Grassington to Cray

*** To help you follow the route with confidence we have provided a general overview below of the Grassington to Cray walking route to keep you on track. The Ales and Dales Trail largely follows England's national walking trail networks and is navigationally straightforward, however, please ensure that you follow the GPS tracks in the Macs Adventure smartphone app to ensure you have a safe, enjoyable and problem-free day.  The daily maps can also be printed from the web version of the app should you wish to take paper copies with you. ***

Stage 1 (Grassington to end of Bank Lane) - 0.0 to 0.7km: The Dales Way stage 2 actually starts in Burnsall and makes its way through Grassington Main Street which is where you will pick up the trail and then shortly cut off onto Chapel Street and head towards the upper end of the town, here you will start to see a change from the modern amenities of the cobbled market square to the quieter backstreets where the locals reside. Continue on Chapel street till you reach a wooden signpost that points you in the direction of Bank Lane, follow Bank Lane (Stony dirt track) till it comes to its obvious end. At this point there a selection of routes you can take over the Upper Wharfedale Fells and the Ales and Dales Trail follows strictly to the Dales Way.

Stage 2 (Bank Lane to Coniston Pie) - 0.7 to 5.0km: Barring a mast tower and some remnants of those that worked here in the past such as an old Lime Kiln you are largely walking through wide empty fields with only the livestock to keep you company for around 5 kilometres to Conistone Pie - A sprouting rock formation that is a good spot to sit and grab a snack and drink! As a rule of thumb when walking this section, is to keep to the higher ground paths where possible and ensure you pay close attention to the red line on the Macs app that follows the official Dales Way route - there are many paths that veer off in other directions (normally leading to the same place in most cases with a detour) but it might mean you end up walking down a hefty slope that of course in turns means you have walk back up it when you realise you've taken a wrong turn! 

Stage 3 (Coniston Pie to Kettlewell) - 5.0 to 10.1km: With Conistone Pie now behind you, the path continues along the top of the valley for a further 2 kilometres or so before it and starts to descend towards Kettlewell via some woodland sections. With the village in sight, the walk to actually get there is notorious for some hopscotch over a multitude of fences, styles, gates and ladders! Kettlewell is the perfect spot for some lunch in one of its many pubs or cafes, keep in mind you will return back to Kettlewell on your final day so perhaps don't spend too much time here.

Stage 4 (Kettlewell to Buckden Bridge) - 10.1 to 16.8km: Leaving Kettlewell things are much gentler (and simpler, there is really only one path the entire way to Buckden) as you skirt the side of the River Wharfe with the classic Dales countryside and drystone walls anchoring much of the stunning backdrop around you. Around 3 kilometres after leaving Kettlewell there is an "in and out" circular detour to Starbotton, a friendly village pub for those seeking further refreshments! If you plan on doing the Buckden Pike memorial route later in the tour then we suggest skipping it for now as you will have the opportunity to visit it again on Day 7 - Buckden is only a further 3.5 kilometres up the path where you can pop into the Buck Inn for food and drink (which we thoroughly recommend),

Stage 5 (Buckden Bridge to Buckden Car Park - where the trail to Cray Starts) - 16.8 to 17.2km: As you come off the riverside path outside Buckden, cross the Buckden bridge walk along the small country road (be mindful of cars) into the village centre - For those overnighting in Buckden tonight, your walk ends here. Be sure to follow the remainder of this section the following morning before switching to the Cray to Hawes route on the Macs App.

If you plan on skipping a pub stop to the Buck Inn, you can carry on following the red line up on the Macs App and cut off via the small dirt road towards the line of stone houses ahead of you. From here it is a short walk to a car park where Stage 3 of the Lady Anne's Way begins as it climbs towards Cray.

Stage 6 (Buckden Car park to White Cray Inn turn off) - 17.2 to 19.0km: Head to the gate at the top end of the car park that's signposted for Buckden Pike and Cray, follow this stony path for around 2 kilometres to the turnoff at Cray. The first kilometre is very steep but the bridleway eventually levels out and the path is flat for the remainder of it. After passing through some gates, you will actually be above Cray and the cut off to the White Lion Inn is shown on the Waymarker on the Macs App.

Stage 7 (Turn off on the path to White Cray Inn) - 19.0 to 19.3km: Turn off the path as it drops down to a stream, where you can use the stepping stones to cross and the White Lion Inn is just ahead of you. 

Post Walk Drinks recommendation in Cray: The White Lion Inn

*** This is the end of our Grassington to Cray route, Please use your included documentation to find your overnight accommodation ***