Wharfedale Brewery, housed at the back of the Flying Duck Brewpub in Ilkley, launched a new tourist attraction at the weekend which aims to benefit businesses in the Yorkshire Dales.

The Ales Way – Wharfedale’s Ale Trail – takes real ale lovers on a journey from Ben Rhydding to Hubberholme, encompassing 15 of Yorkshire’s most iconic pubs, the vast majority of which can be reached via the Pride of the Dales bus services which the brewery sponsors.

Visitors to each will receive a stamp when they order a pint of Wharfedale Blonde, Best or Black. When they have collected ten stamps they will be given a free Ales Way t-shirt. They will also be invited to be entered into a “Hall Of Fame”. Should they manage to visit all 15 pubs on the ale trail they will also receive a souvenir box set of two bottles of beer and a Wharfedale Brewery branded pint glass.

Marketing director Jonathan Shepherd said: “I hope The Ales Way will capture the imagination of the public and become an exciting new tourist attraction throughout the Upper Wharfedale district.

“We have been overwhelmed by the fantastic support we have received from such wonderful pubs and hope to repay them by bringing them increased footfall, which in turn should mean extra sales for us.

“Whilst encouraging more people to visit the pubs and use the bus company, the ale trail is intended to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace which should allow people plenty of time to patronise the many wonderful little shops, café’s and restaurants as well.”

The Trail starts with the Wheatley Arms in Ben Rhydding, the Flying Duck in Ilkley and the Crown in Addingham, before moving up river to the New Inn and the Craven Arms at Appletreewick, the Red Lion at Burnsall, the Clarendon Hotel at Hebden, the Grassington House Hotel, the Foresters Arms and Devonshire Hotel in Grassington, before moving across to the Fountaine Inn at Linton, then onto the Gamekeeper’s Inn at Threshfield, the Blue Bell Inn at Kettlewell, the Buck Inn at Buckden finishing at the George Inn at Hubberholme.

The Ales Way website, thealesway.com, features useful information including bus timetables, pub opening and food serving times, a map of the route, as well as tasting notes on the brewery’s beers and details of how to claim ale trail souvenirs.