THIS four-mile walk takes in three Wharfedale communities.

The dale is criss-crossed with miles of drystone walls running up to the limestone hills, with picturesque villages in the valley.

Our walk - which comes courtesy of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority - starts in Buckden in the upper part of the valley and at the heart of the National Trust's Upper Wharfedale Estate.

It takes its name from a former hunting lodge in the medieval Forest of Langstrothdale.

It is a thriving local community, which derives its income from farming and tourism, with many businesses catering for visitors as well as local residents.

There is a steep climb out of Buckden, which is rough and rocky in places, but the route soon levels out as you follow a bridlepath to the small hamlet of Cray, which is renowned for several attractive waterfalls.

It consists of a few farms and a pub, the White Lion Inn.

The next part of the walk offers rewarding views down Wharfedale, with the exposed moorland tops, wooded valley sides and the lush valley bottom meadows.

Eventually the route joins the Dales Way - a long-distance footpath which stretches from Bownass to Ilkley - and heads to Hubberholme, an old interesting village with an ancient pub The George Inn and an old Norman church.

First built in the 1600s, the pub was used as vicarage for many years and when the vicarage moved to another location in 1750, the building became the local hostelry. Most unusually the pub remained the property of the church until as late as 1953.

The ownership of the George Inn may have passed from the church, but there are two key things that intrinsically keep the two establishments linked - the annual land letting ceremony and the humble candle.

Originally a candle in the window would signify the vicar was in. Nowadays the pub lights a candle every day to signify it is open. When the candle is snuffed out, the pub is shut.

The candle also has a significant role in the annual land-letting ceremony, which takes place at the pub in January.

On offer are16 acres of poor pasture land, which were given to the church for the benefit of the community in 1734. The ceremony starts with the lighting of a candle and the land is let to the highest bidder at the time the flames goes out.

The nearby St Michael and All Angels' Church is also worth a visit.

It was originally built as a chapel in the 12th century by William de Percy, the then owner of Skipton Castle, as a place to worship within the hunting grounds of Langstrothdale Chase. Later extended to become the church we see today, it is one of only two churches in Yorkshire to still have a rood loft, miraculously escaping the edict of Elizabeth I, to destroy all "monuments of superstition".

Even the pews have pedigree, being carved by Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson of Kilburn in the 1930s and sport several - hidden - carved mice.

Hubberholme was also a favourite retreat for author JB Priestley, whose ashes are buried in the churchyard.

More walks in the national park can be found at yorkshiredales.org.uk

Step to step

1. Start in the car park at Buckden and leave through the gate at the top end signposted to Buckden Pike and Cray. The stone track climbs steeply at first and can be slippery when wet. The bridleway then levels out and is flat for approximately one kilometre, passing through a number of gates, to a point above the small hamlet of Cray.

2.Take the footpath that drops down the hill towards the White Lion pub, and then cross the stream via the stepping stones onto the road. The route continues around the back of the pub and follows a lovely high level traverse above the woods through to Scar House Farm. This part of the route offers rewarding views down Wharfedale. The classic u-shaped valley can be seen, with the exposed moorland tops, down to the wooded valley sides and the lush valley bottom meadows.

3. At Scar House Farm, turn left at the signpost for Hubberholme, down past the house and onto the concrete track to join the Dales Way into Hubberholme.

4. Pass the 12th Century Norman church, cross the stone arch bridge over the River Wharfe, turn left and follow the road for 700 metres to a gate on the left.

5. Take this footpath, signed to ‘Buckden Bridge’, along the pleasant riverside and meadows. Keep a lookout for kingfishers and oystercatchers who favour this stretch of river. The riverbank can be muddy in places. Turn left when you rejoin the road to return to the village.

Distance: 7km (4 miles)

Time: a minimum of one and a half hours

Parking: Buckden car park

Other transport: bus 72 from Skipton; cycle stands in the car park

Toilets: Buckden car park

Refreshments: pubs at Buckden, Cray and Hubberholme plus shop and cafés in Buckden