Hawes Travel Answers

Been a very long time since I've visited that area, but the nearest functional station is Garsdale: www.nationalrail.co.uk There is a bus from Garsdale>Hawes: http://www.dalesbus.org/LWB.html There's also a bus from Northallerton (which has a station): http://www.dalesbus.org/856.html from Newton-le-Willows (station): northyorkstravel.info/timeta... and from York and Leeds (obviously ditto re stations), but only once per day: http://www.dalesbus.org/800.html Which route you take really all depends on your preferred timings.

I knew you would be first to answer, and that's why I voted you #1 travel forum guru!!

Gosh, Ed...dunno what to say except thank you! :-)

Wow, you have just made it super easy!! 11:42 Manchester Piccadilly [MAN] --> Leeds [LDS] 12:36 12:49 Leeds [LDS] --> Garsdale [GSD] 14:19 Really only 2h 37m of travel time? :D

Can't give you any substantial alternatives - Leis has them covered - and my vote! I used www.gmpte.gov.uk to try for an alternative - got nothing. www.megabus.co.uk will give you a £5.00 option between Manchester and Leeds if you choose on that routing (which I wouldn't because of the once-a-day option for the bus).

In theory, yes indeed. Assuming there are no leaves on the line, or the wrong type of snow or floods or anything (don't worry!). :-)) Here's Garsdale station: visitcumbria.com/carlset/gar... It's a bit like the ones we visited at Ricky's Rushbearing meet; rather lovely, actually.

Thank you too, Gilly. Can't do the 'shout out' thing, I'm afraid. Just not me. Ed, best contact the LWB a few days beforehand, check everything is still working as it should be. I'm sure it will be though, because it seems to me to be a bit of a lifeline for local communities.

But it's only just over 7 miles Garsdale>Hawes, so you could walk it easily enough..and I bet someone would pick you up if you hitched.

Yes, I noticed that too! 2 in the afternoon is fairly early, so the walk might give me something to do. ...But apparently they have good cheese makers in Hawes, so I'll definitely want to get in before the shops close. Apparently Wallace & Gromit's favourite cheese is from Hawes!! :D

Wensleydale....of course! A lovely, crumbly white cheese: try it with a good chunk of fruitcake if you get the chance. :-)

Oooohhhh - yes!!! Wensleydale and fruit cake - yummy!!!

Since we're all in this thread anyway... Does this sound like a good idea? (You probably don't know how far these are apart of the back of hand, but just in case you have some insight. You girls are pretty smart with this area.) Monday: Manchester --> Hawes (overnight) Tuesday: Hawes --> Kettlewell (overnight) Wednesday: Grassington --> Skipton (and Bolton Abbey Estate) --> Manchester Hawes to Kettlewell will be quite a walk (5-6 hours) and there doesn't seem to be much in between. Arncliffe is something I'd like to see, but it looks like there's a giant hill or gorge that would take me off track 2 hours each way to see it.

Oops, screwed that up!! Monday: Manchester --> Hawes (overnight) Tuesday: Hawes --> Kettlewell (overnight) Wednesday: Kettlewell --> Grassington (overnight) Thursday: Grassington --> Skipton (and Bolton Abbey Estate) --> Manchester

Are you following roads or intending to use the OS maps and go off-road, Ed? It makes a difference (as does the time of year). Hawes>Kettlewell is a heck of a walk by road at 17+ miles. It'll be beautiful, raw and stunning, but there's not a lot of human history to see en route (thought the OS maps will show you anything which exists..standing stones, packhorse tracks etc).

Pretty sure that if you went to Arncliffe you'd have to retrace your steps.

If you haven't got the hard copy OS map yet (?) have a look at this get-a-map link: getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk... which (in its largest magnification) gives you all the contour lines & relevant info you'll find on the real maps, so you can work out whether Arncliffe is worth the extra mileage. There are a few footpath shortcuts you might take, if you don't fancy road all the way..but they're pretty steep in parts.

I did buy an OS Explorer map, thanks! I got what I thought would encompass the entire Western Region, but on one side it goes from Kettlewell down to Skipton and one the other from Hawes as far west as Kirkby Lonsdale. I haven't figured out whether there's a bit of a missing between Hawes and Arncliffe or not. It's so huge flipping it over and over and there's so much detail you have to be Capatin Cook to read it. Seriously--you should see the size of this thing! :D ...But it's waterproof! ;)

2.5 inches to the mile is a huge scale for a map! It's called "Explorer OL2 - Yorkshire Dales - Southern & Western areas".

Wonderful things, OS maps. but, sod's law being what it is, whenever I've gone anywhere it's *always* been right on the edge or on a corner of one map. So I've always ended up having to buy 2 (or even 3)...or, better, borrow them from my local lib. I doubt yours is missing anything. I reckon you've just hit the OS sod's law. :-(

Maybe my many decades of experience with OS maps has helped me to build navigation skills into my brain? :-))

You'll need a plastic mapholder thingy to cope with the size, waterproof or not (it's the wind....). E.g.: amazon.com/LOKSAK-SplashSak-... But don't pay that ridiculous price for it, obv. You can buy them cheaper here if you can't find one cheaper at home.

Awwwww Hawes! Most of my teenage years were spent there on family camping holidays! A long time since I've been there, but...... Yes Wensleydale Cheese - must do! Also (and not sure if they're still here) Ropemakers - in a car park near the station if I remember, Kit Calverts bookshop - second hand book shop, with an honesty box outside for when he's not there - this inspired my Father to collect shed loads of books with the intention if setting up similar operation - still waiting!! Eliza Allens bakery/shop, which had the best Cornish pasties outside of Cornwall - remember queuing to get them fresh from the oven , along with 'dead flies cemeteries' Yorkshire curd tarts - You've got to try at least one! I Remember Cattle Market Day auctions too! My Mum had the hots for one of the auctioneers voices! Must walk from Hawes across the fields to Hardraw Force. Entered through the Green Dragon Pub. Remember walking BEHIND the waterfall- Not sure if 'Health and Safety' have banned this yet. Also Gayle, just outside Hawes village - a ford with ducks lazing around. Blimey, stirred up memories! Think I need to get back there!

Bolton Abbey Estate - went there with Hansi and Lori, poons, SueT and Angiebabe in 2008 after Ricky's meeting.You must try the scones with cream and jam - Oh yes, remember you were poons VA and she took a piccy of you on the gate here! Where are you staying? Not far from Appletreewick (on public transport bus route too - ask Gilly and alyf1961) New Inn has accommodation, which is a great pub as is The Craven Arms - a hop,skip and a jump away (one of my favourite pubs ever)- just check out our Appletreewick, Skipton, Grassington, Litton, Burnsall pages for more endorsements/ideas! We stayed on the camping site here for our Ooop North Camping meet.

You'll want to watch your timing for the trains between Skipton and Manchester - you can add an extra half hour on the journey just by getting the wrong train and end up arriving later than the train after the one you got.

Thanks again Sue, J, & Gillian! Sue --> "Think I need to get back there!" Yes, you do. ...And you should drive me! ;) Seriously though, I've actually added your nostalgia to my VT Trip Planner. (It's been a long while since I've had a Cornish pasty!) Maybe if one of you sees a small, portable, walking book about the area between Hawes and Skipton sitting in a used book bin for a pound or two, maybe you could snag it for me and I'll pay you back on the Saturday? I don't want you to go out and look for one or anything, just if you happen across it for cheap. I can't believe I'm missing Skipton on this trip (it looks nice!), but it's too far to the West. :(

You've got the free downloads, yes? walkinginyorkshire.co.uk/haw...

If I could I would Ed! But chuckling to myself imagining you squeezing into my Ka! I'm sure that You're going to see and experience some great places on your trip. When do you land/ depart UK? Will you have time after Christmas Markets for more trips, or do you fly back after the weekend? Was hoping to show you Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire - but they'll keep for another time - You're such an Anglophile ;-)

And there's Leicestershire too....:-)