Peak Bagging Walks

In and around the Yorkshire Dales

Are you looking to collect some Yorkshire Dales Peaks?

Well say a big HELLO to our kid friendly Yorkshire peak bagging page!

It is our mission to bag as many Yorkshire Peaks as possible, a mission we began when the kids were 5 and 7…. so yup, that wasn’t ALL that easy! But this page is going to be one of our biggest growing pages in 2024, as now the kids are a few years older, we are PRIME for some trig point collecting!

(I say WE, I mean me…. with a big bag of Haribo in my back pocket!)

But this page was started when the kids were a lot younger, so you WILL find walks here for mini peak baggers, it’s a page that’s grown with the kids and so we have a whole range of peaks ranging from super easy short walks, to proper superstar hiker treks!

So take a look!

Please Note: Walk directions are to supplement map reading. Always take a map with you and know how to read it. You can find more helpful information and tips whilst walking with kids here.

Walk Difficulty Ratings

All of our tried and tested kid friendly walks have been divided into 3 categories dependant on difficulty, length and terrain:

⭐ Little Monkeys:

Walks suitable for younger children. Shorter length walks with occasional pushchair access.

⭐⭐ Little Adventurers:

Walks suitable for pre-schoolers. Medium length/ difficulty walks.

⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers:

Walks suitable for older children. Longer length walks with some difficult terrain.

Looking at the trig point of Ilkley Moor

Walks at a Glimpse

Here is our quick look key so you can identify what each walk has without taking too long!

👶 Suitable for Pushchairs

🎒 Suitable for Carriers

🚘 Car Park/ On Street Parking

🚌 Public Transport Links

🐶 Dog Friendly

🥾 Sturdy Footwear or Wellies

🧒 A park or play area

🦆 Ducks to Feed

💦 Water play/ paddle/ swim

✨ Cool history or geology

👻 Legendary Story

🌳 Walking Games

Adding to the cairn on Buckden Pike
Sitting on the trig point of Great Whernside

Great Whernside

📍 Kettlewell, The Yorkshire Dales National Park (South/ Central)

⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers

🥾🚘🎒🧒💦🌳🚌🐶

📏 6 miles circular

Not to be confused with THE Whernside, Great Whernside is located in Kettlewell, is the 6th highest Yorkshire Peak and this walk takes you past the highest chapel in England, the ruins of a Smelt Mill, it has perfect paddling spots, Ice Cream, a park and PUBS! Gotta love it!

I do!

Leaning against the trig point of Beamsley Beacon

Beamsley Beacon

⭐⭐ Little Adventurers

🚘🥾🎒🌳✨

📍 Langbar, near Addingham, Yorkshire Dales National Park.

📏 1-2 miles linear there and back

This is a gorgeous trig point walk for younger explorers. There’s not much in terms of length, but there are views to DIE for. So basically, maximum impact for very little effort!

There’s also some cool history and a tragic tale to go with this walk, so a lot to talk about for under 1.5miles.

Sitting on the trig point of Buckden Pike

Buckden Pike

⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers

🚘🥾💦🎒🌳🚌🐶

📏 7 miles circular

📍 Buckden, Upper Wharfedale, the Yorkshire Dales

Ok. I’ll level with you. At over 700m, Buckden Pike is the 7th highest peak in the Yorkshire Dales, so this one is NOT for the faint hearted!! But, the route will take you past an abandoned lead mine and Buckden Beck, the perfect place to dip your toes and cool off those achy feet!

Sunset on Almscliffe Crag

Almscliffe Crag

⭐ Little Monkeys

🎒🚘🌳🥾🚌🐶

📍 North Rigton, Near Harrogate

📏 less than 2 miles linear

It’s a rock scrambler’s paradise on Almscliffe Crag, with a trig bolt to boot! Hours can be spent clambering on rocks here…. speaking from experience there….

Ilkley Moor in the sunrise

Ilkley Moor

⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers

📍 Ilkley Moor

🚘🎒🥾✨💦🌳🚌🐶

📏 6.5 miles circular

Standing at 402m, the top of Ilkley Moor gives you 360 degrees of cracking views! But this walk is not just about the trig bagging, oh NO! This walk has a Stanza Stone (poetry engraved stones), a 12th Century Cross, a hidden waterfall and LOADS more!

Elbolton Hill cairn in the Summer

Elbolton Hill

📍 Thorpe, near Burnsall, Yorkshire Dales

⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers

🚘🎒🥾🧝‍♀️🌳🐶

📏 3-4 miles linear

A hill full of fairies? Absolutely, why on earth not?!

Elbolton Hill has been given its own legend on account of it sticking out like a proverbial green sore thumb amongst it’s far more bleak and usual moorland buddies.

This walk is quite simply to the top of the big green hill. It has a cairn, it has a cave (not to go in, but history and intrigue aplenty!) and it has fairies with a death wish.

So what’s holding you back?! (It’s the fairies isn’t it…..)

The top of Embsay Crag near Skipton

Embsay Crag

⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers

📍 Embsay, near Skipton, North Yorkshire

🚘🎒🥾💦🌳🐶

📏 3 miles linear

This is a short little peak bagging walk, which overlooks Embsay Reservoir! Take a short wander off the path and you’ll find the remains of the old weir, that creates a pretty little waterfall!

The trig point of Pinhaw Beacon

Pinhaw Beacon

⭐ Little Monkeys

🚘🎒🥾✨🌳

📍 Elslack, near Skipton

📏 Less than 2 miles linear

This is just the perfect starter peak for very little legs. Less than 2 miles with a gentle ascent and a knock-out view (ok, the kids probably will NOT appreciate that as much as you!) If you wander a little further, you can find Robert Wilson’s grave as well…. visit the walk for the full story!

Standing on the summit of Simon's Seat

Simon’s Seat

⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers

🚘🥾🎒🌳💦🚌

📍 Bolton Abbey, The Yorkshire Dales

📏 9 miles

This walk is just gorgeous. Pack ALL your snacks, it’s a long one at over 9 miles, but you’ll get paddling spots, pine cones, rivers and waterfalls, perhaps a cheeky brownie if you’re game for a mini detour off route. Plus the return route will take you past the Strid and the woodland of Bolton Abbey.

Sitting on the trig point of Whernside

Whernside

📍 Ribblehead, Yorkshire Dales National Park

⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers

📏 Circular walk, 11 miles

🥾🎒🚘👻💦🌳🚌🐶

Whernside is the largest peak in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and it is a fantastic achievement for a budding peak bagger!

This is a circular walk to the summit of Whernside, which is kid friendly and will also take you to one of Whernside’s waterfalls too!

The summit of Pen y Ghent viewed from the path

Pen y Ghent and Hull Pot

📍 Horton in Ribblesdale, Yorkshire Dales National Park

⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers

📏 Circular walk 7.5 miles

🥾🎒🚘💦🌳🐶 🚌✨🧒

Want to bag yourself one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks? Pen y Ghent may be the smallest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, but it is a fabulous walk for a young explorer!

This circular walk will take you to the summit of Pen y Ghent, and to Hull Pot too.

Scroll using the arrows for all our Family Friendly Walks

Follow us for up to date Outdoors Adventures!

We live and BREATHE the Yorkshire Dales outdoors life!

Come follow our journey over on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok, 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