Yorkshire Dales Walks: Picturesque Hikes for Adventurers

Fall in Love With England on These Yorkshire Dales Walks

Explore the magnificent Yorkshire Dales with my comprehensive guide to a fine collection of Yorkshire Dales walks. The majority of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, which covers 841 square miles, lies in North Yorkshire, with a sizeable area in Cumbria and a small part in Lancashire. The national park was designated in 1954, and the westward extension into Cumbria and Lancashire followed in 2016.

The Yorkshire Dales is famous for its outstanding scenery, unspoilt countryside, diverse wildlife habitats and rich cultural heritage. It includes some of the finest limestone scenery in the UK, along with remote heather moorland tops, picturesque stone-built villages and traditional farming landscapes of field barns, dry stone walls and flower-rich hay meadows. Visit Yorkshire Dales Online and Yorkshire Dales National Park to find out more.

Below, I highlight three of my favourite Yorkshire Dales walks, each showcasing a different corner of this remarkable national park. Remember, these are just a taste of the walks available, with the full list detailed further down the page.

Yorkshire Dales Walks: My Three Favourites

My first highlight among these Yorkshire Dales walks is the Ingleborough walk, a 10½-mile circular route starting from the village of Clapham. The path heads north through a limestone valley to Ingleborough Cave, then climbs through the dramatic ravine of Trow Gill, with a short detour to the vast pothole of Gaping Gill. From there it ascends Little Ingleborough and continues to the flat-topped summit of Ingleborough, the second-highest peak in the Yorkshire Dales and one of the famous Three Peaks. The return follows the Dales High Way across Simon Fell Breast, crosses an expanse of limestone pavement near Nick Pot and heads back along Long Lane and Thwaite Lane, passing through the Clapham tunnels to finish in the village. It is a varied and rewarding walk, full of geological interest and dramatic mountain scenery.

My second pick of these Yorkshire Dales walks, the Kettlewell walk, is a 9-mile circuit linking the valleys of Littondale and Wharfedale. From Kettlewell, the route climbs through woodland and open meadow before descending into Littondale at the hamlet of Hawkswick. A lovely riverside path then follows the River Skirfare to Arncliffe, the village used as a filming location for All Creatures Great and Small. After crossing Cowside Beck and the River Skirfare, the trail climbs steeply over Old Cote Moor past Brayshaw Scar before dropping back into Wharfedale near Starbotton. A gentle stretch of the Dales Way alongside the River Wharfe leads back to Kettlewell. It is a walk through two contrasting dales, with riverside paths, quiet villages and a strong sense of history.

Rounding off my top three Yorkshire Dales walks is the Muker walk, an 8¼-mile circular route through the heart of Swaledale. From the village of Muker, the path climbs the slopes of Kisdon and skirts its southern and western flanks before descending to Keld. Here the route takes in a string of waterfalls, including East Gill Falls, Currack Force, Wain Wath Force and the hidden Kisdon Force, set within its protected woodland. The return passes through the ancient woodland of Rukin Wood and follows the River Swale southwards, finishing along the stone-flagged paths of the celebrated Muker hay meadows. It is a route rich in waterfalls, far-reaching views and traditional Dales scenery.

These three Yorkshire Dales walks reveal just a fraction of the adventures waiting in this magnificent national park. Whether you are drawn to limestone peaks, riverside paths, tumbling waterfalls or quiet stone-built villages, the Yorkshire Dales has a trail to suit every walker. For more detailed descriptions and a wider selection of routes, please explore the full list below.

A Journey Through the Yorkshire Dales’ Footpaths