# Raydale Staycation Guide — Where to Stay & What to Do > Discover Raydale, a quiet Yorkshire Dales valley around Semer Water lake, with walks, camping and places to stay near Bainbridge and Wensleydale. Source: https://staycation.co.uk/raydale (Staycation.co.uk). Cite the source page, not this text version. Yorkshire's quiet valley, gathered round a glacial lake Photo © Gary Fisher, Google Maps [Guide](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale) [🏨 Hotels](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/hotels) [🏡 Cottages](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/cottages) [⛺ Camping](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/camping) [🎟️ Attractions](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/attractions) [🍽️ Restaurants](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/restaurants) Raydale is one of the Yorkshire Dales' smaller, lesser-known valleys, tucked away on the southern flank of Wensleydale in North Yorkshire. Where the main dale runs broad and busy with traffic between Hawes and Leyburn, Raydale slips off quietly to the south-west, following the short course of the River Bain up towards the hills above Semer Water. It is a place of drystone walls, hay meadows and scattered farms rather than visitor attractions, which is exactly its appeal: a working Dales landscape that has changed very little. At its heart lies Semer Water, the second-largest natural lake in the Yorkshire Dales after Malham Tarn, and one formed naturally by glacial action rather than by damming or quarrying. The lake feeds the River Bain, reckoned to be the shortest river in England at around two and a half miles from source to its meeting with the River Ure at Bainbridge. Three small hamlets, Countersett, Marsett and Stalling Busk, sit around the dale, with Bainbridge itself guarding the entrance where Raydale opens out into Wensleydale proper. ## Getting to Raydale Raydale is reached via minor roads branching south-west from the A684 Wensleydale road, either through Bainbridge or via Countersett. The nearest towns with fuller services are Hawes, a few miles to the west, and Leyburn to the east. There is no railway station in Wensleydale itself; the closest mainline stations are at Garsdale, on the scenic Settle-Carlisle line, and further afield at Northallerton on the East Coast Main Line. From either, onward travel is by car, taxi, or limited local bus services, and a car is by far the easiest way to explore Raydale's network of narrow lanes. ## Best time to visit Raydale Late spring through early autumn is the most comfortable time to visit, when the meadows around the dale are at their best and the water-lilies on Semer Water flower in July. Walking is possible year-round, but the exposed fell paths above the lake can be wet and windswept outside the summer months, and winter days are short this far north. Autumn brings good colour to the dale's scattered woodland and the chance to hear the Bainbridge Horn sounded in the village each evening from late September. ## Where to stay in Raydale [All hotels in Raydale →](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/hotels) About staying in Raydale Hotel choice directly in Raydale is limited, reflecting its status as one of the smallest and quietest valleys in the Yorkshire Dales. What accommodation there is tends to be traditional: farmhouse bed and breakfasts, small guesthouses, and self-catering cottages scattered around Countersett, Marsett and Stalling Busk, often run by families who have farmed the dale for generations. For a wider choice of proper hotels and inns, Bainbridge at the mouth of the dale is the obvious first stop, with the Rose and Crown offering rooms alongside its bar and restaurant. A short drive further up Wensleydale, Hawes and Askrigg both have a good spread of hotels, coaching inns and boutique stays, many with views over the dale and easy access to walking routes. Booking ahead is sensible at almost any time of year, since the number of beds in and around Raydale is genuinely small, and demand from walkers and cyclists using the surrounding National Park can be high in the summer months. Those wanting to stay closest to Semer Water itself should look at Countersett or Stalling Busk; for more choice of restaurants, bars and shops in the evening, Hawes makes a practical base with Raydale as a day-trip destination. [Ebor House Burtersett Road, Hawes](https://staycation.co.uk/hawes/hotels/ebor-house) [Herriots Herriots, Hawes](https://staycation.co.uk/hawes/hotels/herriots) [The White Hart Inn Hawes The White Hart Inn, Hawes](https://staycation.co.uk/hawes/hotels/the-white-hart-inn-hawes) [The Fountain Hotel Market Place, Hawes](https://staycation.co.uk/hawes/hotels/the-fountain-hotel) [The Old Board Inn Market Place, Hawes](https://staycation.co.uk/hawes/hotels/the-old-board-inn) [Cocketts Hotel Market Place, Hawes](https://staycation.co.uk/hawes/hotels/cocketts-hotel) [Hazels Roost B&B Hazels Roost, Bainbridge](https://staycation.co.uk/bainbridge/hotels/hazels-roost-b-b) [Low Raisgill B&B Yockenthwaite, Buckden](https://staycation.co.uk/buckden/hotels/low-raisgill-b-b) ## Things to Do in Raydale [All attractions in Raydale →](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/attractions) Top things to do in Raydale Raydale rewards slow travel: walking, watching wildlife, and taking in views that get relatively few visitors compared with the honeypots elsewhere in the National Park. - **Semer Water** — Yorkshire's second-largest natural lake, ringed by fells and known for its clear water, native white-clawed crayfish, and a striking show of yellow water-lily flowers in July. - **Semer Water circular walk** — a popular low-level route around the lake and up towards Stalling Busk, taking in the ruined old chapel above the water and wide views back down Raydale. - **Bainbridge village and the Forest Horn** — at the mouth of the dale, Bainbridge sits on the site of the Roman fort of Virosidum; the Rose and Crown pub still keeps up the ancient custom of sounding the Bainbridge Horn nightly through the autumn and winter months. - **Countersett and Marsett** — two of the quietest hamlets in the Dales, both good bases for exploring the surrounding fellside on foot or by bike. - **Wensleydale Creamery, Hawes** — a short drive up the dale, the working creamery and visitor centre tells the story of Wensleydale cheese, with tastings and a shop. - **Aysgarth Falls** — a triple set of limestone waterfalls on the River Ure, one of Wensleydale's best-known sights and within easy reach by car. - **Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes** — housed in the town's old railway station, covering the history and traditions of Wensleydale and the wider National Park. [Dales Countryside Museum ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/attractions/dales-countryside-museum) [Aysgarth Falls ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/attractions/aysgarth-falls) [Bolton Castle ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/attractions/bolton-castle) [The Forbidden Corner ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/attractions/the-forbidden-corner) [Ingleborough Cave ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/attractions/ingleborough-cave) [Long Ashes Leisure Club ⭐ 4.4](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/attractions/long-ashes-leisure-club) [🎟️Climbing & Bouldering Harrogate Climbing Centre](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/attractions/harrogate-climbing-centre) [How Stean Gorge ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/attractions/how-stean-gorge) ## Where to Eat in Raydale [All restaurants in Raydale →](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/restaurants) Food and drink in Raydale The Rose and Crown in Bainbridge is the natural focal point for food and drink at the mouth of the dale, a traditional Dales coaching inn serving pub meals. Options within Raydale itself are limited, so most visitors combine a stay here with trips into Hawes, where Wensleydale Creamery's shop and café sell the local cheese, or Askrigg and Aysgarth, both of which have well-regarded pubs serving Dales produce. [White Hart Country Inn ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/restaurants/white-hart-country-inn) [Fountain Hotel ⭐ 4.4](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/restaurants/fountain-hotel) [Voujon ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/restaurants/voujon) [Hawes Ice Cream Parlour ⭐ 4.9](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/restaurants/hawes-ice-cream-parlour) [Stone House Hotel Ltd ⭐ 4.9](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/restaurants/stone-house-hotel-ltd) [Hardraw Force Heritage Centre ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/restaurants/hardraw-force-heritage-centre) [Low Mill Outdoor Education Centrre ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/restaurants/low-mill-outdoor-education-centrre) [Thornton Lodge](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/restaurants/thornton-lodge) ## Attractions Near Raydale [All attractions in Raydale →](https://staycation.co.uk/attractions) Worth the trip — within 50 miles of Raydale. [3 mi Dales Countryside Museum Hawes · ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/hawes/attractions/dales-countryside-museum) [8 mi Aysgarth Falls Leyburn · ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/leyburn/attractions/aysgarth-falls) [9 mi Bolton Castle Leyburn · ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/leyburn/attractions/bolton-castle) [12 mi The Forbidden Corner Leyburn · ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/leyburn/attractions/the-forbidden-corner) [13 mi Ingleborough Cave Ingleton · ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/ingleton/attractions/ingleborough-cave) [13 mi Long Ashes Leisure Club Threshfield · ⭐ 4.4](https://staycation.co.uk/threshfield/attractions/long-ashes-leisure-club) [🎟️Climbing & Bouldering 14 mi Harrogate Climbing Centre Harrogate](https://staycation.co.uk/harrogate/attractions/harrogate-climbing-centre) [14 mi How Stean Gorge Harrogate · ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/harrogate/attractions/how-stean-gorge) ## Camping in Raydale(1) [All campsites in Raydale →](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/camping) About camping in Raydale Camping around Raydale means camping properly: on a recognised site, with the landowner's permission, since wild camping without consent remains illegal in England and Wales. That said, the dale is well suited to a tent, with a small campsite near Semer Water itself offering pitches within walking distance of the lake, along with other options around Bainbridge and further up Wensleydale towards Hawes. Facilities on the more remote sites can be basic, so it is worth checking what is provided, particularly around water, showers and mobile signal, before setting off. The terrain here is classic Yorkshire Dales: open fell above the dale, drystone-walled pasture lower down, and the lake itself sitting in a natural bowl surrounded by hills. It is exposed ground, and weather can turn quickly even in summer, so a good four-season tent and proper waterproofs are worth having whatever the forecast says at the campsite gate. Midges can be an issue by the water on still summer evenings. Late spring to early autumn is the most reliable camping season, when daylight hours are long and the hay meadows and lakeside paths are at their best; the water-lilies on Semer Water flower in July, making a midsummer visit particularly rewarding. Outside these months, nights lengthen and turn cold quickly this far north, and some smaller sites reduce services or close altogether over winter. For those who would rather leave the tent poles at home, glamping pods, shepherd's huts and static caravans are available at sites around Semer Water and Bainbridge, offering a similar sense of being out in the dale with rather more comfort. These tend to book up well in advance for the summer holidays, so early planning pays off for anyone set on a stay by the lake itself. [Stablefell Campsite ⭐ 4.6 · from £26/night](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/camping/stablefell-campsite-raydale) [Nethergill Farm ⭐ 5.0 · from £40/night](https://staycation.co.uk/skipton/camping/nethergill-farm) [Bainbridge Ings Caravan & Campsite ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/camping/bainbridge-ings-caravan-campsite) [Blackburn Farm ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/camping/blackburn-farm) [Hawes Caravan and Motorhome Club Site ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/camping/hawes-caravan-and-motorhome-club-site) [Honeycott Caravan Park ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/camping/honeycott-caravan-park) [Cherish Glamping ⭐ 5.0](https://staycation.co.uk/leyburn/camping/cherish-glamping) [Thorney Mire Woodland Retreat ⭐ 5.0 · from £230/night](https://staycation.co.uk/hawes/camping/thorney-mire-woodland-retreat) ## Self-Catering Cottages in Raydale [All cottages in Raydale →](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/cottages) [The Reading Rooms 2 bed · sleeps 4 · from £895](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/the-reading-rooms-syk1161693) [🏡Cottage Elm Cottage 3 bed · sleeps 7 · from £537](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/elm-cottage-24476) [🏡Cottage Gardenwell Cottage 2 bed · sleeps 4](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/gardenwell-cottage-uk2054) [🏡Cottage Oughtershaw Hall 8 bed · sleeps 16 · from £4,899](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/oughtershaw-hall-syk1152290) [🏡Cottage Aysgill Cottage 2 bed · sleeps 4 · from £433](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/aysgill-cottage-cc218049) [🏡Cottage Mill Cottage 2 bed · sleeps 3 · from £355](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/mill-cottage-syk925847) [🏡Cottage Gayle Farmhouse 4 bed · sleeps 6 · from £443](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/gayle-farmhouse-dc0636) [Sybil’s Cottage 2 bed · sleeps 3](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/sybil-s-cottage-cc218023) ## Common questions about Raydale How many campsites are there in Raydale? We list 1 campsites in and around Raydale, of which 1 take tents and 1 offer glamping. Are there dog-friendly campsites in Raydale? Yes — 1 of the 1 campsites we list in Raydale accept dogs, including Stablefell Campsite. ### 🏨 Find Hotels in Raydale Search hotels, B&Bs and self-catering on Booking.com. [Search Accommodation →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101762279-15734754?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.en-gb.html%3Fss%3DRaydale%252C%2BUnited%2BKingdom) Affiliate link ### Explore Raydale - [🏨 Hotels & B&Bs](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/hotels) - [🏡 Cottages](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/cottages) - [⛺ Campsites & glamping](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/camping) - [🎟️ Attractions](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/attractions) - [🍽️ Restaurants](https://staycation.co.uk/raydale/restaurants) - [🗺️ More in North Yorkshire](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire) - [🧭 All of the Yorkshire and the Humber](https://staycation.co.uk/regions/yorkshire-and-the-humber) ## Staycation ideas for Raydale [All staycation ideas →](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas) [The Best Last-Minute UK Staycations Six well-connected UK towns and cities worth booking at short notice, chosen for easy travel and a decent spread of accommodation once the school-holiday crowds have thinned.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/best-last-minute-staycations) [Rainy Day Staycations: Best UK Breaks for Bad Weather When the forecast turns grim, these UK cities and spa towns keep their appeal indoors, with museums, galleries and grand architecture to fill a wet weekend.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/rainy-day-staycations-uk) [The Best Dog-Friendly Staycations in Britain From Cornish coast paths to Lake District fells, these six British destinations offer the open beaches, moors and forests that make a staycation genuinely enjoyable for dogs and their owners alike.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/dog-friendly-staycations) [The Best UK Staycations for Families with Young Kids From New Forest ponies to Cornish rock pools, these six UK destinations combine easy logistics, safe beaches and family-friendly attractions for a stress-free break with young children.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/best-staycations-for-families)