Upper Wharfedale is one of the most attractive valleys in the Yorkshire Dales, running from the wild headwaters of Langstrothdale down through a succession of pretty stone villages to the priory ruins of Bolton Abbey and then out of the National Park towards Ilkley.
Langstrothdale, at the top, has fabulous spots to stop, picnic, and let children paddle in the river. Hubberholme, where the valley widens slightly, is perhaps the prettiest of all the Dales villages. From there the dale runs through Buckden, Starbotton, and Kettlewell — good walking bases, each with a pub or two. From Kettlewell a side road crosses to Wensleydale, and there are fine walks over the hills to the smaller, quieter Littondale.
Further down, Grassington is the main village and the most visited — pleasant but busy in summer. Below Grassington the river passes Burnsall and Threshfield before reaching Bolton Abbey, where the ruined 12th-century priory sits on a bend in the river. Nearby, the Strid is a narrow channel where the full force of the Wharfe is squeezed between rocks — scenic but genuinely dangerous.
Do not try to rush this dale. The roads are narrow, coaches cause delays, and the whole point is to slow down.
