Short Walks in Nidderdale

Short walks around Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale AONB

Do you want a short and easy walk in Pateley Bridge or Nidderdale?

Yes? Then welcome and hello! This is our page dedicated to short and easy family walks found in the Nidderdale National Landscape.

You might be surprised to see walks that feature waterfalls, ruins, playparks and more because our short walks pack a lot of punch for mini wanders! Some will be pushchair friendly, some will need a carrier, some are great for young explorers some are great for older kids who just fancy a short walk (ok….. the older kids ALWAYS fancy a short walk!)

And for the grown ups… I can guarantee that at least some feature a pub!

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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!

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Child Walking through wild garlic in flower in woods

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.

child standing next to a river which is reflecting the blue sky with trees in early spring

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!

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!

Tap here to head to the Coldstones Cut and Toft gate Lime Kiln walk
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!

Tap here to head to Knaresborough Circular

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?!

Tap here to head to our Pateley Bridge Riverside walk
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 (when I say loads more, I mean history. So you can try and sell that one to the kids!)

Tap here to head to our Nidd Gorge walk
Two children sat by a pond with a duck approaching

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!

Tap here to head to our Fishpond Woods walk
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 out and back for explorers who are just finding their feet.

And look at those waterfalls!

Tap here to head to our River Nidd waterfall walk

Scroll using the arrows for all our Family Friendly Walks

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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.

Help us to protect our wild spaces.