Hi

Newbie here, I am going to be walking the Dalesway early in September. Just wondering if I will be bumping into any of you good people, I'm a bit nervous at it will be my first LDP on my own. Have any other women walked LDP's and was it safe?

Did my first LDP - South Downs Way last June, as a supported walk, now I have the bug!!

Did the Dales Way last year with a group of 6 people
All except for myself on their first long distance walk
It’s really beautiful and every one we met were very friendly
Im sure you will be fine it’s supposed to be on of the easiest of the log distance walks
Enjoy…………

Ta Segedunum

It's not the mileage or hills that is worrying me, it's the thought of crossing fields of bulls/bullocks on my own (had a bad experience with them in the lakes last summer!)and I suppose being a woman in the wilds on my own. Probably be alright after the first solo walk, will have to be.....I will be doing the C2C next year!!

I am not keen on anything big especially if they have horns. I tend to shout at them and wave my map although it doesn't always work! I make sure that I am near enough to get over a fence/wall in case of need, even if I will get stung/land in poo or whatever!

I always start walks by myself and just meet up with other people on the way that I can either walk with or not. I intend to walk the Dales Way sometime this year as I want to try out my new tent for a few days prior to hopefully walking Land's End to John O'Groats next year.

Hi Harland

If you are doing the walk the same time - and see a red-faced, terrified woman running across a field being chased by bullocks (screaming in her best scouse accent).......that will be me!!

Would be nice to have a chat with other walkers on the way and maybe in the pub at night, like walking on my own at times too. Not worried about the C2C next year as there are usually lots of other walkers about, just not sure about the Dalesway.

The one thing that didn't cross my mind when I bought my rucksack was the colour - it is red! I don't know if it is true about bulls and the colour red but they do seem to like me for some reason!

I was out on part of the Dales Way on a weekday in October and there were other walkers around. I would guess that you would see more walkers on the Dales Way than the C2C but probably not all going the full distance.

i would not advise waving anything at cows,bullock's or bull's
it would only make them worse, animals can sense when one is frightened of them and they then take advantage,
i would advise that if there are beast's about and you are nervous to wait until you have some one with confidence with you.
animals respond to a quite voice better than shouting and waving your arms about

If you can survive in the Wirral you shouldn't have any worries about the Dalesway apart from all the bullocks which can easily be dealt with by taking a good crossbow and some arrows.

Done the Daleway half a dozen times or so. The only wild places are the moor at and near Cam Houses and beyond Gearstones. Both with easily followed path and not very long in terms of distance. Just ignore any beasties, give them a few yards of space and they wont bother you. Any inquisitive Bullocks that gallop alongside usually keep enough distance and if they gather at the gate you intend going through, just wave your map and shout as you approach and they will move. Any Cows or Bulls will also move out of the way once they realise yo are going that that way, but dont shout or wave at them, just approach with confidence but slowly and you will be fine.
Dave.

hi Calluna

I walk lots on my own, inc LDPs, though with dog. OK to date! However, dog a nuisance where cattle concerned, as they are often more curious about dog.

Don't worry about red - cattle (and sheep) are virtually colour blind.

From livestock point of view, September a good time to be walking, as cattle at friskiest approx early May if they've just been turned out after over-wintering indoors.

If necessary, would suggest good technique if cattle crowd you a bit is to extend arms at shoulder height and just waggle them a little bit, also hiss at them. And yes, walk confidently!

Be wary, though, of a large herd getting over-agitated, as just possible that ones nearer the back will cannon into those in front who've stopped, who then crowd you more...

Cows generally don't bother walkers apart from sometimes sitting doggedly across the path. Having said that, I had an incident on the C2C when a cow inexplicably became a bit agressive. I don't think I was doing anything in particular, but I just did what people on this site said - was confident - put my arms out to make myself look bigger, and walked on. They got the message.

Not sure if I've imagined it, but I have seen a thing where a herd of cows have one of their number detached from the group. I think this is to act as a sort of decoy - ie. fooling potential predators to think that they can go for the individual cow - and then if it happens, the whole herd comes charging down. Maybe I'm imagining it, but perhaps a good idea to steer clear of cows on their own.

As for bulls - not sure if there's that many around are there? The males are what your T Bone is made of in the pub for your evening meal. If there are bulls around, often farmers put up signs saying there is a bull in the field - and so if you're particularly nervous, you can wait for other walkers - which there will probably be on the Dales Way.

I did the Dales Way last year - I don't recall any significant encounters with any large or small beasties.

Moles can be dangerous, or to be more precise mole hills can be a trip hazards, as was the case with causing the death of a former King of England, although this might not have happened had he not been riding a horse.

We did the Dales Way last "summer" - it rained every day! Just outside Dent we were chased by the bullocks. Painful! My wife called them heffers - or something like that. Seriously, try and give cows a wide berth with a plan B - through another field, climb over a wall etc.

Let's be realistic, problems with cows do not happen very often - many on this forum will have walked many years with no cow problems - and when they do it is easy to out manoeuvre them most of the time. Just very, very occasionally does it go seriously wrong. Plan ahead and take care.

If the cattle are running and it bothers you, try singing loudly to them. It seems to fascinate cattle and sheep alike.
I discovered this as it was getting dark and I was walking alongside a wall with cattle at the other side. They were trotting across to peer at me when two Tornado jets roared overhead at low level. The cattle started running, so I broke into a (extraordinary?) rendition of the song "Rawhide". The cattle stopped and turned to look at me, so I carried on singing to the very end. The savage beasts were tamed.
Humans would, of course, have carried on running when I sang, their general direction being "away".
Note: I have yet to try this method when faced by an onrushing herd on my side of the wall, but if all else fails I'll stand tall, wave my arms, and do my Frankie Laine (not Lois Laine) impersonation.

Hi
Itinary looking at bit like this at the moment:

Arrive Ilkley - Archway Cottage?
Ilkley to Burnsall (13 miles)- decide between Holly Tree Farm and Wharfe View Farm?
Burnsall to Buckden (14 miles) - West Wind Tearooms
Buckden to Cowgill (19 miles) - Sportsman's Inn
Cowgill to Sedbergh (10 miles) - Dalesman Country Inn
Sedbergh to Grayrigg (10 miles) - Morsedale Barn?
Grayrigg to Staveley (9 miles) - lunch at Eagle & Child (yum) then afternoon train home.

I have already walked the Stavely to Bowness section a couple of years ago, so thought I would leave this bit out (at the moment anyway)

it looks a nice steady schedule

Tim

I may combine the last 2 stages into a 19 mile day, and stay at the Eagle & Child for the last night. Will have a think about it.

Hi Calluna

My daughter agreed to do the Dales Way with me and we are now booked up to arrive in Ilkley on 4th September and start the walk on the 5th. We may bump into you along the way as I've planned an 8-day walk for us as we haven't tried a multi-day walk before and the daughter (althoug young, fit and healthy) hasn't done much walking yet!

Quite excited now we are booked. Hope your plans are going well.

Regards
NanaT

Brilliant, nice to see you got your daughter to go with you. Unfortunately I have a none-walking family, so no companion for me! Which also means I have to carry all my stuff with me as Sherpa only take a minimum of 2 baggages for this walk, darn.

What is your itinery? we may be able to meet up along the way (maybe have a pint and meal)

Good luck

Well - if all goes to plan our overnight stops will be as follows:

4th - Ilkley
5th - Burnsall
6th - Kettlewell
7th - Oughtershaw
8th - Dent
9th - Sedbergh
10th - Grayrigg
11th - Staveley
12th - Windermere

So, if our paths will meet anywhere, just let me know and we'll keep an eye out for you.

Hi NanaT

I have sent you a personal message, thought I would let you know because it was 4 months before I realised someone had sent me my first one, dozy me!

okay.....so you remember earlier on in this post how I was going on about being scared of crossing fields with cattle in (on my own). Just read that a woman has been killed near Hawes whilst going through a field of cattle. She had 2 dogs with her but they were both on leads. This does nothing for my confidence in September!

This same last weekend, during my 3 day tip I noticed that whilst crossing two fields with cows and calfs, that the cows were more protective than usual and turned to face me at closer quarters than normal. I just stuck to what I always do and marched confidently on in as a straight a line as possible and as wide a possible berth, making sure not to look them in the eye.In fact to carry on through and totally ignore them, works for me.
Dave.

If you have a dog with you the cows will be far more interested in it than you. If they start to come towards you LET GO OF THE DOG. I can't stress this enough. The dog will outrun the cows easily - you can't if they stampede. You can meet up with your dog in the next field. Don't try and protect your dog from the cows as they are protecting their herd and will go through you to get to it!

I have to say I walk with my dog among cows every day, my advice is they will not bother you unless you act like you are scared stiff, if you run they will run after you, carry on as normal show some balls and walk as if you are the boss, if they come towards you, walk towards them. they will back off first, I just feel too many people are givin advice about cows that dont understand them, I can sit in the field and yes they will come around and suround me with my dog and calfs in tow, they will sniff as well, but as soon as I go boo they run as they are spooked. the worst thing you can do is panic, how do you think the farmer controls them? sometimes you may get the odd one will balls that will show a bit of agresion but stand up to it and it will back down, remeber they are heard animals and will all follow the leader if he or she runs they all run.

if you let your dog go it is more likly to spook them in to a frenzy and cause injury to the cows as they tend to run and can slip over. Remeber it is their field.

Hi,

I will be doing the Dales way in July 2009. With my past experiencies with the wieght of the rucksack, I do recommend the luggage transfers, even if you have to pay twice for it. It will save all the aches and pains what goes with it.

If your not taking Sherpa's luggage service, then I hope you have a fantastic time.

Paul

Thanks tictag. I am using B&B's so can pack fairly light, it's only for 5 days after all.
Really looking forward to it now that September is nearly here

Hi Calluna

I just finished the Dales Way, walking on my own the whole way. There were lots of other walkers about, though far fewer once you get past Sedbergh. I didn't stay overnight, except for one night at Burneside - I caught public transport to and from Leeds at each stage, which was easy enough to arrange, and quite good fun in its own right - the Dales bus goes through some fantastic scenery, and the Settle - Carlisle railway is spectacular. That got harder towards the Cumbria end, as it meant much of the day was taken up getting to and from the walk, which put pressure on walking time, leaving very little leeway for errors in way finding (and unfortunately, it was the Cumbria end where the way finding was more of a problem.) Hence the decision to overnight in Burneside.

The only problem I struck on the whole way was an incredibly muddy field after Lambrigg Head, where I sank to just below the knees, and this was followed immediately by an electric fence. The couple who'd gone through an hour or so ahead of me didn't have any of the problem with the fence (they did get mud, but I don't think they sank quite as far as I did). However, a couple going through the next day did tangle with the fence. I didn't intially connect the fence to a problem farmer - it was the landlady at the B&B I stayed at who did that for me - she even guessed the farm where it happened as lots of her guests have had experiences there. Apart from the one instance, every one else was really good. And, the 'wilder bits' of the Cam area and the three peaks (I took the alternative route over the Galloway Gate instead of dropping down immediately into Dent Dale), were a doddle compared to that Cumbrian field and fence. However it will all probably have cleared up by the time you reach it as my land lady sent off emails to the appropriate contacts about the fence when I told her about it.

The way marking is really good for the majority of the Way, though it does get vague on some farms after Sedbergh. This was commented on by several other walkers walking the same leg the same day.

From Ilkley to Buckden the other walkers I came across were a mix of day walkers, families and locals etc wandering the Wharfe, not necessarily the Dales Way. After Buckden, it narrowed to mostly (but not exclusively) Dales Way walkers, but also Ribble Way and Pennine way walkers. By the time I got to Sedbergh, I was meeting walkers who were there for the Howgills (?) area.

I've found walking on my own to be more sociable than walking with a group - it is amazing how easy it is to strike up conversations with locals and other walkers when you are on your own. I do that much more often on my own than when I am with a group.

The Dales Way is a beautiful walk, and I'm really glad I took the time out to do it. I do recommend doing it in shorter sections as that enables you to stop, look and enjoy the scenery.

Have fun.

An electric fence that causes such a problem can usually be sorted out by connecting it to something nearby, such as barbed wire fence, that reduces its power or short circuits it.

Thanks for all the info Daphne - glad you had a great walk.

Me thinks there will be a fair amount of mud after the weather we've had up North recently

Really looking forward to it now, just been out and bought my last bits and pieces, will start packing tomorrow. Would be great if I get chance to chat to fellow walkers and maybe even share a beer in the pubs at night. Eating on my own is what I am not looking forward to - it always looks a bit strange when a woman is on her own in a pub.

It doesn't look strange! Just take a map or guidebook in with you and then likeminded people will no doubt sit down and have a chat - you may regret that!

It can seem a little strange sometimes (probably for men and women), but because I tend to like walking on my own, I do it all the time - and I suspect a lot of people on this site do as well (although I'm male not female). Various thoughts/suggestions:

a) if you want company - as Harland has suggested - making it obvious that you are a walker will often get you the attention of other walkers - although that may or may not be the best thing

b) if you stop at YHA's, you're very likely to come across fellow walkers with whom you can go to the pub (if you want to)

c) if you don't particularly want company or the particular company on offer - I tend to make make sure I have a good book to read

d) and if all that fails, although I regret this sounds a bit sad - I reassure myself by looking at the couples eating in the place - who generally haven't got anything to say to each other. I'd much rather be on my own with a good book than be alone with someone who I haven't got anything to say.

(b) is a good idea, and regarding (d) most couples eating together look as if they would rather be alone or with someone else.

Will probably follow guidline (a) although (d) is very true

After all the rain we have had up north - beginning to consider packing a canoe for the walk to Burnsall. And if you see what looks like a mud-wrestler on the path - don't get too excited lads it will just be me

Calluna
Many a true word spoken in gest!
When I walked Burnsall to Ilkley a few years ago the riverside path between Appletreewick and Barden Bridge was under water (I waded through, being without canoe) and there was water in the fields on the west side of the river at the A59 crossing.
So if you have to take to the road between Barden Br and Burnsall, stay on the east side of the river where it's much safer walking. Too much traffic on the main road and no footpath, and too much uphill also.