Yorkshire Dales and Bolton Castle Day Trip from York

Grassington and the Yorkshire Dales National Park

The Yorkshire Dales National Park is famous for limestone hills, green valleys, dry stone walls and grazing sheep, and it is the main reason people choose a Yorkshire Dales day trip from York. The tour enters the Dales through Wharfedale and stops first at Grassington, a market town on the River Wharfe with a cobbled square, old stone buildings and shops.

You have about 40 minutes of free time to walk around, take photographs and have a look at the little streets that once served lead-mining families. Your driver-guide explains how the Dales landscape was shaped by farming, quarrying and mining, which helps you make sense of the walls and barns that you see all day.

Hubberholme church and Yockenthwaite

Further up the valley, the tour makes short stops at St Michael and All Angels church in Hubberholme and at Yockenthwaite. The church is small and old, set beside the river, and has a carved wooden rood loft that is a rare survivor from the sixteenth century. It is a quiet and photogenic place, and visitors often remember it as one of the calmest moments of the day.

Yockenthwaite is a tiny hamlet in Langstrothdale, close to the upper River Wharfe, and ancient stone circles survive in the area. Each stop lasts about ten minutes, enough for a photograph and a short walk. If you are wondering whether the Dales are worth a day, these stops show the remote side of the national park that most visitors on the main road never see.

Wensleydale Creamery Visitor Centre in Hawes

Wensleydale is the broad dale that gives its name to the well-known crumbly cheese, and Hawes is the market town at its head. The tour spends about 75 minutes here, so you can visit the Wensleydale Creamery Visitor Centre, learn about the story of the cheese and look at the shops and cafes of Hawes at your own pace. Food and drinks are not included in the ticket, so anything you buy is at your own cost.

It is the longest stop of the day and a good place for lunch or souvenirs. If you search for the best day trip to Wensleydale from York, this stop is the reason why: it combines a local industry with a traditional Dales market town, all within a short walk.

Askrigg and Aysgarth Falls

The route continues down Wensleydale through Askrigg, a handsome village of stone houses on a quiet street, where the minibus passes through for a ten-minute stop. Beyond it lies Aysgarth Falls, three tiers of waterfalls where the River Ure drops over broad limestone steps. The upper falls and the lower falls are both well known and reached by a short path.

The tour allows about ten minutes at Aysgarth Falls, enough to reach a viewpoint and take photographs. The water level varies with rainfall, and the falls are at their most powerful after wet weather. Wear shoes with a good grip, because the paths around the falls can be slippery.

Bolton Castle

Bolton Castle rises above the dale near Leyburn and is one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in northern England. It was built in the late fourteenth century by Richard Scrope, and Mary, Queen of Scots was held here for several months in 1568 and 1569. The tower walls, great hall and battlements give a clear idea of life in a noble household.

The tour allows about one hour at the castle. Entry to Bolton Castle is not included in the ticket, so you pay at the gate if you wish to go inside. On certain dates the castle is closed to the public and the tour does not stop there, so check your confirmation. Opening hours change by season, so it is worth confirming them before you plan your visit.