Newfield Hall a wonderful 19 century country house with the Yorkshire Dales providing its backdrop is our home from home for the weekend. The bedrooms all have their individual layout and character, as befits a historic building, and are located in the main house and the adjacent converted coach house. In your room you’ll find a TV with digital radio, hair dryer, towels and tea and coffee making facilities. The public rooms at Newfield Hall retain the period grandeur of this Victorian mansion. There’s a large entrance hall, two lounges, a spacious dining room and a licensed bar, open throughout your stay. You can also enjoy the heated indoor swimming pool. The boot and drying room is available to store your boots and to dry any potentially wet outdoor clothing. WiFi is accessible in all public areas of the house. 

To allow you to choose a walk that suits you best, we will provide a minimum of two walks on each day, led by professional and knowledgeable walking guides. On both days there will be a harder walk of 10-12 miles with 2000+ft of ascent, and a gentler walk of 8-9 miles with less ascent. 

What to bring: To ensure that you are properly equipped, please take a moment to read through the ‘What to bring list’ and ensure that you have the necessary clothing and equipment. 

Covid/Infection Guidance: As a matter of respect to other members when attending events, we ask that you take the following guidance into account. People with symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as COVID-19, and who have a high temperature or do not feel well, should try to stay at home and avoid contact with others. Those who are asked – or choose to test – and get a positive COVID-19 result should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days following the day of their positive result. Normal Walkwise Terms & Conditions apply.

Travel Insurance: It is also recommended that when travelling on holiday or attending Spice weekends away in the UK or overseas that you have adequate travel insurance in case of emergency, cancellation, etc. Travel insurance is an important aspect to booking a weekend or holiday, giving you protection against unforeseen circumstances. We also strongly recommend a personal travel insurance policy that includes COVID-19 cover. While we cannot recommend specific insurance policies as everyone’s requirements are personal to them, Spice have linked up with market leader Staysure Travel Insurance which you may like to take a look at.

Maps: If you like to follow your route on a map as you walk the maps we would recommend are: 1:25 000: EX002: Ordnance Survey Explorer Map - Yorkshire Dales - South & West areas and 1:25 000: EX030: Ordnance Survey Explorer Map - Yorkshire Dales - North & Central areas

You MUST have:

• Walking boots

• A Water bottle (minimum 1 litre)

• A Rucksack with a plastic liner

• Waterproofs: jacket and trousers

• A Warm hat

• Warm gloves (not leather)

• Thick walking socks

• Base layer: (thin thermal or warm T-shirt. Best not to be cotton as it gets cold when wet)

• Over layer: (warm sweater or fleece)

• Extra layer: warm top for when cold (eg. when stopped for lunch)

• Comfortable walking trousers (not jeans as they are too cold & heavy when wet)

• Personal Medication

• A face covering and hand sanitiser

• Smart casual clothes for the evening.

You may wish to bring:

• Trekking Poles

• Vacuum flask (if you like hot drinks on the hill)

• Medium size Tupperware container or plastic bag, to put picnic lunch in.

• Sit mat 

• Sun glasses

• Lip salve

• Camera

• Personal first aid kit

In good weather and/or summer, you may also wish to bring

• Short trousers

• T - Shirts

• Sun hat

• Sun tan lotion

In poor weather and/or winter, you may also wish to bring:

• Gaiters

• Balaclava

• Extra warm clothing

The Walking Programme: This attractive landscape encapsulates the very essence of the dales. The lovely villages and exquisite hamlets are woven into the very fabric of the dales; with fine bridges, legendary dry-stone walls and limestone pavements providing the sequins that make it sparkle. Then there are the shimmering waters, gorges and fosses which reflect the ever-changing moods and weather explaining the lure walkers have to visit this rich Dales tapestry.

Saturday will see us up and out seeking the hedonistic pleasures of dales walking. For the hardcore walkers there is a visit to Great Whernside on the cards whose title exclaims it the ‘Monarch of Wharfedale’. Forgoing the red carpet, for there will be no less majesty, as we glide ever upwards to the summit. There is a delightful route back with a cheeky little ascent thrown in halfway for good measure on what is meant to be the way down, finishing the day along a canny cascading river. Meanwhile the moderate walkers will be tackling myth and legend in Wharfedale known as the ‘Gill of the Trolls’. The Mid-Wharf around Burnsall is a limestone lovers’ paradise with frowning crags overlooking the broad and lush Wharfdale. There are meadows full of blooming lime-loving flowers, limestone pavements, escarpments, scars, outcrops and gorges. This walk is full of variety as we begin beside the peaceful waters of the Wharf, there is time to visit picturesque villages like Skyreholme, learn of the folklore of Trollers Gill and Hell hole, afore wandering over the open fells and drinking in the delightful views of this enchanting valley and the surrounding countryside. 

Sunday, A top walk for a Sunday is to head over the lovely market town of Settle. From here there are a myriad of routes that encompass the town itself, the lovely winding river valley, where you may be lucky enough to see salmon trying to jump up the waterfalls. The valley itself is surrounded by stunning limestone scenery with towering craggy walls and exposed escarpments and limestone pavements. Along the way we will take it all in and also pass through some delightful hamlets that so typify the Yorkshire Dales   

Monday, our final walking day will take in all the splendour of Malhamdale. To enable us to leave earlier we may take our cars a very short way up the valley. Today the harder walkers will take on Goredale Scar; Malham Tarn and Cove. Beginning at the Cathedral of the Dales, our route allows a gentle warm up as we follow the meandering stream to Malham and the waterfall home of the queen of the fairies at Janet’s Foss. A path then leads around to Goredale Scar, a wonderful waterfall enclosed by huge limestone cliffs. If it is not too wet, we will scramble up the force and onto the limestone pavements, clints and grikes! A short stroll over the moor brings us to the lovely Malham Tarn and into Malham cove before we return to the start. The moderate walkers have the delights of Janet’s Foss and Malham Cove too, from Malham we immediately visit the waterfall home of Janet’s Foss, the queen of the fairies. A path then leads around to Goredale Scar, a wonderful waterfall enclosed by huge limestone cliffs. A short stroll over the moor brings us to the lovely Malham Tarn, before we turn down a lovely dry valley to the highlight of the day before we are greeted with limestone pavements, clints and grikes! of Malham Cove, which has to be seen to be believed. It’s now a lovely relaxing walk back through the valley and there may even be time for a tea shop! 

By Car: Sat Nav: BD23 4AA (Grid Reference SD 911 581)

From the south: Follow the A65 from Skipton to Gargrave. Leave the A65 by Eshton Road, signposted to Malham and pass Eshton Hall on the right. Newfield Hall is approximately 2½ miles further on, on the right and before the village of Airton. Look out for the HF Holidays sign.

From the north: Exit the M6 at junction 36 and take the A65 towards Skipton. In Coniston Cold village take a sharp left into a narrow road between houses, signposted to St Peters Church and Bell Busk and Malham. Pass under a railway viaduct, then after a mile bear right over a small bridge. After a further mile turn right at the junction, cross the narrow bridge then shortly after turn left through the gateway onto the drive of Newfield Hall. Look out for our sign. 

Car parking is available in the grounds. No responsibility can be accepted for loss or damage to guests’ property or vehicles.

Overall travel contacts http://www.travelline.org.uk 0871 200 22 33 

By Train: The nearest train station to Newfield Hall is at Gargrave, however most guests find Skipton station more convenient. For train times and general rail enquiries visit www.nationalrail.co.uk or call 03457 484950 (from outside the UK call +44 20 7278 5240). 

http://nationalrail.com.uk  03457 48 49 50 

http://www.thetrainline.com 0871 244 1545, 7 days per week, from 8am until 10pm

The 8½ mile journey from Skipton Station takes approximately 20 minutes.

BY TAXI: Skipton to Newfield Hall is 8 miles, which takes around 25 minutes. You can pre-book a taxi from our recommended company, Station Taxis*. As of 2023, the guide price for a 4-seat taxi is around £18 and 8-seater taxis are also available at a higher rate. We recommend booking your taxi at least seven days in advance by contacting:

Station Taxis* Tel: +44 (0) 7971 018021 Email: stationtaxis@hotmail.co.uk *Station Taxis is not owned or managed by HF Holidays