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Castle & dale
Bolton Castle & Wensleydale
A medieval castle above the dale — where Mary, Queen of Scots was once held — with sweeping views over Wensleydale.
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In the press
★★★★★
“The best day of our holiday.”
Margaret & Bill · Charleston, SCPrivate day tour from York
Private Tour from York: Dales, Castles & Villages
Rolling Dales country, a medieval castle and honey-stone villages — a full private day inland, at your own unhurried pace.
Book direct with Expedition Yorkshire for fast replies, easy customisation and personal support.
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300+ tours · 2,100+ guests
Always private, never shared
At a glance
Price
£985 / group · inc VAT
Duration
Full day · ~9am–6pm
Group size
Up to 7 guests
Pickup
Your York hotel or station
Tour type
Private · expert driver-guide
Pace
Relaxed · light walking
Highlights
Bolton Castle & Wensleydale · Aysgarth Falls · the stone villages · Ribblehead and the high Dales.
Ideal for
Couples and families who love big countryside, a little history and beautiful villages in one relaxed day.
The Dales, Castles & Villages tour is a private, full-day driver-guided trip from York for up to 7 guests. You head into the Yorkshire Dales for its castle, waterfalls and honey-stone villages, travelling in a Mercedes-Benz V-Class with hotel pickup. One price covers the whole group, from £985 including VAT.
Why choose this tour
A day that does the Dales justice
See more, properly
A local who stops where it counts and tells you what you're actually looking at.
Stress-free
No driving, no parking, no logistics — just the day, handled.
Your pace
Linger over the harbour or push on to the moors; the day bends to you.
Easy pickup
Door to door from your York hotel or the station.
Local insight
The corners and viewpoints most visitors drive straight past.
Travel in style
A spotless Mercedes-Benz V-Class with big windows and high seating.
The day, stop by stop
The places that make the day
Your day could look something like this — a castle, a waterfall and the stone villages in between. It's a guide rather than a fixed timetable: we shape the stops, the order and the pace around your group on the day.
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Falls & valley
Aysgarth Falls
The famous triple flight of falls on the River Ure, tumbling through a wooded gorge — a short, easy stroll from the road.
3
Stone villages
Wensleydale villages
Askrigg, Bainbridge and the market town of Hawes — drystone walls, village greens and, if you like, the Wensleydale creamery.
4
High Dales
Ribblehead & the high country
The great arches of the Ribblehead Viaduct beneath Whernside, and the wide open roads across the roof of the Dales.
Want something different? Malham Cove, Middleham Castle or Bolton Abbey all slot in beautifully — just tell your guide.
Before you go
Practical details
What's included
- Private Mercedes-Benz V-Class for the day
- Expert local driver-guide
- Hotel or station pickup & drop-off in York
- A route built around your group
- Bottled water on board
Useful to know
- Entrance fees & meals are extra (easy to arrange)
- Light walking only — and flexible to your pace
- Suitable for older guests and children
- Runs in all weathers; we adapt the route
- Day is approximately 9am–6pm
Ideal for
- First-time visitors to Yorkshire
- Couples wanting countryside and history
- Families, including multi-generation groups
- Anyone who'd rather not drive
- Photographers and walkers
“A wonderful day — a castle, a waterfall and the prettiest stone villages we've ever seen, all without touching the car. Our guide was a joy.”
Good to know
Dales, Castles & Villages — your questions
Yes — the vehicle and guide are exclusively yours for the day. You never share with strangers.
Door to door from your York hotel or the railway station, usually around 9am.
Light walking only, and entirely flexible to your pace. We can do as much or as little on foot as you'd like, and the vehicle is never far away.
Yes — the V-Class is comfortable and easy to get in and out of, and we pace the day around everyone in the group.
Of course. Tell us what you'd most like to see and we'll shape the day around it.
A private V-Class, an expert driver-guide, hotel pickup and drop-off in York, and a route built around you. Entrance fees and meals are extra.
The tour runs in all weathers — we simply adapt the route to make the most of the day.
Summer and autumn dates fill early, so the sooner the better — but do ask even at short notice.
The price is £985 for your whole group of up to seven, including VAT — one price, not per person. It covers the private V-Class, your driver-guide and York pickup. The only extras are optional entrance fees and meals, which we're happy to arrange.
There's no deposit simply to enquire or to hold a date while we finalise your plan. Once your day is confirmed you can pay securely, and we'll put everything in writing.
Plans change, and we keep cancellations fair and flexible. Let us know as early as you can and we'll always do our best to rearrange your day or refund you in line with our booking terms.
Meals aren't included, which keeps you free to choose. Your guide knows the best village pubs and Dales tea rooms, and is happy to book a table for you.
Yes — just tell us your children's ages when you book and we'll have the right seats fitted and ready in the V-Class.
Booking direct with us means the best price, a real person planning your day, faster answers and easy changes — with no third-party mark-up. You deal with the people who'll actually guide your tour.
You might also like
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The whole vehicle. The whole day.
One price for your whole group
Not per person, not per seat. One clear price puts the entire Mercedes-Benz V-Class and your expert driver-guide at your group's disposal for the full day.
From
£985
per group · up to 7 guests · inc VAT
Split between your group
That's £141 per person for a group of 7
One price for the whole vehicle — no single supplements, no per-head add-ons, nothing shared with strangers.
Every price includes
- Private Mercedes-Benz V-Class
- Expert local driver-guide
- York hotel & station pickup
- A route built around you
- Full day, roughly 9am–6pm
- Bottled water on board
No deposit to enquire · book direct for the best price and a personal reply, usually the same day.
Travelling as a larger party?
We regularly host groups of up to 14 guests across two Mercedes-Benz V-Class vehicles, each with its own expert driver-guide. Ask for a group quote and we'll tailor the whole day to you.
The easy next step
Plan your Dales, Castles & Villages day
Tell us your dates, who's coming and what you'd love to see. We'll build a plan and reply personally — usually the same day.
- No deposit to enquire — it's the start of a conversation, not a checkout.
- One price covers your whole group of up to seven.
- Prefer to talk? Call 01904 235928 or email andrew@expeditionyorkshire.com.
Take your time
Not ready to book? Take the day away with you
Download our brochure to browse this and our other private Yorkshire days at your own pace — the route, what's included and everything you'd want to know before you enquire.
No sign-up needed — it's yours to keep and share.
Ready for the Dales, its castle and villages?
Something specific in mind? Plan a custom Yorkshire tour →
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