Length: 6.6 miles. Height change: 579ft. Time: 3hrs.
This is a half day walk in Wensleydale allowing you to enjoy Leyburn as well as stretch your legs and see some great views across to Pen Hill.
The walk starts in Leyburn which is full of interesting shops, cafes and pubs. Leaving Leyburn to the west of the town you quickly head on the Shawl with great views across the dale to Pen Hill. It is a well trodden path which gradually rises. After about 1.5 miles the path heads of left down an open field. Keep going to a wood where you turn left again past some farm buildings and then down through a disused smelting mill (or that’s what I think it is). Cross the road and follow the path over the Wensleydale railway near the disused Wensley station and onto another road. Turn left here and then right. The path follows the road and then diagonally across a field to Wensley House and Wensley itself. Take Low Lane and then the path on your right following the River Ure which will eventually double back to cross Low Lane and then up the hill back to Leyburn.
We recommend the Posthorn Tea and Coffee House for lunch since it sells great cakes. Chambers Coffee House is also pretty good. The SandPiper Inn is excellent for evening meals – highly recommended.