Pennine Way Central (8 Days & 7 Nights)
- Walk the Pennine Way Central, starting in the Yorkshire Dales, to Hadrian’s Wall.
- The majestic views of Pen-y-Ghent and Fountain Fells in Three Peaks country.
- Mesmerising and historical sights of old Roman mile castles and forts.
- Wonderful and warm “northern” welcome from your accommodations.
- Following trails through the majestic Swaledale and Wensleydale valleys.
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Horton-in-Ribblesdale and overnightHorton-in-Ribblesdale is a great starting point for the central section as it is on a main train line and easy to reach.
You are assured a very warm welcome at the Broad Croft House. This beautiful barn conversion is ideally situated for walker and all rooms have en-suite shower rooms and lovely views. The proprietors use quality cotton bed linen and towels and provide luxury toiletries and tea/coffee making facilities in your room to make your stay more comfortable. There is also a drying room on site.
Edd and Jan will provide you with the warmest of welcomes at their 19th Century Farmhouse B&B. The property has been recently refurbished and tastefully restored to a very high standard. All rooms come complete with comfortable beds with Egyptian cotton bedding, non-allergenic top-quality duvets, flat screen TV, tea and coffee making facilities (with fresh milk), fresh bottled water from their spring, free Wi-Fi, hairdryer, USB charger sockets, and Cole & Lewis toiletries.
Beck Hall was built in 1710 and has been providing hotel and B&B accommodation since the 1930's. Beck Hall offers a warm welcome to walkers. They have a spacious guest lounge, on a colder winter night don't be surprised to be co-opted to maintain the log fire that occupies one end of the lounge. All of the rooms at Beck Hall are rather different and distinct. All rooms have TV, tea and coffee making facilities, central heating and heated towel rails.
Walk well worn trails, stone tracks and an old roman road, accommpanied by the now traditional scenery of sprawling moorland and fields. You'll pass through a nature reserve at Ling Gill and rise and fall among the fells.
Ascent/descent: +404m/-401m
Cockett's Hotel and Restaurant dates back to 1668 and was originally a Quaker Temperance Hotel. Today all 11 bedrooms have en-suite facilities, TV, coffee and tea facilities and either views across the Yorkshire Dales or onto the Market Place of Hawes. You are invited to take advantage of the resident's lounge or enjoy a drink in the bar. The restaurant is open Thursday to Saturday, serving a wide choice of home-cooked dishes. If you would like to make a booking please email or call on 01969 667162
The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of the town centre providing easy access to local attractions and shops.
The 300-year old ‘quirky’ Herriot building on the main cobbled street that runs through Hawes comprises of Herriot’s Guest House, Herriot’s Kitchen and The Herriot Gallery, an ideal location to browse local artwork, enjoy fresh home-made produce, and relax and become guests of Glenn & Liz. They offer six en-suite bedrooms, all of which benefit from the expected home comforts. All of their rooms have been refurbished over the last few winters and have new bathrooms throughout.
Check-in time is strictly between 4 & 7 pm & Breakfast is served in their gallery dining area between 8.15 and 9 am.
Wensleydale House offers guests comfortably furnished spacious ensuite bedrooms, guest lounge and a separate breakfast room overlooking farmer's field and 'our' beck (small stream). The house is centrally heated and on cooler nights guests can enjoy an open fire in the lounge room. For breakfast they offer a choice of full English, continental or vegetarian. All ingredients are sourced from local suppliers featuring local produce wherever possible.
Check in is 3pm – 6pm
From Hawes to Thwaite you must overcome the longest continual ascent on the Way, Great Shunner Fell, before arriving in the picture-postcard scenery of Swaledale and the small town of Thwaite where an attractive tearoom awaits. However brief, the path from Thwaite is not a relaxing stroll. Power up the steep incline of Kisdon Hill and enjoy the fantastic views at the top before continuing on to Keld.
Ascent/descent: +654m/-577m
A warm welcome awaits you at Keld Lodge. This former shooting lodge is now a comfortable hotel and restaurant. You can enjoy the amazing views from the conservatory dining room, lounge, and many of the bedrooms. They place an emphasis on doing the simple things well.
Butt House pride themselves on warmly welcoming walkers after a long day's trekking. They provide drying and laundry facilities, packed lunches, home cooked food, along with a fully licensed bar. All rooms have TVs, hairdryers, tea & coffee making facilities and fabulous views of the area. On the ground floor there is a drying area for boots and coats, a lounge with open fire, dining room, and bar/reception area, where, in the height of the season, you can enjoy a pint of Black Sheep Ale, available on tap.
Frith Lodge is a 300-year-old Swaledale farmhouse which has been lovingly restored and refurbished. They have 3 doubles and 2 twin bedrooms which are all en-suite, have tea and coffee making facilities include fresh milk and homemade biscuits and each bedroom has FreeSat TV, hairdryer, welcome guide and breathtaking views from every window. Their guest lounge has stunning views and is the perfect place to rest and relax after a day walking. Check-in time is 15:30
After departing from Keld, pass through Stonesdale Moor and onwards to Tan Hill, where you will find the infamous Tan Hill Inn (England’s highest pub), a great place to stop for lunch if you can time it right. Then head off across Sleightholme Moor before arriving in the delightful town of Middleton-in-Teesdale on the banks of the River Tees.
Ascent/descent: +649m/-739m
Brunswick House is a charming stone built Teesdale village guest house, dating from 1760, offering luxury bed and breakfast accommodation. In each room there is a flat screen TV/DVD player with freeview digital channels, CD player, radio, hair dryer, fridge with complimentary mineral water and fresh milk and tea/coffee making facilities. Luxuriously furnished and decorated, their bedrooms offer a lovely space in which to relax.
Belvedere House (or 'The Belvedere' as referred to by locals) has a long history of providing quality and welcoming bed and breakfast accomodation to visitors from all over the world to the stunning area of Teesdale. All bedrooms have their own bathroom and offer ample space and storage for your comfort. The rooms all have a flatscreen TV, tea and coffee making facilities and Wifi.
Retaining the best of the old with the best of the modern world, they offer accommodation and friendly service of a very high standard. All their rooms have en-suite accommodation plus television and tea/coffee making facilities. They are all tastefully and individually decorated and are warm and welcoming, immaculately clean with crisp white linen. There is also a spacious Residents' Lounge plus a bespoke Dining Room. The hotel is tastefully furnished and decorated; modernised whilst maintaining the tradition of this historic listed building.
The next section to Dufton includes some of the highlights of the Pennine Way including the breath-taking High Force waterfall and the dramatic scenery of High Cup Nick. Continuing on to Dufton you will also pass the huge waterfall of Cauldron Snout. As there is no suitable accommodation in Dufton you will be picked up and transferred to the nearby pretty village of Appleby for your accommodation this evening. You will be transferred back to Dufton to continue your walk the next morning.
Ascent/descent: +449m/-463m
Bongate House was built about 1760, in the style of many large farmhouses of that period. Over the years it has been extended and now is quite a sizeable property. The house has been completely refurbished, enhancing the quality and comfort of the accommodation, but still preserving the "old farmhouse" qualities. They have nine bedrooms which are en-suite and are pleasantly decorated, and each has colour television and tea / coffee making facilities. Free WiFi is available in all rooms.
John and Jan welcome you to the Hollies, a friendly and welcoming B&B in the heart of the Eden Valley. The Hollies, built in 1856, was extensively & tastefully modernised in 2014 for the 21st century. John and Jan have focused on creating a warm and relaxing atmosphere while keeping, adapting or re-instating many original Victorian features. Both bedrooms are on the first floor, up the sweeping Victorian staircase, and are traditionally furnished with the only fitted item being the headboard! They offer views of the surrounding hills and 3 acres of gardens and woods, which you are free to explore.
The Tufton Arms Hotel is a small, intimate, luxury hotel in Cumbria, situated in the centre of the charming medieval town of Appleby-in-Westmorland.
This next section begins with the challenge of reaching the highest point of the Pennine Way at Cross Fell, and in total achieving over 1100m of ascent between Dufton and Alston. Reach the pretty village of Garrigill which breaks up the section before pushing on for another few miles along the river into attractive Alston - England's highest market town.
Ascent/descent: +892m/-803m
Alston House Hotel is an imposing 17th century building situated a few minutes stroll from the centre of Alston; which is one of the highest towns in the UK. Over the last two years all of their rooms have been completely refurbished with luxury bathrooms, flat-screen TVs, deep, plush carpets and high quality memory foam beds for that all important good night’s sleep.
Lowbyer is a Grade II listed Georgian Manor House, each of the nine guest bedrooms have been designed with the guest in mind, All rooms are en-suite with either a bath or shower room and have complimentary refreshments tray, colour television, radio alarm clock, hair dryer and complimentary toiletries. Their cosy snug Bar with inglenook fireplace offers a wide selection of wines, spirits, liqueurs, soft drinks and bottled cider, lager & beers. The Guest Lounge with real wood fire, is a very comfortable and relaxing room. It offers a good selection of books, magazines and daily newspapers.
The Cumberland offers you a warm welcome. The comfortable rooms were fully refurbished in 2006, and all offer en-suite bathrooms, hairdryers, colour television and tea and coffee making facilities. In November 2008 they were awarded 3 stars by Visit Britain in the 'Inn' category of Guest Accommodation.
From Alston you have the option of walking part of the alternative South Tyne Trail or keeping to the traditional Pennine Way path (the route shown here.) See your guidebook for more information.
You will then join onto the Maiden Way, a roman road that was used for bringing supplies to the wall. The wettest section of the whole Way is met at Blenkinsopp Common. After this challenge, reward yourself with a well-deserved rest in Greenhead, the official end of the Pennine Way's Central section.
Ascent/descent: +434m/-577m
Holmhead offers comfortable accommodation in a great location right on the Pennine Way. Holmhead has four cosy en-suite bedrooms, the rooms are comfortably furnished and have all the amenities you need with plenty of storage space and lovely countryside views.
You will be guaranteed a warm welcome when you check into this accommodation. Each guest room is individually designed in keeping with the heritage of the building, all rooms are en-suite and have all the amenities you require for a lovely overnight stay. Their restaurant serves homemade meals, freshly prepared and uses local ingredients. The hotel also has a warm and friendly bar with a large open fire and two imposing stone fireplaces. The bar stocks a selection of beers, lagers, ales and wines.
Set against the backdrop of historic Hadrian's Wall in the heart of the glorious unspoilt Northumbrian countryside, Blenkinsopp Castle Inn is a coaching stable dating back to the 13th century. Connected to a grade 1 Listed Castle with ancient and historic origins, the Inn is a veritable treasure trove of architectural features.
After breakfast your walking holiday will come to an end. See the Travel Info section for some useful details for your onward travel.
Other Information
Is it for me?If you want to take a challenging long-distance walk following trails through the heart of the English countryside, then this tour is for you. Wide swathes of green countryside give way to history as you reach Hadrian’s Wall, so history buffs will also enjoy this section. Cosy English pubs and local brews can also be taken advantage of!
Solo Travellers
This holiday is graded strenuous and is most suitable for those walkers with previous long distance experience and a good to excellent level of physical fitness. The route is a mixture of paths through open moorlands and on fields and tracks. Trails may have rocky sections and some of the paths are indistinct and can become very muddy and boggy in wet weather, when progress can often be slow.
You will experience a variety of accommodations, from small B&B's and guesthouses to country inns and hotels. They all offer warm welcomes and traditional hospitality. We may also use the occasional nice youth hostel in Edale, Dufton, and Langdon Beck, however, the rooms we book for you will always be private.
On the Pennine Way, accommodation choices are limited along the trail, so if we cannot secure a reservation for you in towns and villages that are actually on the trail, we will book you into accommodations close by and then provide transfers. On the Pennine Way Complete, in busy times, this may mean up to 6 or 7 transfers on the longer itineraries and up to 2 or 3 on the shorter ones. Your destination specialist will talk you through options should this be the case.
Single Rooms & Solo Walkers
If you require single rooms we would be happy to accommodate you, although there is a single room supplement payable.
We welcome solo walkers on the Pennine Way, but please note that the price is substantially higher due to solo supplements in accommodations and primarily via baggage handlers carrying one bag. In terms of walking, you should of course, take extra care in the outdoors when walking solo and you must have the ability to read a map and compass.
The route is waymarked but in some places, the signs become less obvious, and the trail is not always easy to find. At least one of your party should be able to navigate with map and compass. We provide a Pennine Way guidebook and Harvey maps to assist you.
- Overnights in B&B’s, guesthouses & country inns
- Breakfasts
- Luggage transfers
- Detailed Information Pack, guidebook and maps
- 24/7 telephone support from our UK office
- Return taxi transfer to Alston for dining options if you are staying in Garrigill.
- Travel to Horton-in-Ribbledale
- Travel from Greenhead
- Lunches & Dinners
- Snacks & drinks
- Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
- Travel Insurance
- Personal Equipment
- Additional nights before, during or after the walk.
You can start your Pennine Way Central walk anytime between April and September and on any date, depending on availability.
The closest airport to Horton-in-Ribblesdale is Leeds-Bradford. Catch a train from Horton to Leeds Centre and from here take a local bus or taxi to the airport (an approx 2H journey). You can also take a train to Manchester Airport and to any of the London Airports, although this will be via other stations, such as Leeds and Manchester Piccadilly. As Horton-in-Ribblesdale is on a train line it is possible to get anyway in the UK, however you need to check the timetables and schedules for the most efficient journey. Two good informational websites which will help you achieve this are the Traveline and the Trainline.
The best way to connect to major gateways from Greenhead is to take either a local bus or taxi to Haltwhistle (5 miles away), where there is a train station. From Haltwhistle you can take trains to Newcastle (approx. 2H journey) and then change trains to they to Newcastle Airport, which is the closest one to Greenhead. You can also take trains from Haltwhistle to Carlisle and then onto Manchester Airport or Glasgow Airport. You can find bus information and schedules on the Traveline or Trainline website.
Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation.
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 up to 17kg. 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.
Due to baggage transfer restrictions, we can only offer this walk from South to North (Edale to Kirk Yetholm).
Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a daypack.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate walkers with dogs as many of the accommodation providers we use do not accept pets.
You can use local bus services or local taxis to continue to your next overnight stop.
As far in advance as possible! We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as it is an extremely popular walk and the accommodation gets booked up quickly. If booking at short notice we will always try and accommodate your plans.
On the Pennine Way accommodation choices are limited along the trail, so if we cannot secure a reservation for you in towns and villages that are actually on the trail, we will book you into accommodations close by and then provide transfers. On the Pennine Way Complete, in busy times, this may mean up to 6 or 7 transfers on the longer itineraries and up to 2 or 3 on the shorter ones. Your destination specialist will talk you through options should this be the case.
Yes, some navigation skills are necessary as the route is not way-marked. You follow route notes and a map that are provided.
You will need very good walking shoes/boots (ideally waterproof), comfortable walking clothes, waterproof jacket and trousers, a daypack and hats/gloves etc.
The Pennine Way is very enjoyable at any time between the end of March and end of September although our personal favourite time of year is the spring and Autumn.
This holiday is graded depending on which itinerary you choose. The longer itineraries are moderate to strenuous and the shorter ones are strenuous. These itineraries are most suitable for those walkers with previous long distance experience and an excellent level of physical fitness.
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