About Buckden, the Dales and Yorkshire

About Buckden

Buckden

Buckden is small, peaceful and timeless. The cluster of stone cottages around the 18th century former manor of Buckden House is divided by the quick flowing waters of the village beck, which cascades down from Buckden Pike. At the top of the village, you can follow the beck up into the rocky and steep-sided Ghyll, where a series of waterfalls encourage even the most energetic of walkers to linger. At the foot of Buckden snakes the broader River Wharfe, along which runs the Dales Way long-distance footpath. At the centre of the village is the Buck Inn and there is also a general provisions store – where you can buy a daily newspaper and essential food items – an art gallery and a small licensed restaurant. The nearby Hubberholme Church forms the final resting place of author JB Priestley.

...White robin of the Dales...

Cray Gill (Picture by Brian R Hill from www.brillmusica.com)

It’s the ideal place for a day visit or longer stay. You can walk on the bleak moorland above to the call of the curlew and lapwing, wander down the riverside path to watch the distinctive dipper – the ‘white robin’ of the Dales – or simply relax, enjoy the peace and quiet and take in the dramatic scenery of austere fells, tumbling waterfalls, flower-rich meadows and valley-side ‘hanging’ ash woods. And wherever you go, there are the sights and sounds of sheep farming, including in spring the insistent bleating of new-born lambs and in July the bustle of hay-making. Much of the land around Buckden is owned by the National Trust, emphasising its specialness.

Buckden itself is a thriving community with its own Summer Gala each June and regular concerts, variety shows, dance classes, card evenings and quizzes – all open to visitors. There are things to do, if you want to do them, but if it’s rural tranquillity you’re seeking – even solitude and silence – the soaring fells and wild moors above provide just that.

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