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| The Northern Dalesman at Reeth |
The popular Dales Bus network of summer Sunday & Bank Holiday bus services linking Lancaster and Morecambe to the Yorkshire Dales returns for 2019 in stages from Easter Sunday. Three services are being offered this year, including a new route over the Trough of Bowland and the return of a Sunday service on the linked 580/581/582 routes that link Lancaster with Skipton. The "Bowland Explorer" to Clitheroe will not, however, run in 2019.
Stage one starts on Easter Sunday, 21st April when Kirkby Lonsdale Coach Hire will introduce two round trips between Lancaster and Skipton via Kirkby Lonsdale, Ingleton and Settle for the summer period. The BUG understands that this is a commercial initiative on the part of KLCH and therefore is to be applauded, especially as the service will be timetabled to offer connections into the integrated Dales Bus network at key points.
Also starting on Easter Sunday is Coast & Cove Dales Bus 881. This service starts in Morecambe and runs via Lancaster and the Trough of Bowland to Settle and Malham. There is one round trip between Morecambe and Malham and a middle-of-the-day round trip from Malham to Lancaster and back, which will be useful for anyone wanting a shorter day out to places such as Dunsop Bridge or Slaidburn. The BUG also understands that timetables will be arranged in such a way as to allow a round trip between Lancaster and Settle going one way on the Coast & Cove service 881 and the other on the 580/1/2.
Last year's service to Malham ran via Kirkby Lonsdale and Ingleton to Settle but connections from these points are available on service 581.
So far, only the 881 timetable has been released
Stage two comes in May with the return of the Northern Dalesman service 830 one week earlier than last year on the 19th. This will once again be operated by Preston Bus, which proved very popular with passengers last year, and will again start at Preston calling at Lancaster University. From Lancaster Bus Station it will follow last year's route via Ingleton, Ribblehead, Hawes, Buttertubs and Swaledale to Richmond. Final timetables are still awaited by are expected to be very similar to last year with perhaps some adjustments to maintain train connections at Ribblehead.
Full details of all Dales Bus Services can be found on the Dales Bus website, which will be updated as the new times become available.