Walks with Parks:
The Yorkshire Dales National Park
Walks with Play Parks in and around the Yorkshire Dales National Park
Are you looking for walks with play parks in the Yorkshire Dales?
Then welcome to our Yorkshire Dales National Park walks page! Here, you’ll find all our walks that feature play parks in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Because a bit of play park motivation goes a LONG WAY (literally!)
We’ve got big ones, tiny ones, ones with epic slides, ones with zip lines SO MANY PARK WALKS! So whether you’re headed to Wensleydale, Swaledale, Wharfedale, Dentdale or elsewhere, we’ve got your Yorkshire Dales play park needs covered!
If you’re looking for play parks in the Nidderdale area, or perhaps in some of the areas that lie just outside the National Park, then try heading to the Walks with Play Parks menu page!
Our walks don’t just feature play parks though! OH NO! You’ll find waterfalls, walks to the top of some of the highest peaks in the Dales, walks to caves and more! All of which feature play parks!
And grown ups… maybe (just maybe) some feature the pub!
All of our walks have individual pages. Just tap the button to head there!
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Make a Donation
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!
Oxenber Woods from Austwick
📍 Austwick, near Settle
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📏2.5 miles
🚘🌳🥾✨🚌🐶🎒🍧🛝
A beautiful amble to Oxenber Woods, with a big hill to climb, bluebells (if you’re visiting in Spring) a beck to throw stones and splash in and the play park at the end!
Winder, The Howgills
📍 Sedbergh, Westmorland Dales
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📏7km - 4.5 miles.
💦🚘🌳🥾✨🚌🐶🎒🍧🛝
This walk is a fantastic introduction to the Howgills for kids who are budding explorers and even if Winder is a little one, she has SPECTACULAR views!
It’s reasonably short at 4.5 miles, features a trig point to bag, waterfalls, a view point, geocaches and ends at the park. Oh, and there’s ice cream too! Just about as family friendly a fell can get I say!
Burnsall to Hebden Circular
📍 Burnsall to Hebden Circular
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📏 Circular walk 3.5 - 4 miles
🥾🎒🚘👻🍻🍦☕🛝🧒💦🌳🐶
This super circular starts and ends at the Red Lion Pub in Burnsall. It heads past paddling spots, swim spots, the stunning Loup Scar to yet ANOTHER pub or a fantastic tearoom in Hebden, it has a teeny tiny play area and a ridiculously tall slide!
It’s a good ‘un!
(Only a superstar hikers because there is a section of path that has an exposed side, so it just tipped over on the terrain angle!)
Victoria and Jubilee Cave
📍 Settle, Ribblesdale, Yorkshire Dales South Central
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📏 4-6.5 miles dependant on the route
🥾🚘🎒✨🍦☕🛝🌳🧒🚌🐶
MORE caves in the wild!
Victoria Cave (pictured at the top of the page) is a humungous cavern on Attermire Scar and Jubilee is its slightly smaller cousin. Both are accessible by those with absolutely no caving experience whatsoever as they have large and level entrances.
All you need to bring is your torch and a helmet (because if you’re like me, you’ll bang your head!
This walk starts in Settle and heads up to Attermire Scar. There is both a short and longer version to suit older and younger hikers!
Kettlewell Stepping Stones
📍 Kettlewell, Upper Wharfedale, The Yorkshire Dales
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
🚘🥾💦🍻🍦☕🛝🌳🐶🚌
📏 2 miles circular walk
Did I mention that we love Kettlewell?! This perfectly petite walk will take you on a short walk to the stepping stones and back. It’s a great walk for a Summer’s Day with places to get down to the water’s edge to splash!
Oh and OF COURSE there’s ice cream and the park!
Reeth Stepping Stones
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📍 Reeth, Swaledale, North Eastern Yorkshire Dales
🚘🎒🥾💦🍦☕🛝🍻🌳🚌🐶
📏 Under 3 miles circular
We love a good old fashioned stepping stones walk and this one is probably our favourite.
Reeth is a super little hub in Swaledale, with plenty of action! It has a park, pubs and its very own ice cream parlour, which all serve to make this Yorkshire Dales wander even more excellent!
Grassington and Grass Woods
📍 Grassington, Yorkshire Dales, Wharfedale
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
🥾🚘🎒☕🍻🍦🛝👻✨🌳🚌🐶
📏 4 miles circular walk
Woodland and Water. We think that is a perfect walk combination!
This circular walk starts and ends in the beautiful Dales town of Grassington, where you’ll also find a play park with skate ramps and plenty of places to eat and drink afterwards! Oh, and silly me! Ice cream too!
Linton Falls and Stepping Stones
📍 Linton, Wharfedale, Yorkshire Dales South East
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
🚘🥾💦🎒✨🛝🍦🍻☕🌳👻🐶🚌
📏 2 miles circular walk (with longer options too)
Linton Falls are a super popular stop off and are spectacular after heavy rain! Although…. if you do this walk after heavy rain, you’ll probably not get over the stepping stones, so it’s a balancing act!
But never fear, if you value drama over stepping stones (I can sympathise) there is an alternative route!
This fantastic circular takes you from Linton Falls to the stepping stones and back!
Gaping Gill, Clapham
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
💦🚘🥾🎒🌳✨☕🛝🍦🍻🐶🚌
📏 5-6 miles linear (there and back again) walk
📍 Clapham, North Yorkshire, Yorkshire Dales National Park
A walk with a wow factor!
This spectacular walk will take you along the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail, past Ingleborough Show Cave, through Trow Gill and to an epic paddle spot just underneath one of the Yorkshire 3 peaks, Ingleborough.
Gaping Gill is the point where the water of the beck disappears underground through a gigantic massive hole. It really is special to go and see particularly if there’s been a decent amount of rain!
Just make sure to stay well back from the edge - what lies beneath is a 100 foot drop into the gigantic cavern below. The cave is only accessible to the public on a winch day when the local caving clubs lower intrepid explorers down.
Cauldron Falls
📍 West Burton, Wensleydale, The Yorkshire Dales
⭐ Little Monkeys / ⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
🚘🥾🎒/ 👶🍻🛝☕🍦💦🌳🐶🚌
📏 Circular walk, less than 2 miles
Cauldron Falls is the PERFECT name for this stunning waterfall in West Burton, because it perfectly describes it’s ferocity after heavy rain. The best news? You’ll find it at the top of another set of wonderful waterfalls in this beautifully wooded clearing in Wensleydale.
This walk offers a super short pushchair option (which is a really just a walk to the waterfalls and back) or a longer version. Plus, it has a play area (with a pub opposite!) WINNER!
Aysgill Force, Hawes
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📍 Gayle, near Hawes, Wensleydale, the Yorkshire Dales (OK, technically it’s Sleddale, but if I said that, would anybody ACTUALLY know what on earth I was talking about?!)
🚘🥾🎒🦆🍻🛝🍦☕🚜💦🚌🐶
📏 Circular walk, 4 miles
No, it’s NOT Aysgarth. Whilst Aysgill is very close in name to its famous Wensleydale cousin, this waterfall is one that has its very own character and is our favourite waterfall walk in the dale! It’s also nothing like Aysgarth! A little more of a challenge.
But it still has ice cream and the park at the end! (And cheese. And actually another park if you want it)
You’ll love it!
Kettlewell to Starbotton
📍 Kettlewell, Upper Wharfedale
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
🥾🎒🚘💦🛝☕🍦🍻🌳🚌🐶
📏 Circular walk, 4.5 miles
We love Kettlewell.
Ok, admittedly we do love a lot of places in the Yorkshire Dales, but Kettlewell really is great. And in August, you might also stumble on some scarecrows too!
This circular walk from Kettlewell to Starbotton is about 4.5 miles and starts and ends with ice cream and the park! (Oh and the pub….. three pubs!)
There are paddle spots and it’s dog friendly too!
West Burton to Aysgarth Circular
📍 West Burton, Wensleydale Yorkshire Dales National Park Central
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📏 Circular walk - 4 miles
🥾🎒🚘💦🍦☕🛝🍻🌳🚌🐶
This super circular wander starts and ends at the pub and play park, has two famous waterfalls and has the option for a pub, cafe and ice cream stop in the middle too.
So if you love a wander with waterfalls, play park and pubs and VIEWS! Then this is the one for you!
Flintergill, Dent
📍 Dent, Cumbria, Western Yorkshire Dales National Park
⭐⭐Little Adventurers / ⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📏 Short Circular 1 mile - Longer circular walk 6 miles
🥾🎒🚘🚌🛝☕✨👻💦🌳🐶
This walk is PACKED full of cool stuff for the kids, it features a waterfall, a small farming museum, ruins, paddle spots, a park AND a vampire stone!
You’ll have to read more about that in the walk details! Let’s go to Dent!
Grassington Lead Mines from Hebden
📍 Hebden near Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
🥾🚘💦☕🍻🍦🛝✨🌳🚌🐶
📏 4-5 miles circular (can be further dependant on how much of the lead mining trail you take in)
This family friendly circular walk delivers. It’s got pretty waterfalls, an immense amount of industrial history, stunning Wharfedale views and ends at either the pub or one of our favourite tearooms in the Yorkshire Dales! Oh and there’s a teeny tiny play area with a rather dramatically high slide. at the end.
So what are you waiting for? Tap that button to go to our walk!
Ingleborough
📍 Ingleton or Clapham, Yorkshire Dales National Park
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📏 Linear walk 7 miles - Alternative longer circular is 10 miles
🥾🎒🚘🌳☕🍦🍻🛝👻🐶 🚌✨
Ingleborough takes second place to Whernside in the highest peaks in the Yorkshire Dales, but it is truly legendary (and I mean in a literal sense).
There is so much to learn about Ingleborough, so the conversations will never run dry!
And both options end up with the play park too (if you have the energy).
Pen y ghent and Hull Pot
📍 Horton in Ribblesdale, Yorkshire Dales National Park
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📏 Circular walk 7.5 miles
🥾🎒🚘💦🌳🛝🐶 🚌✨
Pen y ghent may be the smallest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, but it is my favourite of the three!
This family friendly route up Pen y ghent tackles the small scramble on the ascent, which we think is much better than tackling it the other way round! You can also take a detour to Hull Pot too and after heavy rain, you might catch it in full flow 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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![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.