As schools break up for summer holidays across the county this month, the Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company and DalesBus are working together to help people leave the car at home and explore the North Yorkshire Dales more sustainably.

Two summer bus services are opening up Swaledale and Wensleydale to visitors travelling on the scenic Leeds-Settle-Carlisle railway line, providing links into the Yorkshire Dales National Park every Sunday.

Northern DalesBus 830 is picking up passengers at Ribblehead Station, within sight of the world-famous viaduct, and calling at Hawes before tackling the breathtaking Buttertubs Pass into Swaledale, visiting the picturesque villages of Muker, Gunnerside and Reeth on the way to the historic town of Richmond.

Meanwhile, Wensleydale Explorer Bus 857 provides a service from Garsdale Station to Hawes, Askrigg (the original home of All Creatures Great and Small) and Castle Bolton (for historic Bolton Castle). It provides great opportunities to visit the many attractions of Wensleydale, including Wensleydale Creamery and the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes.

The Wensleydale Explorer Bus also combines with the recently improved Garsdale Station Shuttle service, which provides a regular service between Garsdale Station and Hawes every Monday to Saturday.

Both bus services will run every Sunday until 19 October and are supported by the Friends of the Settle Carlisle Line and the Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company.

Pete Myers, chair of Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company, said: “We are delighted to be able to support these DalesBus services which open up the Yorkshire Dales National Park to our passengers on the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle line. These services enable people to use public transport and reduce car congestion in the National Park, providing a more sustainable and green way to visit our beautiful countryside.”

John Carey of the Friends of the Settle Carlisle Line said: “Whilst our railway line passes through undoubtedly one of the most scenic areas of the country, the relative isolation of the stations makes onward exploration difficult, but for the connecting bus services.

“Integrated transport is one of the key aims of the Friends, so we are pleased to support these useful services.”

Single fares on all these services are just £3 for any journey. Timetable leaflets providing additional information, together with a series of free guided walks, are available at stations along the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle line as well as online via the DalesBus website and Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company website.

Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company via their website.