Yorkshire Dales New Year Walking Break – Welcome the New Year in the Heart of the Dales
Spend New Year exploring one of England's best-loved walking areas with a friendly group of fellow walkers. Based in the welcoming village of Kettlewell, this four-night walking break combines three days of guided walks with relaxed evenings, hearty home-cooked meals and a sociable New Year's Eve spent together.
Each walking day offers a choice of two guided walks, allowing you to decide whether you'd prefer a leisurely day exploring valleys and villages or a more active route heading higher into the surrounding hills. Whatever option you choose, you'll return each evening to our award-winning hostel to relax, enjoy good food and share stories from the day.
There are no formal parties or black-tie celebrations here. Instead, it's a simple, friendly way to welcome the New Year with fresh air, enjoyable walking and great company.
Trip Overview
Location: Yorkshire Dales
Duration: 4 Nights
Group Size: Up to 40 guests
Style: Sociable walking break
Walking Grades - Leisurely & Active
Choose between two guided walks on most walking days. One follows a more relaxed pace with shorter distances, while the other is aimed at those wanting a longer or hillier day. You can decide which walk to join each evening after your host explains the following day's options.
Typical Daily Distance
Leisurely: approximately 6–9 miles
Active: approximately 9–14 miles
Accommodation: Award-winning Kettlewell Hostel
Room Type: Shared same-sex dorms
Transport: Not included. Some walks may require a short drive, with simple car sharing arranged between participants where required.
Meals: Evening meals, Breakfasts and packed lunches included
Price: From £495 per person
Check Dates & Book Your Place
Select a date to view availability, room options and prices, and book your place to join Large Outdoors.
Dates & Availability
We run this trip on selected dates throughout the year.
Upcoming dates:
Tuesday 29 December 2026 - Saturday 2 January 2027
Simply select your preferred date in the booking box to check availability and book.
Can I Book with a Deposit?
Book more than 12 weeks before departure with a 20% deposit. Within 12 weeks of departure, full payment is required at booking.
A Good Fit for You If…
You'd enjoy celebrating New Year with a friendly group rather than a large party.
You like the flexibility of choosing between leisurely and more active walks.
You enjoy exploring villages, valleys and hills over several days.
You're happy staying in shared hostel accommodation.
You'd like your meals organised so you can simply relax and enjoy the break.
You're travelling on your own or with friends and enjoy meeting new people.
Probably not for you if…
You would prefer a private hotel room.
You're looking for challenging mountain days throughout the trip.
You'd rather have a formal New Year's Eve celebration with entertainment.
You don't enjoy staying in shared accommodation.
You'd prefer transport to be provided throughout the break.
“A brilliant way to spend New Year. Great walks, lovely food, a really friendly group and a fantastic atmosphere throughout. It felt like spending New Year with friends.”
Exploring the Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is one of England's best-loved walking areas, with limestone valleys, riverside paths, traditional villages and open moorland creating an ever-changing landscape to explore.
Our base in Kettlewell places us in the heart of Wharfedale, making it easy to reach many of the area's classic walking routes. Depending on the weather and the group, we may explore peaceful riverside paths, climb to broad hilltop viewpoints or wander between villages linked by ancient packhorse routes and dry-stone walls.
One day might include a walk to the summit of Great Whernside, while another could follow the River Wharfe towards Grassington, famous as the filming location for All Creatures Great and Small. With so many excellent routes nearby, no two New Year trips are exactly the same, allowing your host to choose walks that make the most of the conditions.
Away from the walking, you'll discover welcoming village cafés, traditional Yorkshire stone buildings and a landscape that has been shaped by farming for centuries. It's a wonderful place to slow down, spend time outdoors and begin the New Year.
Here’s what’s included in your trip:
Four nights' accommodation at Kettlewell Hostel.
Three full days of guided walking.
Choice of Leisurely or Active walks on most walking days.
Four breakfasts.
Three packed lunches.
Four two-course evening meals.
Tea and coffee throughout your stay.
Bedding provided.
Experienced Large Outdoors host throughout the trip.
What’s not included
Travel to and from Kettlewell.
Transport during the trip (simple car sharing is arranged if needed).
Meals not listed above.
Alcoholic and soft drinks.
Personal spending.
Travel insurance.
Towels (please bring your own).
A Flexible Itinerary
Every Large Outdoors trip is designed to make the most of the weather, the season and the group. Rather than following a fixed timetable, your host will choose the walks that offer the best experience each day, explaining the available options each evening so you can decide which walk you'd like to join the following day.
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You're welcome to arrive at Kettlewell Hostel from 17:00, where your Large Outdoors host will be there to welcome you and help you get settled in.
After checking into your room, there's time to meet the rest of the group over a cup of tea before we gather for our first evening meal together. It's a relaxed start to the break and a great opportunity to get to know your fellow walkers before the adventures begin.
Following dinner, your host will give a short welcome briefing covering the plans for the next few days, answer any questions and explain the two walking options that will usually be available each day.
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After breakfast we'll head out to explore the Yorkshire Dales.
On most days you'll have a choice between two guided walks.
The Leisurely group typically follows routes of around 6–9 miles, enjoying a steady pace with plenty of opportunities to take in the scenery, visit villages and stop for refreshments when possible.
The Active group usually heads a little further or higher, covering around 9–14 miles and tackling more ascent for those looking for a bigger day outdoors.
Possible destinations include:
Great Whernside and the surrounding limestone hills
Riverside walks along the River Wharfe
The traditional market town of Grassington
Classic Dales villages linked by historic footpaths
Quiet valleys, limestone terraces and open moorland viewpoints
No two trips are exactly the same. Your host will always choose routes that best suit the weather, ground conditions and the interests of the group.
As transport isn't included on this trip, some walks may begin a short drive from Kettlewell. When required, we simply arrange car sharing between participants, which has worked well on previous trips.
Packed lunches are provided each walking day, although there may also be opportunities to buy refreshments in local cafés during some walks.
Each afternoon we'll return to the hostel with time to shower, relax and unwind before dinner.
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New Year's Eve is all about enjoying good company after a day spent exploring the Yorkshire Dales.
We'll return to the hostel in the afternoon with plenty of time to relax before sitting down together for our evening meal.
As the evening unfolds, we'll gather in the dining room or cosy lounge, where the open fire often becomes the natural meeting place. Bring your favourite drink if you'd like to raise a glass as midnight approaches, chat with new friends or simply enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.
There's no formal entertainment, dress code or organised party. Instead, it's a friendly and informal evening spent together, celebrating the arrival of a new year in one of England's finest walking areas.
If you'd rather have an early night after a day outdoors, that's absolutely fine too. Many guests do, while others choose to stay up for the countdown before heading off to bed ready for another day of walking.
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After our final breakfast together it's time to pack up, say goodbye and begin the journey home.
There are no walks planned on the final day, allowing everyone to leave at a relaxed pace after an enjoyable few days welcoming the New Year in the Yorkshire Dales.
Accommodation
We'll be staying at Kettlewell Hostel, an award-winning hostel in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales and a favourite Large Outdoors base for many years.
Situated in the centre of Kettlewell, it's perfectly placed for exploring Wharfedale and the surrounding Dales, while providing a warm and welcoming place to return to each evening.
The hostel offers comfortable communal spaces where everyone naturally comes together after a day's walking. Downstairs you'll find a spacious dining room where meals are served, while upstairs there's a cosy lounge with comfortable seating and an open fire—an ideal place to relax, read a book or chat with the rest of the group.
Its friendly atmosphere is one of the reasons so many guests return year after year.
Room Types
Accommodation is in shared same-sex dormitory rooms.
Rooms vary in size, with most sleeping three or four people and the largest accommodating up to six guests. Beds are a mixture of single beds and bunk beds.
Shared bathroom facilities are located close to the bedrooms.
If you've never stayed in a hostel before, don't be put off. Many of our guests are first-time hostel users and are pleasantly surprised by how comfortable, welcoming and sociable they are. Shared accommodation is also a great way to meet like-minded people and helps create the friendly atmosphere Large Outdoors trips are known for.
Check Dates & Book Your Place
Select a date to view availability, room options and prices, and book your place to join Large Outdoors.
Dates & Availability
We run this trip on selected dates throughout the year.
Upcoming dates:
Tuesday 29 December 2026 - Saturday 2 January 2027
Simply select your preferred date in the booking box to check availability and book.
Can I Book with a Deposit?
Book more than 12 weeks before departure with a 20% deposit. Within 12 weeks of departure, full payment is required at booking.
Getting There
Our base for the trip is:
Kettlewell Hostel
Whernside House
Kettlewell
North Yorkshire
BD23 5QU
You are welcome to arrive from 17:00 on the first day, where your Large Outdoors host will be ready to welcome you and help you settle in.
Dinner is usually served at around 20:00. If you expect to arrive later than this, please have something to eat before you arrive.
Travelling by Car
Kettlewell is easily reached by road from Leeds, Harrogate, Skipton and the wider Yorkshire area.
There is free on-street parking within the village. Spaces are limited, so please park considerately and avoid blocking residents' access or driveways.
Travelling by Public Transport
There is no station collection on this trip.
Public transport to Kettlewell is possible but generally involves train and bus connections, so we recommend checking the latest timetables before booking your travel.
Transport During the Trip
Transport is not included during this break.
Some walks begin directly from the hostel, while others may require a short drive to reach the start. Where this is needed, we simply arrange car sharing between participants. This has worked well on previous trips and allows us to enjoy a wider variety of walks across the Yorkshire Dales.
FAQ’S
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All breakfasts, three packed lunches and four evening meals are included.
Each morning we'll enjoy breakfast together before heading out for the day's walk. Packed lunches are provided on walking days, leaving you free to focus on enjoying the Yorkshire Dales.
Evenings are a real highlight of the trip. After returning from the day's walk there's time to freshen up before gathering for a hearty two-course meal prepared for the group.
Large Outdoors meals are simple, generous and sociable, with everyone eating together around the dining table. It's often one of the best parts of the day, sharing stories from the walk, getting to know new people and planning tomorrow's adventure.
Tea and coffee are available throughout your stay.
You're very welcome to bring your own alcoholic or soft drinks to enjoy during the evening, particularly if you'd like to raise a glass on New Year's Eve.
Dietary Requirements
We can cater for vegetarian and vegan diets, along with meals prepared using gluten-free or dairy-free ingredients.
Please let us know your dietary requirements when booking.
Meals are prepared in shared kitchen facilities, so while every care is taken, we cannot guarantee that cross-contamination will not occur.
Unfortunately, we're unable to accommodate severe allergies or highly specialised dietary requirements. If you have a medical food allergy, please contact us before booking so we can advise whether this trip is suitable.
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Please refer to our Residential Walking Kit List.
The compulsory items listed are required for safety and comfort. Every participant must carry the required kit during walks.
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Dogs are not permitted on this trip, except for trained assistance dogs. Please contact us in advance if you intend to travel with an assistance dog.