Knaresborough circular walk walking along the side of the river

Knaresborough Circular

This short but sweet loop starts and ends in Knaresborough, and is a great little wander to tag onto a day exploring the historic town!

Have you ever been to Knaresborough?

A stunning town located just on the outskirts of Harrogate in North Yorkshire. The home of the legendary Mother Shipton’s Cave and a town that just oozes history and excitement from its very pores!

We love Knaresborough!

This little wander is not secret and is well signposted. It’s short, sweet and perfect for the youngest of explorers as part of your day out visiting Knaresborough!

(If you are visiting Knaresborough in the school holidays, why not check out what’s on at Mother Shipton’s Cave by checking out our Yorkshire Events page!)

Sitting on the wall at the ruin of a farmstead

Walk details for the Knaresborough Circular

Distance: less than 1 mile

Terrain: Easy footpaths underfoot. Well signposted, easy to navigate. Sturdy pushchair friendly.

Parking: Pay and Display parking at Conyngham Hall

Nearest Train Station: Knaresborough Train Station is located less than half a mile away in the town centre. The town centre is also accessible by bus.

Dog friendly? Yes, dogs to be kept under close control

Location: North Yorkshire, near Harrogate.

What 3 Words: copper.moderated.voices (start point)

Toilets/ Baby Change: at the pay and display car park.

Nearest Cafe/ Amenities: Knaresborough for a whole range of cafes, eateries and food outlets!

The ruins of the farmery in Knaresborough

How to walk the Knaresborough circular

Directions

  1. Beginning from the Conyngham Hall car park, head through the car park, away from the road, in a general westerly direction. You will be heading away from the town, out of the far end of the car park and towards the river.

  2. As you exit the car park, the grassy area bends round to the right. Here you will see the ruins of a Farmery. Old Victorian farm buildings that were assumed to be part of the estate of Conyngham Hall. They are cool to explore, and make sure you check out the info board about it.

  3. Walk through the ruins to the far end, keeping the River Nidd to your left. You are on a wide dirt track, that takes you up to the wooden bridge ahead.

  4. Turn left and cross the bridge. On the far side you have a choice. You can follow the path that loops round field next to the river (it comes back to the same spot), or you can turn left along the stony path. If you choose to do the loop or not, you still need to turn left at the end of the bridge.

  5. Take the left fork as the path heads downhill towards the edge of the River Nidd. The path becomes dirt track, which can be muddy in wet weather and crosses a little bridge over a stream.

  6. Continue through the woodland, when the path emerges out the far end and changes into concrete. This then takes you up to the bridge where you need to take a left to head back to the car park.

    Last walked August 2022.

Walking over the footbridge over the Nidd

Helpful Information!

For more helpful information head to our safety tips and advice page.

⭐ We hope you enjoy our walks, but please exercise common sense as routes can change with the weather conditions and seasons! These walks are intended as a guide only and are undertaken at your own risk. The routes have been walked by our own two feet, but you know your own limits. If in doubt, turn back. Always take a back-up map, don’t rely on GPS or your phone alone, wear appropriate clothing for the weather and take adequate snacks and refreshments with you (although as a parent, I know you already know that bit!)

⭐ Leave no trace! Take nothing away and leave nothing behind, take all rubbish home with you.

⭐ If you choose to paddle, be aware of bio security. Always wear clean dry water shoes (if worn) to avoid cross contamination of species between watercourses, this is a particular issue in the Yorkshire Dales, to help protect the white clawed crayfish.

⭐ If you decide to paddle, be aware that wild water can be dangerous, and water levels will vary season to season. Always supervise children around water. Check out the safety information on the Royal Life Saving Society website.

Standing on the bridge next to the River Nidd

What’s cool for kids on the Knaresborough Circular?

Well aside from is being short AND sweet…

💦 Splash and paddle spots with a rope swing and a launch spot for SUP! So that’s quite a lot right there! What 3 Words location is uptake.vesting.contexts it’s at the far end of the overflow car park.

Do take heed of the above warning relating to paddling in rivers. Also, a more specific warning is that there were issues with the River Nidd during the summer of 2022 in respect of contamination. This was being addressed, but it is worth keeping an eye on local updates if you do intend to swim. We paddled, and kept heads above water to be safe.

✨ The Danyell Bridge in Knaresborough has fallen down twice… the local prophetess Mother Shipton predicted if this bridge falls down a third time, then the world will end… hence the name of the Worlds End pub, which you’ll encounter on this walk. The entrance to the Mother Shipton’s Cave attraction is also near the end (of the walk that is…. not the ACTUAL end!) For more Witch Tales head to the blog.

🐮 The little farmery that you encounter at the beginning of the walk could date back to the mid 1800s or early 1900s and used to be a collection of farm buildings and yard. There is no record as to who built it and so it remains a bit of a mystery!

🌳 Need some extra help to banish the walking whinges? Then why not check out our walking games, free printable scavenger sheets or activities for nature collectors!

The rope swing over the River Nidd
Playing the river Nidd at Nidd Gorge

Are you loving the Nidd Gorge area?

We have another walk just upstream at Nidd Gorge, which is a fabulous woodland wander by the river.

Also a short walk, if you fancy taking a look then head to our Nidd Gorge page!

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