Bainbridge Circular Walk
- Michael Palmer
- Nov 20, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Bainbridge Circular Walk – 4.18 Moderate Miles in Wensleydale
Looking for a beautiful Yorkshire Dales walk with traditional villages, open countryside and plenty of history? Our 4.18-mile Bainbridge Circular Walk explores the countryside around one of Wensleydale’s most attractive villages.
Lyn and I personally walked, photographed and GPS recorded this route for The White Shire.
We rate this walk as moderate.
At just over four miles, the distance itself isn't particularly long, but this is proper Yorkshire Dales countryside rather than a flat surfaced walk. The terrain and changes in level make it more demanding than some of our easier routes.
For us, that's part of its appeal.
Bainbridge gives us everything we enjoy about exploring the Dales – stone cottages, a traditional village green, rivers, surrounding hills and a landscape with a story stretching all the way back to Roman Yorkshire.
Bainbridge Circular Walk at a Glance
Distance: 4.18 miles
Route type: Circular
Difficulty: Moderate – based on our experience
Location: Bainbridge, Wensleydale
County: North Yorkshire
Area: Yorkshire Dales National Park
Nearby: Askrigg, Hawes, Aysgarth and West Burton
Terrain: Field paths, countryside tracks, village paths and Dales terrain
Highlights: Bainbridge, Wensleydale scenery, River Bain, River Ure and the area's Roman history
Walked and photographed by: Michael and Lyn Palmer, The White Shire
Our 4.18-Mile Bainbridge Circular Walk
Lyn and I found this a really enjoyable Yorkshire Dales walk.
It's only 4.18 miles, but mileage doesn't always tell us how difficult a route is.
We've completed longer walks that we'd happily describe as easy.
Bainbridge requires a little more effort, which is why we've given it our moderate rating.
But there's plenty to reward that effort.
We're surrounded by classic Wensleydale countryside, and Bainbridge itself gives us a lovely starting point for exploring this part of the Yorkshire Dales.
Starting in Bainbridge
Bainbridge sits in Upper Wensleydale and has the traditional appearance we associate with a Yorkshire Dales village.
Stone buildings surround the large village green, with the hills rising around the valley.
It's the sort of place Lyn and I enjoy spending a little time looking around rather than immediately setting off.
The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority actually has a Bainbridge audio trail that starts and finishes in the village and explores the surrounding Wensleydale landscape towards Askrigg. (Yorkshire Dales National Park)
That tells us something about how much there is to discover around here.
Out into Wensleydale
Once we're away from the village, the landscape opens up.
This is what we've come to the Yorkshire Dales for.
Fields divided by dry-stone walls.
Old farm buildings.
Hills rising around the valley.
And those wide views that make even a relatively short walk feel like a much bigger adventure.
For Lyn and me, Wensleydale is one of those places where we naturally slow down.
There's no point travelling here and then rushing through it.
Why We've Rated Bainbridge Moderate
Our moderate rating is based on our own experience of completing the route.
The distance is manageable at 4.18 miles, but there's more effort involved than on one of our easy canal, reservoir or parkland walks.
The Yorkshire Dales has an extensive network of public footpaths, bridleways and other rights of way, with more than 2,600km of routes across the National Park. (Yorkshire Dales National Park)
Those routes cross genuine countryside.
That means natural surfaces, uneven ground, field paths and changing gradients can all be part of the experience.
We'd recommend decent walking footwear and clothing appropriate for the weather.
The River Bain
Bainbridge takes its name from the River Bain, which flows through the village before joining the River Ure nearby.
It's another feature that gives the village its character.
Water has shaped so many of the places Lyn and I explore around Yorkshire.
Rivers determined where settlements developed.
They powered industries.
They provided transport routes and water supplies.
And today, they give us some of our favourite walking landscapes.
The River Bain may be relatively short, but it plays an important part in this corner of Wensleydale.
Bainbridge's Roman Past
One of the most fascinating things about Bainbridge is that people were recognising the strategic importance of this location nearly 2,000 years ago.
On Brough Hill above the village are the remains of the Roman fort known as Virosidum.
Historic England describes the fort as occupying a strategically strong position above the confluence of the River Bain and River Ure, with extensive views up and down Wensleydale. (Historic England)
That's something we can appreciate as walkers.
Stand in the surrounding landscape and suddenly the location starts to make sense.
The Romans weren't choosing places randomly.
Virosidum Roman Fort
The Roman fort at Bainbridge is now a Scheduled Monument.
Historic England records that archaeological excavations have confirmed it was an important military centre for more than 300 years. (Historic England)
The fort itself measured roughly 91 metres north to south and 111 metres east to west, enclosing just over a hectare.
Its position allowed the Romans to oversee an important route through the Pennines between Stainmore and the Ilkley and Aire Gap. (Historic England)
That's quite a history sitting above what today feels like a peaceful Yorkshire Dales village.
Walking Through a Historic Landscape
That's one of the things we enjoy most about walking.
We might initially choose a route because the scenery looks good.
Then we start looking into what we're actually walking through.
Suddenly, the fields and hills aren't simply countryside.
We're following routes through a landscape people have farmed, travelled through and defended for thousands of years.
Bainbridge is particularly good for that.
Roman history, farming and the traditional Dales landscape all come together within a relatively small area.
Dry-Stone Walls and Dales Farming
The stone walls are one of the features that immediately tell us we're in the Yorkshire Dales.
They're so familiar that it's easy to stop noticing them.
But they're an important part of the working landscape.
The fields, barns, walls and tracks we walk through have been shaped by generations of farming.
This isn't countryside created specifically for walkers.
We're visitors in a landscape where people live and work.
So Lyn and I always try to respect livestock, stick to the paths and leave gates as we find them.
A Proper Yorkshire Dales Walk
Although our Bainbridge route is only 4.18 miles, it feels like a proper Dales walk.
And that's a compliment.
We're not simply walking around a village green and along surfaced paths.
We're heading out into the surrounding landscape.
That's also why we've rated it moderate.
If you're looking for a completely easy stroll, we have plenty of those on The White Shire.
Bainbridge asks for a little more effort.
But in return, we're getting some wonderful Wensleydale scenery.
Is the Bainbridge Circular Walk Difficult?
We wouldn't describe it as difficult, but we do rate it moderate.
If you're comfortable walking four or five miles through normal countryside with uneven surfaces and changes in level, it should be a manageable route.
If most of your walking is on flat, surfaced paths, you may find this one noticeably more demanding.
Weather makes a difference too.
Rain can turn field paths muddy and slippery, while conditions in the Dales can change surprisingly quickly.
So we'd rather be slightly over-prepared than under-prepared.
Is the Bainbridge Walk Suitable for Beginners?
That depends on what you mean by beginner.
If you're reasonably active and comfortable walking just over four miles through countryside, we'd consider it.
But if you're looking for your first walk after doing mainly short, flat routes, we'd probably choose one of our easy White Shire walks first.
The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority publishes a range of short walks designed for different abilities, which is useful if you're looking for alternatives. (Yorkshire Dales National Park)
How Long is the Bainbridge Circular Walk?
Our GPS-recorded Bainbridge Circular Walk measures 4.18 miles. That distance is shown on the original White Shire article. (The White Shire)
How long you'll need depends on your walking pace.
Lyn and I don't rush our walks.
We're taking photographs, stopping to look at the landscape and quite often finding something that sends us down another Yorkshire history rabbit hole when we get home.
Bainbridge gives us plenty of excuses to stop.
And when we're walking somewhere as beautiful as Wensleydale, we don't see much point in hurrying.
Walking Around Upper Wensleydale
One of the advantages of Bainbridge is its location.
We're surrounded by some wonderful places to explore.
Askrigg is nearby.
Hawes is further west.
West Burton and Aysgarth are easily reached in the other direction.
And the wider Wensleydale landscape gives us plenty of reasons to return.
This is where our North Yorkshire collection on The White Shire becomes useful.
We're gradually building up a network of personally walked routes rather than simply featuring isolated places.
So if you enjoy Bainbridge, there's another White Shire walk waiting nearby.
West Burton – Another Walk Nearby
West Burton is a particularly good example.
Lyn and I have also completed our 4.08-mile West Burton Circular Walk.
We rated that one easyish rather than moderate, so it gives you a slightly different option if you're staying in the area.
That's one of the things we want The White Shire to become increasingly useful for.
Find a walk you like.
Then find another nearby.
Over time, we're creating our own collection of routes across Wensleydale and the wider Yorkshire Dales.
When is the Best Time to Walk Bainbridge?
We'd consider Bainbridge at different times of year.
Spring brings fresh growth and colour back into the valley.
Summer gives us long days and more time to explore.
Autumn changes the colours across the Dales.
And winter can produce some beautiful views, although conditions obviously require more care.
For a moderate countryside route like this, we'd pay particular attention to recent rainfall.
Wet field paths can make the walk more challenging than the mileage suggests.
Explore More Yorkshire Dales Walks
Bainbridge is only one of the Yorkshire Dales routes Lyn and I have explored.
And we'll continue adding more.
That's important to us because we want The White Shire to be somewhere you can return to whenever you're deciding where to walk next.
You might start with Bainbridge.
Then West Burton.
Then Aysgarth.
Then somewhere completely different in another part of North Yorkshire.
Every route we add makes the collection a little more useful.
Discover Yorkshire with The White Shire
The White Shire has grown from Lyn and me simply enjoying getting out together and exploring Yorkshire.
We personally walk, photograph and GPS record our routes.
But the website is becoming much more than a collection of walks.
We're also sharing Yorkshire history, attractions, places to visit and other ideas for discovering the county.
Bainbridge demonstrates exactly why those subjects work so well together.
We can go out for a 4.18-mile walk and find ourselves exploring beautiful countryside while standing in a landscape that was strategically important to the Romans nearly two millennia ago.
For us, that's what makes exploring Yorkshire on foot so interesting.
About Michael and Lyn
Michael and Lyn Palmer explore Yorkshire together on foot, personally walking, photographing and GPS recording the routes featured on The White Shire.
Our walking guides are based on our own experiences.
We're not professional hikers.
We're simply a husband and wife who enjoy getting outside together, discovering interesting places and learning more about Yorkshire as we go.
Some routes are easy.
Some are considerably harder.
And Bainbridge sits nicely in the middle.
Bainbridge Circular Walk – Our Verdict
Our Bainbridge Circular Walk measures 4.18 miles.
Lyn and I rate it as moderate.
The distance isn't particularly long, but the countryside terrain and changes in level make it more demanding than our easier walks.
For us, that's exactly what makes it enjoyable.
We've got a traditional Wensleydale village, rivers, open countryside, classic Yorkshire Dales views and some remarkable Roman history.
Bainbridge Roman Fort alone gives the landscape another dimension. Archaeological evidence shows this was an important Roman military centre for more than three centuries. (Historic England)
So if you're looking for a manageable Yorkshire Dales walk that gives you a little more of a challenge without becoming an all-day hike, we'd certainly consider Bainbridge.
It's another four miles of Yorkshire that we're very glad Lyn and I went out and explored.
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