Perfect 7-Day Yorkshire Dales Itinerary: Autumn Colors and Dry Stone Walls
Seven autumn days in the Yorkshire Dales is when the landscape shows its true character. The limestone glows golden in the low light, the moorland turns russet and purple, and the waterfalls are at their most dramatic after autumn rains. This is walking country at its best—dry stone walls, field barns, and villages that time forgot.
Autumn brings shorter days and the first frosts, but also the most stable weather of the year. Pack layers, waterproofs, and a torch for early evenings.
Day 1: Malham Cove and Gordale Scar
Morning: Malham Cove (9:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
Malham Cove, Malham BD23 4DJ
Parking: Malham National Park Centre — £4 for 4 hours, £6 all day
A huge curved limestone cliff face, 80 metres high and 300 metres wide. Featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
The walk:
- The base of the cove—look up at the sheer limestone wall
- The steps to the top—400 stone steps up the side
- The limestone pavement—clints (blocks) and grikes (fissures), formed by glaciers
Autumn highlight: The peregrine falcons are still hunting. Watch from the base of the cove.
Lunch: The Buck Inn, Malham (12:30 PM)
The Buck Inn, Malham BD23 4DA
Price: £12-20 for lunch
Phone: 01729 830214
Pub in the centre of the village. Fire, real ales, Yorkshire food.
Afternoon: Gordale Scar and Janet's Foss (2:00 PM - 5:30 PM)
Gordale Scar—a dramatic limestone gorge with waterfalls.
The walk: From Malham, follow the path to Gordale Scar (2 miles). The gorge narrows until you're walking between towering limestone walls.
Janet's Foss—a waterfall in a woodland clearing, named after a fairy queen.
Autumn highlight: The beech woods around Janet's Foss turn golden in October.
Evening: Dinner at The Lister Arms (7:00 PM)
The Lister Arms, Malham BD23 4DB
Price: £20-35 for dinner
Phone: 01729 830426
Gastropub with rooms. Autumn menu: Yorkshire game, local beef.
Day 2: Aysgarth Falls and Wensleydale
Morning: Aysgarth Falls (9:30 AM - 12:30 PM)
Aysgarth Falls, Aysgarth DL8 3TH
Parking: £3 all day
A triple-decker waterfall on the River Ure. The falls are spectacular after autumn rain.
The walk: Follow the Upper, Middle, and Lower Falls—a 2-mile circular walk through woodland.
Autumn highlight: The woodland is spectacular—oak, ash, and beech in full color.
Lunch: The Aysgarth Falls Hotel (12:30 PM)
The Aysgarth Falls Hotel, Aysgarth DL8 3SR
Price: £12-20 for lunch
Phone: 01969 663231
Hotel and pub overlooking the falls. Fire, real ales, hearty food.
Afternoon: Bolton Castle (2:30 PM - 5:30 PM)
Bolton Castle, Redmire DL8 4ET
Entry: £12 adults
Open: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM (winter hours)
A 14th-century fortress where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in 1568.
The castle:
- The Great Chamber—where Mary was held
- The battlements—views over Wensleydale
- The gardens—herb garden, maze, vineyard
Autumn highlight: The castle is heated—a good escape on a cold day.
Evening: Dinner at The Wensleydale Heifer (7:30 PM)
The Wensleydale Heifer, West Witton DL8 4LS
Price: £30-50 for dinner
Book: 01969 622322
Gastropub with a reputation for seafood. Autumn menu: game, local beef.
Day 3: Hawes and the Wensleydale Railway
Morning: Wensleydale Creamery (10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
Wensleydale Creamery, Gayle Lane, Hawes DL8 3RN
Entry: £5 (includes tasting)
The home of Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese. The creamery makes 4,000 tonnes a year.
The tour: See the cheese-making process, taste the different varieties.
The shop: Buy cheese to take home—the mature Wensleydale is the classic.
Lunch: The White Hart Inn, Hawes (12:30 PM)
The White Hart Inn, Main Street, Hawes DL8 3LZ
Price: £12-20 for lunch
Phone: 01969 667321
Pub in the highest market town in England (850 metres). Fire, real ales, Yorkshire food.
Afternoon: The Wensleydale Railway (2:00 PM - 5:00 PM)
The Wensleydale Railway, Hawes DL8 3NT
Return fare: £18 adults
Book: wensleydalerailway.com
A heritage railway running through the heart of the Dales.
The journey: From Leeming Bar to Redmire (16 miles), through Wensleydale.
Autumn highlight: The steam trains run on selected dates—check the website. The smell of coal smoke in the cold air is magical.
Evening: Dinner at The Angel Inn (7:00 PM)
The Angel Inn, Hetton BD23 6LT
Price: £40-60 for dinner
Book: 01756 730263
Michelin star
One of Yorkshire's finest restaurants. Autumn tasting menu: Yorkshire game, local cheeses.
Day 4: White Scar Caves and Ingleton
Morning: White Scar Caves (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
White Scar Caves, Ingleton LA6 3AW
Entry: £14 adults
Open: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (winter hours)
Britain's longest show cave, discovered in 1923.
The tour: 80-minute guided walk through the caves. Highlights:
- The Battlefield—thousands of stalactites
- The Witch's Fingers—delicate formations
- The Frozen Waterfall—a flowstone cascade
Autumn highlight: The caves are a constant 8°C—warmer than outside in winter!
Lunch: The Marton Arms (12:30 PM)
The Marton Arms, Thornton in Lonsdale LA6 3PB
Price: £12-20 for lunch
Phone: 015242 41228
Pub near the caves. Fire, real ales, hearty food.
Afternoon: Ingleton Waterfalls Trail (2:30 PM - 5:30 PM)
Ingleton Waterfalls Trail, Ingleton LA6 3ET
Entry: £9 adults
A 4.5-mile circular trail through ancient woodland and past waterfalls.
The falls:
- Pecca Falls—a series of five waterfalls
- Thornton Force—the highlight, a 14-metre drop
- Beezley Falls—twin waterfalls
Autumn highlight: The woodland is spectacular—oak, birch, and rowan in full color.
Evening: Dinner at The Masons Arms (7:00 PM)
The Masons Arms, Strawberry Bank, Cartmel Fell LA11 6NW
Price: £30-50 for dinner
Book: 015395 68486
Gastropub with views over the Lyth Valley. Autumn menu: game, local lamb.
Day 5: Settle and the Ribblehead Viaduct
Morning: Settle (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
Settle, BD24 9EJ
A market town at the gateway to the Dales.
The Market—Tuesday (outdoor market with local produce).
The Shops—independent shops, cafes, and the Settle Stories storytelling centre.
The Folly—a 17th-century house, now a museum (£5).
Lunch: The Lion at Settle (12:30 PM)
The Lion at Settle, Duke Street, Settle BD24 9DU
Price: £12-20 for lunch
Phone: 01729 822203
Historic coaching inn. Fire, real ales, Yorkshire food.
Afternoon: Ribblehead Viaduct (2:30 PM - 5:00 PM)
Ribblehead Viaduct, Ingleton LA6 3AS
The most iconic structure in the Dales—24 arches, 32 metres high, 400 metres long.
The walk: From the viaduct, walk up Whernside (one of the Three Peaks) or explore the limestone pavements.
Autumn highlight: The low sun lights up the limestone beautifully.
The Station Inn—pub at Ribblehead with views of the viaduct.
Evening: Dinner at The Traddock (7:00 PM)
The Traddock, Austwick, Settle BD24 0AE
Price: £40-60 for dinner
Book: 015242 51224
Country house hotel with a restaurant. Autumn menu: Yorkshire game, local beef.
Day 6: Grassington and Wharfedale
Morning: Grassington (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
Grassington, BD23 5LB
The most popular village in the Dales—stone cottages, independent shops, and a thriving arts scene.
The Square—the heart of the village, with shops and cafes.
Grassington National Park Centre—information, exhibitions.
The Devonshire Arms—historic pub with a fire.
Lunch: The Foresters Arms (12:30 PM)
The Foresters Arms, Grassington BD23 5AA
Price: £12-20 for lunch
Phone: 01756 752314
Pub in the centre of the village. Fire, real ales, hearty food.
Afternoon: Burnsall and the River Wharfe (2:30 PM - 5:30 PM)
Burnsall—a village with a five-arched bridge over the River Wharfe.
The Red Lion—pub with a riverside garden.
The Dales Way—walk along the river to Bolton Abbey (6 miles) or Appletreewick (2 miles).
Autumn highlight: The river is full after autumn rains, and the woods are golden.
Evening: Dinner at The Devonshire Fell (7:00 PM)
The Devonshire Fell, Burnsall BD23 6BT
Price: £40-60 for dinner
Book: 01756 720001
Restaurant with rooms overlooking the village. Autumn menu: game, local lamb.
Day 7: Kettlewell and Departure
Morning: Kettlewell and Starbotton (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
Kettlewell, BD23 5RD
A village famous for its scarecrow festival (August), but charming year-round.
The walk: Follow the Dales Way to Starbotton (3 miles)—a smaller, quieter village.
The pubs: The Racehorses Hotel in Kettlewell, The Fox & Hounds in Starbotton.
Lunch: The Blue Bell Inn (12:30 PM)
The Blue Bell Inn, Kettlewell BD23 5RD
Price: £12-20 for lunch
Phone: 01756 760230
Pub with a fire and views of the village. Yorkshire food, real ales.
Afternoon: Final Walk and Departure (2:00 PM - 4:00 PM)
The Dales Way—a final short walk along the river.
Departure: From Kettlewell, the B6160 connects to the A65 and M6.
Practical Information
Getting to the Yorkshire Dales
By Car:
- A65 from Skipton—the main road into the Dales
- A1(M) then A684—from the north
- From London: 4 hours
- From Manchester: 1.5 hours
By Train:
- Skipton—Northern Rail from Leeds (40 mins), £10-15 return
- Settle—Northern Rail from Leeds (1 hour), £15-20 return
- The Settle-Carlisle Railway—one of Britain's most scenic lines
By Bus:
- The DalesBus network connects the main villages in summer
Autumn Weather
September: 12-16°C, often warm and settled
October: 8-12°C, peak autumn colors, first frosts
November: 4-8°C, shorter days, mountain snow possible
Bring layers, waterproof jacket, and boots. Weather changes quickly on the fells.
Autumn-Specific Tips
- Check sunset times: Plan walks to finish before dark
- First snow: Possible on the high fells from October
- Mud: Paths are muddy—bring boots
- Pubs are cozier: The Dales has some of Britain's best pubs
Money-Saving Tips
- National Trust members: Free parking at Malham and other sites
- YHA hostels: Excellent value in Kettlewell and Hawes
- Pub lunches: Often half the price of dinner
- Free attractions: Walking the Dales Way, waterfalls
Sources and Verification
- Yorkshire Dales National Park from yorkshiredales.org.uk
- White Scar Caves from whitescarcave.co.uk
- Bolton Castle from boltoncastle.co.uk
- Wensleydale Railway from wensleydalerailway.com
- Restaurant prices from current menus
- Train times from Northern Rail