Hawes to Sedbusk Circular

This is a 3.5 mile (5.5 km) circular walk, and that figure is the total loop distance back to your starting point, not a one way measurement. Verified mapping of the stored route line measures close to 5.8 km, so treat 3.5 miles as the working figure. Height along the line ranges from roughly 226 m to 314 m, gentle in national park terms but enough to feel it in the legs.

Start at the Hawes National Park Centre and Dales Countryside Museum and head out to Haylands Bridge, then on to Hardraw and Simonstone. From there the route crosses hay meadows dotted with traditional field barns to Sedbusk, before turning downhill and returning to Hawes over an old packhorse footbridge. It is a short, low level, mostly valley route, and the reward is the middle section: barns, walled meadows and a long open view across the dale before you drop back into town.

Allow a minimum of 1.5 hours. The official description calls it quite strenuous, mainly because the ground undulates steadily rather than because of any single climb. It suits walkers happy with continuous uneven field walking, and it is not a level stroll.

Expect many stiles, including narrow stiles and ladder stiles, plus a series of gates. Some field paths turn boggy when wet, so waterproof footwear is sensible outside dry spells. There are also short stretches on road between the hamlets, so keep an eye out for traffic where the path meets tarmac.

Hardraw Force sits near the route at Hardraw and can be visited as an optional detour. It is outside the stored route line, so add time and distance if you want to include it, and return to the described path afterwards.

Park at the Hawes National Park Centre. Toilets are available on Hawes main street and at the Dales Countryside Museum, and refreshments can be found in Hawes itself. Sort out food, drink and toilets before you set off, since the loop passes through small hamlets rather than serviced stops.

Dogs are allowed on the public rights of way used by this route. Keep them on a lead around livestock, which you should expect in the meadows and pastures, and on a short lead between March and July to protect ground nesting birds.