Getting there Walk 3 18 miles (29km) north of Skipton; follow signs from Threshfield Buckden to Kettlewell and Kettlewell. Pride of the Dales 72, Skipton to Buckden; 800/5, Leeds & Ilkley easy stroll to Buckden. On Yorkshire Dales Cycleway –National Cycle Network Regional route 10. Follow B6160 from Kettlewell to Buckden. Buckden is on the Dales Way long distance footpath. Grade: Easy Walking Time: 1 to 2 Hours A linear walk along grassy paths and tracks, following the well- signed route of the Dales Way, starting in Buckden and following the beautiful River Wharfe along its route towards Distance: 4 miles [6.4 kilometres] Kettlewell. Map: Explorer OL32 Enjoy spectacular views of the Upper Wharfedale Valley as you walk along the river bank. Look out for kingfishers and dippers along the river, and Redmire Wood standing majestically on Dog friendly the slopes of the hillside near Buckden. Route details Buckden, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 5JX With thanks to the National Trust for compiling this walk. Buckden to Kettlewell easy stroll 1 5 Start: Buckden car park, grid ref: SD943774 Continue to follow the path through the hay meadows. The path then starts to move uphill towards Kettlewell. Follow this From the car park cross over the road and walk down the path and go through the gate and out onto the main road. village green towards the river. Turn left at the bridge and go Walk down the road to get into Kettlewell village centre. From through the wooden gate to join onto the Dales Way. here you can either walk back the way you came or catch a bus back up to the car park at Buckden. 2 Follow the path along the river bank keeping the River Wharfe Hay Meadows on your left as you walk along. Continue through the fields up to a wooden gate. Go through this wooden gate and follow “Our northern hay meadows are some of the best in the the path up to a farm track. Coninue left along the farm track Yorkshire Dales. They contain a wide variety of rare and passing an old barn on your right until you come to a fork in important species such as eyebright, yellow rattle and meadow the track. cranesbill. The hay meadows are an important crop for farmers so please walk in single file.” 3 Take the left fork and continue to follow the Dales Way path End: Kettlewell onwards through the fields heading South towards Kettlewell. River Wharfe “The water of the River Wharfe is a good source of food for many animals living along the banks. Look out for kingfisher, oystercatchers and dippers enjoying the water. You may also spot brown trout swimming lazily in the calmer sections of the river.” 4 As you pass through Starbotton on the opposite side of the river continue through the fields passing through the gaps in the drystone walls keeping the river on your left until you see the school across the water. Drystone walls “The drystone walls are one of the defining characteristics of the Yorkshire Dales landscape. The smaller fields around the farms and villages were first walled as early as the 12th century, while the long straight walls on the valley sides date from the late 19th centuries. A good waller can build about six or seven meters of wall in a day.”.