AN interesting variation on the theme of pub walks, is church walks. Instead of ending or starting a walk at a pub, why not start it at a church? Yorkshire Dales Church Walks is the result of a collaboration between the Rev Kate Bottley - better known as the vicar on television's Gogglebox, in which she comments on the week's television with her husband, Graham. She is also a regular contributor of Pause for Thought, on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show, and has presented documentaries for the BBC. For the book, she has joined forces with Peter Naldrett, a freelance writer specialising in travel and the outdoors whose books include guides to the Peak District and to the Lake District.

Yorkshire Dales Church Walks contains 20 walks all in the Yorkshire Dales National Park - and the vast majority are in Craven. They include Grassington, Bolton Abbey, Kettlewell, Conistone, Clapham and Ingleton.

Each walk has a useful 'what you need to know' table, detailing distance, time needed, difficulty level, and where to get refreshments, and of course a map - not unlike every other collection of walks. But, what makes it different, is that each one includes Rev Bottley's 'Thought for the Walk'.

In a walk to the top of Penyghent from Horton-in-Ribblesdale, a walk of six and a half miles, and described as 'strenuous', Rev Bottley talks about the sense of achievement at getting a certificate - commenting on the certificates given out to those who complete any of the three Yorkshire Three Peaks. She also offers some questions for people to ponder as the carry out the walks - and suggests for Penyghent thinking about are certificates given out too easily, and what is your proudest achievement.

Another popular walk starts in Clapham and takes in Gaping Gill and Ingleborough Cave. The church at Clapham, comments Rev Bottley, is dedicated to St James. "Originally, it was the church of St Michael, but at some point in its history, it changed its name, and no one is exactly sure why," she says. She goes on to comment about the Trow Ghyll skeleton and how two walkers found it along with an unopened bottle of cyanide, a fountain pen, some change and a key. "The mystery remains unsolved, but the most likely explanation is that the Trow Ghyll skeleton was a Nazi spy who took his own life," she writes, concluding: "Although, no one has ever determined who he really was, no foul play was suspected." Rev Bottley's suggestions for people to ponder on the Clapham walk are therefore - 'do you like a mystery?' and 'who do you think the Trow Ghyll man was?'.

A just more than five mile walk from Conistone, taking in Kilnsey Crag and the limestone pavements, starts from the church of St Mary. "I've always had a fondness for churches dedicated to women saints, and particularly to St Mary," she writes. The church at Conistone has neither spire or tower, and its bell sits on top of the west gable, in a small nook all on its own.

On the edge of the national park, included in the book, is a well trod six mile walk from Gargrave. The village is a beautiful place to visit at any time of the year, writes Rev Bottley.

But its not the church of St Andrew's, the pubs or the views that are her favourite part of the village. "I love the stepping stones across the river," she writes, commenting there were some in Sheffield, across the River Rivelin, where she grew up. "While crossing the stones at Gargrave is not quite the same as bungee jumping, the chance that you might mistime the step and end up in the river is half the fun if it in the first place, and of course, a stepping stone is always just a place to put your feet before the next step of faith on the journey."

Mr Naldrett says researching, walking and writing for the walk had been an 'absolute pleasure'.

In his preface, he describes the Dales as a 'phenomenally beautiful part of the country with no shortage of walks to embark on'. Each town and village has it own charm and character, and with many, a church at the centre of community life. "What we've tried to do is introduce you to the Yorkshire Dales through these places of worship, using them as a starting point to explore the traditions and physical beauty of the Dales," he writes. Mr Naldrett urges people to go inside the featured churches and learn about their history, before following the walk, and finishing off with a cup or tea, or something stronger, in a pub or cafe.

Lastly, he wisely suggests people go prepared - with a map and fully charged phone, and the correct gear, as the weather 'can turn really quickly' - wise words indeed.

Yorkshire Dales Church Walks is available from book shops at £8.99, or from the publishers, Sigma Press.