Food Day Tours

Begin your day with a short journey on the famously scenic ‘Settle-Carlisle’ Railway from Garsdale Station along the Mallerstang Valley to reach our starting point at Kirkby Stephen station. From here we follow the ridge along the western side of the Mallerstang Valley, all the way back to Garsdale Head.

The route takes us over open access land across the fells to reach the fascinating summit plateau of Wild Boar Fell where views on a clear day stretch over much of the western Yorkshire Dales, the Eden Valley, the North Pennines, the Howgill Fells and to the mountains of the Lake District! There is even a little tarn just off the summit perfect for splashing our feet or even having a quick dip on a hot day!

The fantastic views continue as we descend over the moor to Garsdale Head, the meeting point of Wensleydale and Garsdale, where there is just time to stop for some refreshment in a remote Dales inn before collecting your car or catching the train home.

Begin in the quintessential Dales village of Kettlewell in Wharfedale, where we’ll get the family engaged early by helping to plan the route before we head uphill to gain stunning views up and down the valley. The return leg is a gentle stroll along the River Wharfe with opportunities for paddling and stone skimming!

Along the way, you’ll find out how to squeeze the family into a storm shelter, cook simple food on the go, look at what land you are entitled to access, and learn to recognise key features of the landscape. We’ll provide a brief introduction to map reading and navigation, and explain how to cope with an emergency in the hills. A fun and varied experience for all the family

From the village of West Burton, head past the famously beautiful waterfall before gaining height through woodland, where you can see a wealth of wildflowers and keep your eyes peeled for the odd early evening deer. Emerge onto the fellside, where great views over the Dales start to open up and your guide will help you spot fossils embedded in the rocks over 300 million years ago.

After a last uphill pull, enjoy a lovely stroll along walled green lanes to get to your perfect sunset spot, where your guide will provide drinks and nibbles while you enjoy the sunset over a stunning vista stretching along Wensleydale, Bishopdale and the Walden Valley.

Once the sun has set, your guide will ensure you arrive safely back in West Burton as night descends.

Enjoy a full exploration of fascinating and beautiful Gunnerside Gill. As well as spending the day in the tranquil Yorkshire Dales landscape, we will be looking at the surviving lead mining remains and getting a feel for how different this area must have been 200 years ago when it was bustling with people and machinery.

We will look at how nature has slowly been reclaiming the landscape over the last couple of centuries, as well as future plans for nature recovery in the area - it is part of the ‘Tees-Swale: Naturally Connected’ project, which is aiming to restore, expand and connect habitats across the uplands of Teesdale and Swaledale.

You will also have chance to discuss and consider our own interaction with nature and how the landscape we enjoy today is inextricably linked with human actions, both past and present. End your day with a fascinating visit to a 200 year old working smithy and a drink in the local pub.

Enjoy what must be one of the most scenic ascents of any mountain in England up the waterfall filled slopes of Buckden Gill, including a couple of short scrambles to get round the bigger cascades, to reach the atmospheric ruins of Buckden Lead Mine. Here your guide will tell you about the mystery of ‘Buckden Bill’ as well as the history of the mine itself before a last pull up to the summit of Buckden Pike.

Enjoy a picnic lunch while taking in the stunning views over much of the Dales (and further on a clear day) before visiting the nearby war memorial, erected to commemorate the Polish airmen whose bomber crashed into the hillside during a snowstorm in 1942. Find out the story of the lone survivor before descending back into Wharfedale along ancient ‘green lanes’. Stop in the pretty village of Starbotton for a well-earned drink at the village pub before finishing the day with a gentle stroll along the banks of the River Wharfe back to Buckden.

A tour of the eastern side of Peak District's highest mountain.
Together we enjoy the peace of the dawn and panoramic views, with just birdsong for company. At a steady pace we ascend the plateau, journeying past the atmospheric, mysterious shapes of gritstone tors. As the sun rises, we settle down in a comfortable spot for breakfast coffee, tea, orange juice, croissant, pastries and fruit. We then have a little more time for exploring in the fresh morning air before descending back to Edale.

While the Yarra Valley is a world-renowned wine growing region, wine is only half the story of this gourmet wonderland and our tour provides a fine blend of the very best of the region’s wines and other gourmet produce. Sample expertly made cheeses, chocolates, wines, and more on this Yarra Valley day tour in foodie heaven!