The walk starts beside another great river, the Eden, as we leave Kirkby Stephen and climb up to the ridge above the Mallerstang valley to find the source of both the Eden and, more importantly to us, the Ure. The Way then runs through beautiful Wensleydale, one of the most famous of all the Yorkshire Dales and home to the world-renowned cheese of the same name.

An option is provided to climb out of the valley to the site of an old beacon on Penhill, and look down onto the twisting Ure below. We visit the castle of Richard III in Middleham and one of the great brewing centres of northern England in Masham, home to Theakston’s and Black Sheep.

For the majority of the Way, we are never far from the Ure as it winds though woodland and beside wide pastures, quaint villages and the parks of stately homes. In Ripon we find the modern bright lights and grand ecclesiastical architecture, side by side in a bustling city, with the Ure calmly sliding by it all. A final stretch of riverside path brings us to journey’s end in Boroughbridge, where you could turn around and follow the Swale Way back to Kirkby Stephen.

The new guide book includes a planning section with accommodation guide, town facilities, advice and guidance. It includes a detailed route guide with walking directions and a set of annotated maps. The book is peppered with items of local and historical interest, helping to add context to the buildings, bridges and villages along the Way.

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