Walks & Dips - Yorkshire Dales

Join a small group of fellow adventurers on this weekend staying in a guesthouse, with all meals included, in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales with two days’ of guided walks interspersed with cooling-down dips in beautiful river locations.

Experience Type: Multi-Day Experience
Duration: 2 nights
Accommodation: Guesthouse
Group Size: Maximum 8
Level: Leisurely (with dips suitable for those new to dipping/wild swimming)
Age: 18+
Dogs: No dogs, except trained assistance dogs

In a Nutshell:

Stay in a beautiful, welcoming guesthouse at Keld in Swaledale with dinners, breakfasts and packed lunches included.
Enjoy walking in the company of a small group (maximum 8 people).
Appreciate summer in the Yorkshire Dales with wild flower meadows, waterfalls and superb hill top views.
Notice how good you feel after a cooling dip in beautiful river locations.

Collections: Yorkshire Dales : Wild Swimming : Weekend Adventures

How do we grade our walks?

Explore our experience levels here!

Take the plunge with a summery walking and river dipping adventure in Swaledale …

June in Swaledale is a delight with the ancient hay meadows bursting into a riot of colour as the wild flowers bloom, the riversides thronging with wildlife and superb views to be enjoyed from the top of a craggy hillside.

For this weekend there will be just nine of us (8 guests and a Large Outdoors guide) staying at Butt House in Keld, a guest house in idyllic surroundings in Upper Swaledale, close to six spectacular waterfalls.

As well as two days of walking along routes that make the most of the Yorkshire Dales scenery, our guide will also take the group to some spots on the River Swale where people have the option of enjoying a dip in the cooling waters.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

By the time you arrive in the village of Keld, you’ll already be appreciating the Yorkshire Dales views. Feel free to arrive any time after 3pm, when the Large Outdoors guide will be there to greet you along with Jacqui and Chris, owners of Butt House, who are fantastic hosts.

That evening, after everybody has arrived and settled in, Jacqui and Chris will serve a home cooked meal to the group (dinners are not included in the price of this trip) and we’ll chat through the plans for the next couple of days.

Day 2

With the River Swale just a short stroll away, we give the group the option of enjoying a pre-breakfast dip. It’s a beautiful way to start the day as the Swale has some secluded spots with calm pools below stunning waterfalls.

Then, feeling energized, we return to the guest house for a delicious breakfast and to change into our walking gear.

We then walk straight from the door of our accommodation, along a route that tracks the river, following paths through the wild flower meadows and overlooked by the craggy hillsides above. This is a leisurely circular walk with a further chance to take a dip in the river before we return to Butt House.

There is then plenty of time to relax before we sit down together for another cracking home-cooked dinner.

Day 3

Sunday will be similar to the previous day, with a further chance for a pre-breakfast dip in the river, followed by breakfast.

We then enjoy a day’s walking. There are so many route options from Keld that we’re spoilt for choice but we will move at a leisurely place, perhaps exploring the Eastern flank of Kisdon Hill which is on the Pennine Way, or heading out towards remote hamlets such as Ravenseat.

There will be time for one final dip on our way back and then perhaps we’ll find a tea room for a hot drink and something to eat before we head our separate ways.

Please note: On some days there could be a short drive required - where activities don’t start from the door of the accommodation. We don't include transport and participants normally car share.

Good to Know

Meeting Time: you are welcome to arrive from 3pm. Your Large Outdoors host will be ready to greet you and your fellow participants over a welcome dinner around 7pm - we’ll be in touch to confirm timings and your pre-order nearer the time of your trip.
Meeting Location:
Butt House
Keld
Richmond
DL11 6LJ
Parking: There is parking available at the accommodation.
Public Transport: Unfortunately, the meeting location for this Large Outdoors experience is not accessible by public transport. There is a train station at Garsdale - with connections to/from Leeds and Carlisle - which is approx. 14 miles from the accommodation by taxi, which would need to be booked in advance as taxis are very limited in this area.
Finish Time: We aim to finish on the final day between 1pm and 3pm - the exact finish time may depend on the planned/chosen activity, group dynamic, weather conditions, whether the group chooses to grab a coffee or lunch together during/after, etc.
You’ll stay in the lovely independent guesthouse, Butt House, in the village of Keld. It’s surrounded by Yorkshire Dales National Park scenery and each room has far-reaching views. Butt House boasts a cosy lounge, a licensed bar, a south-facing garden for relaxing in the evenings and Wi-Fi throughout.
Bedding and a towel are provided, just bring your own toiletries.
Accommodation Address:
Butt House
Keld
Richmond
DL11 6LJ
Room Types:
You can book one of the following options, subject to availability:
Bed in a Shared Female Room
Bed in a Shared Male Room
Twin/Double Room (en-suite)
Single Room (en-suite)
In Shared Rooms you’ll be sharing a room with other participants - the largest room sleeps three and all rooms have either two or three single beds (each Shared Room has an en-suite bathroom, some have a bath with handheld shower attachment and others have a shower over a bath). Single Rooms are for one participant and have a single or double bed (bathrooms are en-suite, with a bath with handheld shower attachment or a shower over a bath). Twin/Double Rooms are for two participants booking together and can be made up as two single beds or one king-sized double bed - please confirm your preference when booking (bathrooms are en-suite, with either a bath with handheld shower attachment or a shower over a bath).
Included:
- 2 nights’ accommodation at Butt House - we have taken over exclusive use of the guesthouse, so it will just be Large Outdoors participants staying.
- A Large Outdoors host/guide to welcome you and deal with the logistics for your experience.
- Guided walks on 2 days.
- The chance to enjoy a number of dips in the local rivers.
- Travel from the accommodation to activity start points and back, where they don’t start from the door.
- A hearty cooked breakfast each morning, prepared by the accommodation.
- Packed lunches for Days 2 & 3, prepared by the accommodation.
- A two course dinner on both evenings - this is provided by the guest house. It is possible to pay a small additional fee if you wish to have three courses and this can be done at the venue.
- Complimentary tea and coffee provided in your room at the accommodation..
- Bedding and a towel - but don’t forget your own toiletries.
- The chance to make new friends and meet like-minded people - Large Outdoors is all about making outdoor adventures sociable.
- Pre-event support from the Large Outdoors team - give us a shout if there’s any advice or information you need and check out our Blog for useful articles too.
Not included:
- Travel to and from the meeting location.
- Any extra (i.e. not mentioned above in ‘Included’) excursions or activities that you may partake in which incur a cost.
- Bottled water - tap water is available at the accommodation, so please ensure you bring sufficient water bottles or carriers to fill up and take out with you.
- Alcoholic drinks - the accommodation has a licensed bar if you wish to purchase alcohol.
- Any food, drinks or goods you choose to purchase at any shops, restaurant, pubs or cafés visited.
- Travel/activity insurance - we recommend having insurance to cover, at a minimum: cancellation and curtailment; medical and emergency expenses (including repatriation); personal accident; injury and death.
Please see our Residential (Walking) Kit List.
The compulsory items are selected for your safety, which is of paramount importance to us at Large Outdoors. Each participant should be carrying the items listed.
DON’T FORGET: to bring your chosen swim kit! And please remember to pop a towel in your rucksack/backpack too.
Wetsuits - these are optional and you are free to decide if you wish to skin dip using swimwear, or to use a wetsuit. We do suggest having some sort of wetsuit boots for your feet though, as there can be some rocks etc. underfoot.
• What level of fitness is needed?
This trip is graded as Leisurely. Click here to see Large Outdoors’ Experience Levels.
• Can I attend on my own?
Absolutely. The majority of our participants are solo travellers and adventurers. Plenty of fun, laughter and numerous long-term friendships (and a few marriages!) have begun on Large Outdoors experiences since 2008, so there’s no need to feel worried about your first experience, or indeed trying a new type of outdoor activity, with us.
• I am currently on a specific diet / have an allergy - can you cater for me?
Unfortunately, we are generally unable to cater for a wide variety of diets or food preferences due to the nature and cost of our catered trips and/or the use of shared kitchens. However, we can offer vegetarian meals, vegan meals, provide meals with gluten* free ingredients, and/or provide meals with dairy* free ingredients - these options can be selected when booking.
*Please see our general FAQs for more information about dietary options.
This particular experience offers a little more flexibility catering wise, as evening meals are taken at the accommodation, so please contact us if you’d like to check whether it is suitable for your dietary needs.
• What transport is provided during this trip?
We do not provide any transport for this experience.
• Can I bring my dog?
Dogs are not allowed on this experience, except for trained assistance dogs. If you wish to bring your trained assistance dog, please let us know in advance of booking so we can discuss the itinerary and any activity/equipment/accommodation, and of course additional safety requirements or considerations that may be necessary.