Nidderdale Walks
Family friendly walks in and around the Nidderdale area
Have you ever visited Nidderdale?
Nidderdale is a STUNNING park of the Yorkshire Dales. Ok, it might not have been included in the National Park because of the fact it has so many reservoirs… but it’s SO beautiful that it’s been given National Landscape status. Which means… well I’m not actually sure what it means from a regular human perspective, but what it means to me is that it’s lush.
If you’re staying in Nidderdale or Pateley Bridge, or maybe you live there and are looking for some walk-spiration for the family. OR maybe, you’re none of the above and I’m currently in the middle of an intense pitch to sell you Nidderdale and now I’ve 100% persuaded you to get yourself there…
The good news is, is that I’ve got you covered. I can offer teeth in a bridge (yes, true facts) stunning reservoirs (I did mention them), beautiful ruins, tarns and SO MUCH MORE!
Here are our family friendly Nidderdale walks.
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Thank you for taking the time to have a look at my website and for reading this now!
I set up the Reluctant Explorers and maintain the website and attached social media accounts in my spare time, around mum-life and two jobs. It was designed to provide access for parents to free resources to help get more families outside and exploring in nature. These walks have all been created by myself and the kids and we have walked each one ourselves (and re-walk them regularly to keep the information as up to date as we can).
If you would like to support us and can afford a few pennies, you can make a donation to our ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ page. Simply tap the button below to head there!
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!
River Nidd Waterfalls, Lofthouse
⭐ Little Monkeys
🎒🚘🥾💦🌳🚌🐶
📍 Lofthouse, Upper Nidderdale
📏 less than 1 mile linear walk there and back.
This walk is a very short walk to the waterfalls on the River Nidd at Lofthouse. It’s a perfect out and back for explorers who are just finding their feet.
And look at those waterfalls!
Scar House Reservoir
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📍 Lofthouse, Upper Nidderdale
🥾🚘🎒🌳🚌🐶
📏 4.5 miles
This absolute gem of a walk is located in the middle of nowhere, which means it is starkly beautiful and breath-taking!
I’d go as far as saying that Scar House is my absolute favourite reservoir walk in the Yorkshire Dales (And I REALLY don’t like reservoir walks) This one is remote, has excellent architecture (none of that concrete nonsense) the dam wall creates the most epic of waterfalls in wet and windy weather and it has proper history too!
Best reservoir walk out there.
St Mary’s Church Ruins
📍 Pateley Bridge, Nidderdale
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
🥾🎒🚘💦✨🍦☕🛝🌳🚌🐶
📏 Circular walk, 3 miles
I am a sucker for a good old fashioned ruin. And this walk does not disappoint! It takes you along the River Nidd, and up to the ruins of St Mary’s Church high above Pateley Bridge.
Oh yes… and it also starts and ends with a park, and goes right past the front door of the oldest sweetshop in England!
Pateley Bridge Riverside
⭐ Little Monkeys
📍 Pateley Bridge, Nidderdale (Harrogate)
🚘👶🥾✨🦆🍦☕🌳🛝🚌🐶
📏 Circular walk, 1-2 miles
This walk is not only pushchair friendly and short (so perfect for the littlest of legs), but it has a park and if you’re lucky, an ice cream van! Plus, Pateley Bridge is home to the oldest sweet shop in the country! You’ve gotta be sold right?!
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!
Greenhow and Prosperous Lead Mines
📍 Greenhow Hill, Nr Pateley Bridge, Nidderdale
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
🚘🥾💦🎒✨🌳🛝👻🐶
📏 Circular walk, 4 miles
The crumbling remains of the Greenhow Lead Mines are testament to a once thriving industry, are the subject of local legends and this walk even has a little play area too!
Oh and if you want, you can also tag on a wander to a gigantic piece of modern art and the ruins of a lime kiln!
Coldstones Cut and the Toft Gate Lime Kiln
⭐ Little Monkeys
📍 Greenhow Hill, near Pateley Bridge
🥾🚘👶/🎒✨🌳🐶
📏 1-2 miles
This is an explore rather than a walk (that’ll help with the whinge factor!) It takes in the Coldstones Cut, which is a massive art installation overlooking a working quarry (aka Digger Heaven) and also you’ll see the super cool ruins of a Victorian Lime Kiln!
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!
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!)
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!
Staying in the Pateley Bridge area?
We have a Visit with Kids guide to provide you with all the family friendly inspiration you need! Think family friendly walks, local attractions and importantly, where to find the ice cream (and the play park!)
There are two guides covering this area and the nearby areas so why not check out our…
Scroll using the arrows for all our Family Friendly Walks
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![Swimming in Janet's Foss Yorkshire Dales]()
Waterfall Walks
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![Malham cove walk for kids]()
Pushchair Friendly
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![Pinhaw Beacon trig point walk near Skipton]()
Peak Bagging Walks
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![The Park at Greenhow Nidderdale]()
Walks with Play Parks
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![Gordale Scar in Malham Yorkshire Dales]()
Organised by Location
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![Walking in the woodland in Wensleydale]()
Woodland Walks
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![Playing on the shore of Embsay Reservoir Yorkshire Dales]()
Reservoir Walks
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![The ruins of Bolton Abbey]()
Bolton Abbey Estate Walks
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![Leaping over the stile at Almscliffe Crag]()
Walks Under 2 Miles
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![Child walking into a pub in Appletreewick]()
Walks with Pubs and Cafes
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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.