this tour.  Paths are part of many established trails within the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks and we provide comprehensive routes, maps and tracks through our smartphone app, so you shouldn’t have any problem finding your way. 

This tour can be enjoyed from April to October.

Spring is great, as the wildflowers will be in bloom, and the local towns and villages will be quieter during the day. Summer is considered the high season, and both regions will be at their busiest in July and August which coincide with the English school holidays. In October, The Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales are covered in lovely orange hues as the leaves start to fall in the Autumn.

By nature, the North of England is prone to varying types of weather throughout the year. Always be prepared for changeable conditions when walking in England. Waterproofs are essential all year round. In the summer months, be prepared for hot weather also - with a lack of shade on the paths (ensure you have sunscreen) and in the shoulder seasons of March or October expect colder temperatures (it’s not a bad idea to pack some gloves or a woolly hat). 

Before you set off each day, it is also important that you pay attention to any weather warnings in place. We recommend visiting https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/  (the UK’s official source for weather warnings). Do not attempt to walk any sections if any serious weather warnings are in place.

Getting to the Lake District (Borrowdale Valley)

Your tour includes a taxi transfer from Penrith Train Station to take you to your first accommodation in the Borrowdale Valley (just south of Keswick).

It is worth noting that Penrith Train Station is well-connected to most major transport hubs across the UK. If you’re flying inbound from overseas, there's no need to necessarily arrive via London. For the most convenient options, we recommend flying into either Manchester or one of the Scotland-based airports (Glasgow or Edinburgh). Direct trains from Manchester Picadilly Station, Glasgow Central Staton or Edinburgh Waverley Station take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours.

From London, there is an hourly direct train service from London Euston station to Penrith train station that runs late into the evening. Expect a journey time of approximately 4 hours

For travellers arriving at London Heathrow Airport and looking to get to London Euston Station, you will need to take a train on the London Underground, commonly referred to as the "tube". First, take the Elizabeth Line tube train from Heathrow Terminal 2 to Tottenham Court Road Station (30 mins), and then it's a 20-minute walk to Euston Station (or if you are feeling confident on the tube, you can switch to the Northern Line and take the tube directly into Euston station itself!).

If you're arriving at London Gatwick Airport, the most efficient method is to take the train heading to Cambridge and get off at St Pancras International (45 mins). From St Pancras, it's around a 10-minute walk to London Euston Station.

Getting from York

For your onward travel plans, you can get to almost all major UK transport hubs in around 2-3 hours. Direct trains run from York Train Station to Manchester Picadilly Station (1.5 hours), Edinburgh Waverley Station (2.5 hours) or London King's Cross (2 hours).

For those flying outbound from London, you can easily connect to London Heathrow Airport from London Kings Cross by going via the London Underground to London Paddington Station, then hop on the Heathrow Express Bus, which takes you directly to London Heathrow.

If you are leaving from London, Gatwick, you can take a direct train from St Pancras International (just outside King's Cross) directly to Gatwick Airport (30 mins).

Baggage Transfers

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 18kg/40lbs per person. Please keep in mind that you’ll be carrying your overnight bags with you on public trains, so we recommend packing as light and compact as possible for your own convenience.

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase.  Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person.  It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.