Swaledale Walks
Family friendly walks in and around the Swaledale area of the Yorkshire Dales
Do you want family friendly walks in Swaledale?
Of course you do! Swaledale is at the northernmost reaches of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and is a whole new level of rugged moorland beauty.
It’s possibly home to some of the most isolated parts of the Yorkshire Dales and often you will feel like you are walking in a place that time forgot. It’s peaceful, it has areas of jaw dropping beauty unrivalled by elsewhere in the Dales and in places you could feel like you are the only human being left on the planet.
These family friendly walks will bring you ruins and abandoned places, waterfalls and perfect picnic spots spanning from the most isolated parts of the Dale up to a bustling village hub on the edge of the National Park border
We love Swaledale, who’s with us? Scroll down the page to find all of our Swaledale walks!
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.
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
Swinner Gill and Crackpot Hall
📍 Keld, Swaledale, Yorkshire Dales National Park (North)
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers (some unguarded drops)
🥾🎒🚘💦👻🌳🚌🐶
📏 4 miles linear - some testing terrain
This walk takes you to the stunning Swinner Gill, which is home to a spectacular waterfall (the picture on the right was during a drought!) But not only that, the walk will take you past the ruins of the epic Crackpot Hall, which has its own local legend, and East Stonesdale Force too!
The Keld Waterfalls
📍 Keld, Upper Swaledale, North Yorkshire Dales
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
🥾🎒🚘💦🌳🚌🐶
📏 6 miles circular (ish)
This is not a walk. This is a waterfall bagger’s dream! With 6 waterfalls to bag on one walk, this one is one for the mega waterfall fans out there! Plus, if you fancy a paddle or even a wild swim, this one’s for you!
Muker Circular
📍 Muker, Upper Swaledale, North Yorkshire Dales
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
🥾🎒🚘💦🌳🚌🐶
📏 Less than 2 miles
Want a walk to find the perfect paddlesome picnic spot at Rampsholme Bridge? This is the walk for you then!
Gunnerside Gill, Swaledale
📍 Gunnerside, Swaledale North Eastern Yorkshire Dales
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
🥾🚘🎒✨💦🚌🐶
📏 10 miles circular
This epic 10 mile circular walk around Gunnerside Gill was the kids’ official favourite walk of 2022. Yes. Even at 10 whole miles!
That in itself is an indication of this walk’s awesomeness! It takes in the abandoned ruins and scheduled monuments of the once thriving lead mines, fabulous waterfalls, and loads more
Reeth Stepping Stones
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📍 Reeth, Swaledale, North Eastern Yorkshire Dales
🚘🎒🥾💦🍦🧒🌳🚌🐶
📏 Under 3 miles circular
We love a good old fashioned stepping stones walk! This one is located in Swaledale in the Norther reaches of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
The river is super shallow around them so it’s a great place for a paddle and a picnic too! In Reeth, you’ll find a park as well as pubs and an ice cream parlour too!
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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