ACCESS to the picturesque Washburn Valley is improved from this weekend with the reintroduction of the Sunday DalesBus service from Guiseley and Otley, with an increased service for summer 2023.

This popular service into Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has been improved to provide an hourly shuttle service on DalesBus 820 between Otley, Fewston village (for the Washburn Heritage Centre), and Fewston/Swinsty reservoirs every Sunday and Bank Holiday until October 22nd, 2023. Buses leave from Guiseley White Cross at 10am and 11am; and from Otley Bus Station at 10.20am and every hour until 3.20pm.

Nidderdale DalesBus 821 will also provide the usual link from Guiseley and Otley to Pateley Bridge and Scar House Reservoir in Upper Nidderdale, connecting at Pateley Bridge with double-decker DalesBus 822 to Grassington.

The bus leaves Guiseley White Cross at 10am and Otley Bus Station at 10.20am, providing access not just to the Washburn Valley but also Blubberhouses, Coldstones Cut, Pateley Bridge, Gouthwaite Reservoir, Lofthouse and Scar House Reservoir in Upper Nidderdale.

Stronger walkers can walk from Scar House either past or over Little Whernside then climb up to Great Whernside summit, before descending to Kettlewell to catch other DalesBus services back to the West Yorkshire area.

Full details of both these services are available online at www.dalesbus.org/821 and in a timetable leaflet available locally.

Visit the Love Yorkshire section of the www.yorkshirewater.com website for ideas for walks around reservoirs in the Washburn Valley.

All single fares are just £2 (£1 for under 19s) until the end of June as part of a national initiative.

These services are run by the Keighley Bus Company, with financial support from Yorkshire Water, as part of the DalesBus network managed by the volunteer-run Dales and Bowland Community Interest Company.

They join DalesBus services 74 and 874 from Otley to Bolton Abbey, Burnsall and Grassington, which are already running for the summer season. These buses leave Otley Bus Station at 9.50am on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, with connections at Ilkley on Sundays and Bank Holidays with double-decker DalesBus 875 to Aysgarth and Hawes and Cravenlink bus 864 to Malham. Double-decker DalesBus 876 also runs from Otley via Cracoe to Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, leaving Otley at 10.50am on Sundays and Bank Holidays.