Bowland - Dales Traverse

The Bowland - Dales Traverse is 142.99 km long with 4,395 m of climbing, so it is usually treated as a multi-day route rather than a weekend walk. A typical schedule is about 6 to 8 days, depending on pace, weather, and how long is spent on the hill sections through Bowland and toward Malham.

The Bowland - Dales Traverse starts in Lancashire and runs northeast toward the Yorkshire Dales. HiiKER lists the route as starting in Wyre, Lancashire, while the staged version begins at Slaidburn in the Ribble Valley, postcode BB7 3ET, and finishes at Townhead in Malham, North Yorkshire, postcode BD23 4DJ.

The Bowland - Dales Traverse is graded Medium, but the numbers make it a serious undertaking. At 142.99 km with 4,395 m of ascent, it demands solid fitness, especially on consecutive days over exposed upland terrain in the Forest of Bowland and on the approach to Malham.

Yes. The Bowland - Dales Traverse is a multi-day route and is well suited to being split into shorter stages. That makes sense for a 142.99 km trail with 4,395 m of elevation gain, especially for walkers who want to break the route around places such as Slaidburn and Malham rather than complete it in one push.

Dogs can be taken on much of the Bowland - Dales Traverse, but control matters on the Bowland sections. In the Forest of Bowland, access guidance requires close control around livestock, and on open access land dogs must be on a short lead near livestock and from March 1 to July 31 to protect ground-nesting birds and other wildlife.

Malham is one of the better-connected points on the route for a finish or pickup. Local transport information shows bus links to Malham from Skipton via Gargrave on weekdays, with additional DalesBus or seasonal Sunday services, so many walkers plan the Bowland - Dales Traverse around a finish at Townhead, Malham.