Woodland Walks
In and around the Yorkshire Dales
Are you looking for Yorkshire Dales Woodland Walks?
Because in the Yorkshire Dales, they are really something very special! Did you know that only 1% of the national park is covered by woodland? This makes it one of the national parks with the least amount of tree cover in the country. Historically, woodland was cleared to make way for more grazing, but it is something that is being changed, with more and more native woodland being replanted.
But that doesn’t make it easy to find a great family friendly woodland wander in the Yorkshire Dales, does it?!
Well luck has it, that we have a page full of lovely woodland walks both in the national park and in the surrounding areas. So get ready to balance on logs, hunt down stick dens to hide in, spot fungus, hunt for bugs and you might even find a rope swing too!
There might be a good old waterfall walk to chuck in too, there’ll definitely be a play park or two and if you’re lucky… ICE CREAM!
So scroll down to find all of our fantastic woodland wanders!
Each of the walks has their own dedicated page, so tap the buttons to find out more.
The Star Guides
Each of our has been walked by our own 6 feet (in the sense of us being three actual humans, not in a kind of weird monster-like way!) Often, they have been walked several times and sometimes, they have been walked so often that they have been added to. This website has been growing alongside the OG Reluctant Explorers and now they can handle a little bit more - maybe yours can too.
I will say. As parents we know our kids better than anybody. I have done my best to include as much information as I can in each individual walk, so you can make your own judgement as a family. So the star ratings are just a guide to get you started.
⭐ Little Monkeys:
Walks suitable for younger children up to preschool (and beyond!) Shorter length walks with occasional pushchair access, no technical or tricky terrain. Perfect for those who are just getting out of the pushchair (and then back in again… and then back out…. and then… you know how it goes!)
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers:
Walks suitable for pre-schoolers and younger kids. Medium length/ difficulty walks. In these walks, there may be some more challenging terrain, but they are still fairly short.
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers:
Walks suitable for older children. Not necessary longer length, but they are more technically challenging in the terrain, and on occasion the distance as well.
The Walk Emojis
I’m renowned for a heavy used of emojis in my regular life, so why on EARTH should my website be any different?! Here is a guide as to what they all stand for.
Essentially, it’s a brief look at what you can expect from the walk, but in emoji form. (I’m campaigning for a pram emoji. It would make my pushchair friendly walk life MUCH easier.)
👶 Suitable for Pushchairs (see? no pram emoji)
🎒 Suitable for Carriers (that’s a rucksack, not a weird satchel. Closest thing to a kid carrier I could find!)
🚘 Car Park/ On Street Parking (plain sailing there - all of our walks have places to park, although if possible try….
🚌 Public Transport (PLEASE! To try and alleviate parking problems and to just in general be an excellent egg.)
🐶 Dog Friendly (plenty of those!)
🥾 Sturdy Footwear or Wellies (I’d say for most, walking shoes/ boots, for some, wellies)
🛝 A park or play area (I try my hardest to find one, or at least tell you where the nearest one is!)
🦆 Ducks to Feed (bring your duck food!)
🍦 Ice Cream! For Ice cream is truly a WONDERFUL addition to a family walk!
☕ As is coffee (for the adults obviously - I’m not going to subject you to a caffeine fuelled reluctant explorer THE HORROR!) This one means you can find coffee, tea or hot chocolate (ok - that one’s for the WHOLE family!)
🍻 Because I know how a family walk can go, you’ll be relieved to know that I’ll also tell you if there’s a pub at the end!
💦 Water play/ paddle/ swim (Check out our advice on Wild Swimming with Kids and the RLSS Water Safety info)
✨📚 Cool history, geology, something blummin’ awesome to talk about.
👻 Legendary Story. Ghosts, horrible history, witches and trolls!
🌳 Walking Games - they all have these!
Oxenber Woods from Austwick
📍 Austwick, near Settle
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📏2.5 miles
🚘🌳🥾✨🚌🐶🎒🍧🛝
A beautiful amble to Oxenber Woods, with a big hill to climb, bluebells (if you’re visiting in Spring) a beck to throw stones and splash in and the play park at the end!
Aysgarth Falls and Freeholders Woods
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📍 Aysgarth, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire Dales
🎒/👶🥾💦🦆🌳✨🐶🚌
📏 2 miles linear walk
I’ll bet you will have heard of the famous Aysgarth Falls!
But did you know it is located next to the Woodland Trust Site of Special Scientific Interest and nature reserve, Freeholders Wood?
Scaleber Force, Settle
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📍 Settle, North Yorkshire
🎒🥾🚘💦🌳🐶
📏 1 mile
This spectacular fall is located in a magical wooded gorge, owned by the Woodland Trust. The linear walk is short and sweet, but you won’t be disappointed, nor will you want to leave.
A perfect wander for a late Summer’s Day (or on any day for that matter!)
(The difficulty rating has been awarded on terrain, as access to the waterfall is down steep steps)
Nidd Gorge, Knaresborough
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📍 Between Knaresborough and Ripon, North Yorkshire
🥾🎒🚘💦🌳🐶🚌
📏 Less than 2 miles
The most woodlandy woodland that ever woodlanded!
Nidd Gorge is another place owned by the Woodland Trust and is packed full of woodland wonder, stick dens, places to splash and loads more (when I say loads more, I mean history. So you can try and sell that one to the kids!)
Strid Woods, Bolton Abbey
⭐ Little Monkeys
📍 Bolton Abbey Estate, North Yorkshire
🎒/👶🌳🚘🛝🍦☕👻🥾🚌🐶
📏 3 miles linear walk
This family friendly walk through the famous Yorkshire woodland will mean finding SO MANY EXCITING THINGS!
Starting and ending at the Cavendish Pavilion (COFFEE!!!!) this walk will take you to the infamous Strid which is the point at which the entirety of the River Wharfe is squeezed into a narrow rocky channel that runs through the middle of the Bolton Abbey Estate. The woodland around it is regularly the home to the Bolton Abbey Seasonal Trails.
Because the deadliest stretch of river is the PERFECT place to end a family trail…. (Kidding! Kind of…)
Heber’s Ghyll
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📍 Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire
📏 Less than 2 miles
🎒🥾🚘💦✨🐶🚌🌳
An awesome amble around the woodland and waterfalls of Heber’s Ghyll with the chance to go and hunt down the neolithic carved rock called the ‘Swastika Stone’ (*this in no way has any association with the modern use of the Swastika, but is a carved rock that is thousands of years old).
Heber’s Ghyll is also the home to many, many dinosaurs… intrigued?
Middleton Woods
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📍 Ilkley West Yorkshire
📏 2 miles
🎒🥾🛝☕🍦🦆🚘💦🐶🚌🌳
This is a fabulous little wander along Ilkley riverside, and around Middleton Woods. You’ll find a park, plenty of stick dens, stone throwing, paddling and picnic spots here.
And it’s perfect in Spring or Autumn!
The Chevin Rope Swings
📍 Otley, West Yorkshire
🚘🎒🥾🍻🍦✨🌳🐶
📏 1-2 miles
This walk is full on nature’s playground stuff!
With massive rocks to scramble up, rope swings hanging from the trees, a surprise view and if you’re lucky, an ice cream van too! This walk is always top of my two’s list!
And for the grown ups, it’s only a short walk to the Royalty Pub, where in the Summer, the beer garden is a great place to watch the planes take off and land at Leeds Bradford airport (whilst you perhaps enjoy a cheeky ‘refreshment’!)
Fishpond Woods, Bewerley
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📍 Bewerley, near Pateley Bridge
🥾🚘🎒🦆✨🛝☕🍦🌳🚌🐶
📏 2 miles
This circular walk is short, sweet and PACKED full of cool stuff to explore!
You’ll find woodland packed full of ALL OF THE NATURE! A 200 year old Ice House, hungry ducks and spooky cave spiders all topped off with a park!
Perfect for little legs! (P.S. If you hate spiders like me, visit on a cold winter day when they’re all hiding away!
Grassington and Grass Woods
📍 Grassington, Yorkshire Dales, Wharfedale
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
🥾🚘🎒☕🍻🍦🛝👻✨🌳🚌🐶
📏 4 miles circular walk
Woodland and Water. We think that is a perfect walk combination!
This circular walk starts and ends in the beautiful Dales town of Grassington, where you’ll also find a play park with skate ramps and plenty of places to eat and drink afterwards! Oh, and silly me! Ice cream too!
Guisecliff Tarn
📍 Glasshouses, near Pateley Bridge, Nidderdale NL
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📏 Circular walk 3 miles
🥾🎒🚘💦🌳🐶 🚌
This circular walk takes you right past the stunning Guisecliff Tarn, which just so happens to be a super and fantastic spot to throw stones!
Look how clear it is!
Plus, we talking trees to climb, nature to spot and a whole lotta Nidderdale view!
Flintergill, Dent
📍 Dent, Cumbria, Western Yorkshire Dales National Park
⭐⭐Little Adventurers / ⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📏 Short Circular 1 mile - Longer circular walk 6 miles
🥾🎒🚘🚌🛝☕✨👻💦🌳🐶
This walk is PACKED full of cool stuff for the kids, it features a waterfall, a small farming museum, ruins, paddle spots, a park AND a vampire stone!
You’ll have to read more about that in the walk details! Let’s go to Dent!
Knaresborough Circular
📍 Knaresborough, near Harrogate North Yorkshire
⭐ Little Monkeys
📏 Under 1 mile
💦🌳👶🥾✨🍦☕🚌🐶
This little wander around the River Nidd in Knaresborough is the perfect addition to a day out in the historic town. With splash spots and some cool ruins to explore too, it’s a must do if you’re headed to Knaresborough for the day!
Mill Gill and Whitfield Gill Force
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📍 Askrigg, Wensleydale The Yorkshire Dales
🚘🥾🎒🍻👻🛝💦🌳🚌🐶
📏4.5 miles
Oh yes. This one is for the waterfall lovers out there! Not one, but TWO epic waterfalls, and you get a bonus waterfall in for good measure!
This walk starts and ends in the bustling village of Askrigg in Wensleydale and is awesome in winter and paddlesome in Summer! OH and make sure you grab your cake from the Bake-Well cafe AND head to the prettiest park in the Dales!
Hardraw Force and Shaw Gill Woods
📍 Hardraw, near Hawes, Wensleydale
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
🥾🚘🎒✨💦🚌🐶👻🍻
📏 3 miles
If you’re looking for all of the epic waterfall action (for Wensleydale has a LOT of that going on!) This walk is for you. It’s turns a trip to Hardraw Force into a bit more of an adventure with options to make it longer or shorter, dependant on how your explorers are feeling on the day!
So think waterfalls, friendly sheep, walking sticks, pooh stick bridges a cafe, pubs and more!
Janet’s Foss and Gordale Scar
📍 Malham, Yorkshire Dales
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
🚘🥾🎒🍦🍻☕✨🌳👻🚌🐶
📏 1, 2 or 5 miles dependant on the route you opt to take.
This walk takes in the epic waterfalls of Malham; Janet’s Foss and Gordale Scar.
The stuff of legends! Literally. Whilst this walk isn’t FULLY in woodland, the area around Janet’s Foss is and it’s stunning!
Did you know that Janet’s Foss is the home of Janet the Queen of the Fairies?! True story….. or is it?
Something in mind? Search our full site!
(e.g. search: Gaping Gill Winch, Kettlewell etc.)
All our Family Friendly Walks on One Map!
What’s that I see? A MAP!?
Yes, that’s right, you guys asked, and here it is. The map of ALL the Reluctant Explorers family walks!
The one you can see is embedded so you can use it straight from the website, or if you’d prefer, you can view it straight in Google Maps, simple tap the link on the button below.
The benefit of using it directly from the website is that when you tap on each individual walk, you will find the page link to each walk, allowing you to jump straight to the walk information!
The map can be filtered as follows:
Family Walks (purple) | Pushchair Walks (pram) | Waterfall Walks (blue) | Walks Under Two Miles (yellow)
For more types of walks (pub walks, woodland walks etc. Head to the menus above where they are all categorised, depending on what you fancy!)
Scroll using the arrows for all our Family Friendly Walks
-
![Swimming in Janet's Foss Yorkshire Dales]()
Waterfall Walks
-
![Malham cove walk for kids]()
Pushchair Friendly
-
![Pinhaw Beacon trig point walk near Skipton]()
Peak Bagging Walks
-
![The Park at Greenhow Nidderdale]()
Walks with Play Parks
-
![Gordale Scar in Malham Yorkshire Dales]()
Organised by Location
-
![Walking in the woodland in Wensleydale]()
Woodland Walks
-
![Playing on the shore of Embsay Reservoir Yorkshire Dales]()
Reservoir Walks
-
![The ruins of Bolton Abbey]()
Bolton Abbey Estate Walks
-
![Leaping over the stile at Almscliffe Crag]()
Walks Under 2 Miles
-
![Child walking into a pub in Appletreewick]()
Walks with Pubs and Cafes
Follow us for up to date Outdoors Adventures!
We live and BREATHE the Yorkshire Dales outdoors life!
BEEN INSPIRED? Tag us @reluctantexplorers
Come follow our journey over on Instagram and Facebook where you’ll find up to date walk info, breaking news on Yorkshire Events, new Yorkshire Dales wild swim spots, climbing, caves and more!
Follow us on Social Media for all the up to date info: @thereluctantexplorers
Leave No Trace
The Yorkshire Dales is our home, and the home of so many others who care deeply about this beautiful space.
Should you visit, make sure to:
Take home anything you bring, leave no rubbish behind.
Make the world a better place by picking up any rubbish you see, even if it isn’t yours.
Leave everything else as you found it.