Nidderdale Walks

Family friendly walks in and around the Nidderdale area

Have you ever visited Nidderdale AONB?

Nidderdale can be found right on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and is classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

And we agree!

Nidderdale is quite simply GLORIOUS and that’s why we have put all of our family friendly Nidderdale walks in one place for you! You’ll find walks in and around Pateley Bridge stretching up to the farthest reaches of Upper Nidderdale and we’ve even chucked in a few from Knaresborough!

You’ll find walks with waterfalls, ruins, reservoirs, giant pieces of modern art and teeth in a bridge…. (yes. It’s true.)

And if you aren’t intrigued after that then…. well I can do no more!

Paddling in the River Nidd in Lofthouse

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 picnic spot and a top place for a paddle. If you want to do a longer walk, you can head to Scar House Reservoir, which is just up the road!

Looking up to Angram Reservoir

Scar House Reservoir

⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers

📍 Lofthouse, Upper Nidderdale

🥾🚘🎒🌳🚌🐶

📏 4.5 miles

This absolute gem of a reservoir is located in the middle of nowhere, which means it is starkly beautiful and breath-taking! It’s also a little bit off the beaten track, oh and it has a waterfall at the end of the road too!

St Mary's church ruins

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… 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 WORLD! You’ve gotta be sold right?!

Throwing stones into Fishpond woods

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!

Teeth in the bridge at Skrike Woods

Skrikes Wood and Yorke’s Folly (The Teeth in the Bridge Walk)

⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers (terrain)

📍 Bewerley, near Pateley Bridge

🥾🚘🎒🦆✨🧒🌳🐶

📏 2.5 miles

If you’re after a circular walk that is PACKED full of the quite frankly bizarre,then this is the walk for you!

Slightly tricky to navigate, but worth getting lost for, this is a woodland wander with the weird factor!

Greenhow 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 quarry

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!

The ropoe swing over the River Nidd Knaresborough

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!

River Nidd in Knaresborough

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!

Standing looking at Guisecliff Tarn

Guisecliff Tarn

📍 Glasshouses, near Pateley Bridge, Nidderdale AONB

⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers

📏 Circular walk 3 miles

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This circular walk takes you right past the stunning Guisecliff Tarn, which just so happens to be a super and fantastic picnic spot!

Oh yes.

Scroll using the arrows for all our Family Friendly Walks

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