Herriot Way

• Day 1, Aysgarth to Hawes: Aysgarth Falls, the River Ure, meadows, a stretch of old railway track and Askrigg. The gentlest day, around 900 ft of gain.
• Day 2, Hawes to Keld: the long pull over Great Shunner Fell at 2,349 ft (716 m), about 2,800 ft of gain and the highest ground on the walk.
• Day 3, Keld to Reeth (traditional high route): Swinner Gill, Melbecks Moor at 1,898 ft (579 m), extensive lead-mining remains and Old Gang Beck, with roughly 2,000 ft of gain.
• Day 4, Reeth to Aysgarth: Whitaside Moor, Apedale and Apedale Head at 1,804 ft (550 m), then Bolton Castle and back past Aysgarth Falls, about 2,100 ft of gain.

This is a sustained walk rather than a technical one, but it is not easy. Expect long days, steep climbs and descents, uneven ground, and boggy or muddy sections after rain. Surfaces shift between field paths, farm tracks, quiet lanes, open moorland and heather, pasture divided by dry-stone walls, and stream and riverside sections. The upper approach to Great Shunner Fell is paved and the main lines are generally obvious, but high moorland crossings are exposed to wind and low cloud, and some navigation effort is needed. Sampled elevations along the route span roughly 170 to 655 m, starting and finishing near 211 m, so the profile is one of repeated valley to moor transitions.

High ground opens out to broad Yorkshire views, including the Three Peaks in clear conditions. Lower sections give waterfalls, limestone scenery, hay meadows and river valleys, while the moors carry heather and the scarred, industrial landscape of old lead mining. Birds you may encounter, with no guarantees, include curlew, lapwing, skylark, dipper and oystercatcher.

The route follows public rights of way and open access land through the national park, and no permit is needed to walk it. Aysgarth village is the practical start and finish, with the Aysgarth Falls visitor centre and national park car park as the usual parking option. Facilities are available in the intermediate villages along the way.

Dogs are welcome, with conditions:

The recurring hazards to plan for are livestock, exposed moorland, bog and mud, changeable weather, stream and river crossings, and route-finding.

• Keep dogs on leads on public rights of way and in fields with livestock.
• Use a short lead from March to July for ground-nesting birds.
• Keep dogs under close control around cattle.

Between Keld and Reeth the official route also documents a lower alternative through Swaledale, which is not part of the traditional high route described above. It avoids the highest and most strenuous moorland ground of day 3 and suits walkers wanting a shorter, less exposed link between the two villages, or a fallback in poor visibility. Treat it as a distinct option rather than a variant of the high route.