Distance Covered: 7 miles Time to complete walk: 3 hours
Suitable for dog walking: No
This is an amazing walk which showcases all that Wharfedale has to offer. Make your way from Buckden alongside the River Wharfe to Hubberholme with its beautiful church where the cherished novelist J B Priestley chose for his final resting place. Then return on the grassy terraces above with superb views of Wharfedale below. Then end your walk passing cascading waterfalls. Everything we love about Yorkshire is included on this walk.
Virus Awareness: On the walk, social distancing was maintained and if the path became narrow, walkers did give way to maintain social distancing. Pubs along the way are practising the Rule of Six which is currently in force at the time this blog was updated. There are various pub websites to check, especially the George Inn in Hubberholme. Latest updates from the parish of Buckden can be found here: Buckden Virus Update
General Safety Tips: Take care on the rocky path once out of Yockenthwaite- take a walking stick. If the weather is hot take twice as much water as you usually do. Take extra care on the waterfall section of the walk as the rocky path will be slippy. This walk includes some brief climbs.
The Buckden Walk
Getting There
From Middlesbrough, follow the A66 to Darlington and then join the A1 southbound. Take the Catterick turnoff which is Catterick Road then follow this road as it becomes Range Road. This then joins the A1608. This then takes a left turning to Bellerby. Follow it through Leyburn which then joins the A684 through Wensley and then Swinithwaite. Go through West Burton and stay on the B6160 to pass Cray and then arrive at Buckden. The car park is as you enter the village on your left and is £4.80 for all day parking.
Map of the Buckden walk
The Walk
From the carpark walk down passing a Dales Way information panel. Turn left and cross over to Dubbs Lane.
The Dales Way information panel
Head down this road for a while in the direction of Hubberholme.
Head down Dubbs Lane
Look for a sign to your right which is The Dales Way sign to Hubberholme and go through the gate.
Join the Dales Way to your right
This path is a pleasant path beside the River Wharfe.
Follow the path beside the River Wharfe
When you arrive at a gate to a road, join the road to your right taking care for traffic.
Go through the gate onto the road
Follow the road to your right
You soon pass the renowned pub in Hubberholme - The George Inn. Turn right and cross the bridge into Hubberholme.
Pass The George Inn
Cross the bridge
You will then see the church where J B Priestley was laid to rest. Look for a farmyard to the right of the church.
Church at Hubberholme
Turn left into the farmyard
Got through the way marked gate on your left and take the lower of two paths.
Go through the gate on your left
Take the lower path on your left
Follow the path beside the river
The path stick to the river, through gates and stiles and a footbridge and is a pleasant walk with the sound of the river beside you.
Follow the path
Go over the footbridge
As you approach Yockenthwaite look for a path which climbs to your right to a step stile.
Climb to the step stile
Look for a gate to some farm buildings and head towards the buildings.
Go through the gate
Follow the track to the farm buildings
Follow the track passing the building and keep on it as it veers to the left
Follow the track
Follow it as it curves to the left
You then come to a signpost to Cray and Hubberholme. Follow the sign to another signpost. Then climb the path which is a short but steep climb.
Follow the signpost
Keep on the path as it climbs steeply
Look for a gate to your right which is half way up the climb
Gate to your right
Go through the gate and follow it to a signpost and then bear left and up a rough section to another signpost.
Go through the waymarked gate
Go through a rough section as the path climbs
The path now becomes a pleasant grass terrace with amazing view of the landscape below.
Follow the grassy path
View from the terrace
Climb up the path to the left
Go through the gate
Path in the woods
Go through the gate
Go through another gate
Signpost beside a house
Signpost to Cray
Head for the path above the rocks
Join the path ahead
Gate onto a footbridge
Go over the footbridge and turn right and ascend to reach a barn above.
Turn right and follow the path
Ascend to the barn
Go through gates as the path descends towards Cray.
Go through the gate
Head down to Cray
Turn right at the signpost
Path to the right
Follow the path ahead
Look for a gate to your left near a signpost for Stubbing Bridge
Gate to your left
Signpost to Stubbing Bridge
Go through the gate and follow this path down the hillside to a small gate
Follow the path down the hillside
Go through the small gate
Take care on the path which now takes you passed some wonderful cascading waterfalls.
Cascading Waterfalls
Go over a step stile in a wall and through a field and then look for more waterfalls on your left
Go over the step stile in the wall
Follow the path to the stile
Go over the stile near Stubbing Bridge
Turn left over the bridge and join the country road heading out of Hubberholme
Follow the road out of Hubberholme
Road out of Hubberholme
Turn right at the junction
Arrive back in Buckden
Buckden is a village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Buckden is situated in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and on the east bank of the River Wharfe in Wharfedale. The civil parish includes the hamlet of Cray and the whole of Langstrothdale. According to the 2011 Census the parish had a population of 187.[1]
The etymology of the name derives from the Old English words of bucca and denu meaning he-goat and valley respectively.[2][3] A bridge at Buckden was destroyed in a flood in 1748. A later and present bridge is known as 'Election Bridge', as a prospective MP made the promise of a replacement bridge an electoral pledge.[4]On 5 July 2014, the Tour de France Stage 1 from Leeds to Harrogate passed through the village.[5]
Hubberholme is an old village in Upper Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire, England, at the point where Langstrothdale meets Wharfedale. It is quite secluded and the nearest village is Buckden.[1]
The village was a favourite place of writer and playwright J.B. Priestley who described it as the smallest, pleasantest place in the world. The Norman church is the resting place of his ashes.[2] The old inn, The George, is opposite the Church. This is notable for the lit candle that sits on the bar to indicate the pub is open and serving. The tradition dates from distinctive auctions for agricultural land or grazing that are still held in The George. The last bid to be received before the candle extinguished is the winner.[3][4]The George Pub in Hubberholme opens throughout the year (with the White Lion at Cray and the Buck Inn at Buckden the closest alternative watering holes). After the George Inn, there is no pub on the Dales Way until the Sportsman Inn at Cowgill in Cumbria. The church holds regular Sunday services, normally at 11.00 am.
St. Michael and All Angels' Church
This small Norman church is open for regular services. There is a small cemetery in its grounds which contain the ashes of J.B. Priestley. The church dates mostly from the 12th century, the oak roof however was completed in 1558. The church's oak pews were crafted by Kilburn's Robert Thompson, whose trademark mouse can be found in the woodwork.[4] The tower contains two bells, both cast by John Taylor and Co of Loughborough in the early 20th century. These bells replaced an older bell, cast by William Oldfield in 1601, which is now on display in the church.[5] The heavier bell is able to be rung full-circle.[6] The George Inn, opposite the church, was originally the vicarage for the church.
The church was featured in the final episode of the BBC television series All Creatures Great and Small as the venue for the wedding of Franco and Katharine Pedretti.
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