DAY 1: Depart from your home area in the morning, travelling to West Yorkshire and arriving at the Cedar Court Hotel Bradford in time for dinner for a 4-night stay with dinner, bed and breakfast.
DAY 2: This morning, we begin with a drive to the pleasant North Yorkshire market town of Settle. We enjoy a ride on the Settle and Carlisle Railway – considered one of England’s most scenic rail journeys. We join the diesel train for the journey, passing through spectacular scenery, crossing the famous Ribblehead Viaduct and stopping at Dent, the highest mainline station in England. We rejoin the coach for the short journey into Hawes, the main town of Wensleydale. After a break and chance to obtain lunch, we continue along the dale, past Aysgarth, to join the Wensleydale Railway. This unique and exciting project aims to restore train services along the whole of Wensleydale, re-instating one of the east-west rail links of the past. Enjoy a journey of about 40 minutes before we return to the hotel.
DAY 3: Today we head off along the Aire Valley to Skipton – ‘Gateway to the Dales’. The main street houses a well-known market, and Skipton Castle stands proudly at the top of the street. Take a stroll around the town and explore some of the interesting little alleyways and shops. From Skipton, we make our way to Haworth, home of the famous Brontë sisters and their notorious brother. Little has changed in the village since they lived at the Parsonage. Later we enjoy a steam train ride along the delightful Worth Valley, following the locations used in the film ‘The Railway Children’. Afterward, we return to the hotel in time for a drink before dinner.
DAY 4: Our journey today begins with a visit to Bolton Abbey. The abbey and ruined priory are set in a beautiful and tranquil location alongside the River Wharfe, surrounded by moorland, woodland and riverside – a truly inspirational setting. We have time for a stroll through this beautiful landscape, part of the Duke of Devonshire’s estate. Continuing through beautiful scenery, we visit the Dales village of Grassington. The cobbled streets, diminutive marketplace and many quaint byways and alleyways make it a place to linger. Later, we return to the hotel for our last night.
DAY 5: After breakfast, we leave and begin our journey home.
