Our very own 150 mile route around the Yorkshire Dales National Park, taking in some beautiful places that we’ve really wanted to see for a long while! 5 nights, 4 days and plenty of wonderful attractions along the way, including waterfalls, caves and a special Forbidden Corner.
Day 1 – White Scar Caves & The Dalesbridge Campsite
We started our Yorkshire Dales roadtrip with a tour of White Scar Caves, the longest show cave in the UK. Upon entering, you’ll all be given a hard hat to wear and trust me you’ll be glad to wear it. There are some low sections that you have to walk through! The tour covers 1 mile underground, which takes around 80 minutes.
We spent the night at Dalesbridge Campsite, which is just a 12 minute drive from the caves. Good facilities and even an on-site pub!
Day 2 – Malham Cove & ash keys caravan park
On day 2, we had Malham Cove, Janet’s Foss and Gordale Scar in our sights, but the weather had other ideas and the heavy rainfall meant we only reached Malham Cove before heading back. The 260ft high cliff formation is a pretty spectacular sight, which is why this is such a popular spot for those exploring the Dales. If you have time and the weather is on your side, then the walk that takes you to Janet’s Foss and Gordale Scar is roughly 4 miles.
That night we travelled 15 minutes down the road to Ash Keys Caravan Park. A pretty basic set-up, but the wi-fi was good!
Day 3 – brimham rocks & Riverside caravan park
On day 3 we visited the wonderful rock formations at NT Brimham Rocks. The best way to describe this place is as a true nature’s playground, you could spend hours exploring the rocks, crawling through small passages and climbing up high. It’s completely free, aside from the parking costs.
We drove 10 minutes down the road to stay the night at Riverside Caravan Park in the charming Pateley Bridge.
Day 4 – druid’s temple, forbidden corner & AYSGARTH FALLS
Day 4 saw us explore some more. Our 1st stop of the day at the Druid’s Temple, which is shrouded in mystery and not as ancient as you might expect. We then spent the afternoon at The Forbidden Corner (AD), which is said to be ‘The Strangest Place in the World”.
The folly, originally built for the owners private enjoyment is a labyrinth of tunnels, mazes, rooms and passageways that grip your imagination around every turn. Not only were the kids thoroughly entertained and engrossed as we wound our way around this magical place, but we were totally gripped by the experience too.
That night we went off-grid choosing to stay near Aysgarth Falls at the Aysgarth Falls Cafe. We had to pay £12.50 at the car parking machine which allows you to stay from 6pm to 10am.
Day 5 – HAWES, Ribblehead Viaduct & Ingleton Waterfalls Trail
On our 5th and final day in the Yorkshire Dales, we spent the morning looking around Hawes, the highest market town in England. It’s home to quite a few attractions, including the Dales Countryside Museum and the Wensleydale Creamery. We then continued our driving route, taking in the spectacular sight of the Ribblehead Viaduct before walking the Ingleton Waterfall trail. It’s £8 an adult and £4 for children, but the well planned 4.5 mile route does take in a total of 6 fantastic waterfalls.
MAP
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