Who loves to pick a Yorkshire Blackberry?

Me, me, MEEEEE! (The Yorkshire bit just makes everything better… of course!)

Those gloriously glossy, juicy berries are just ripe for the picking!

Let’s face it, you don’t have to look far for a cluster of brambles, you’ll find them in most hedgerows, or verge-sides! But you know what?! What’s better than just foraging for wild blackberries, is foraging for wild blackberries with a glorious Yorkshire view!

So here are our absolute best family friendly blackberry walks, in and around the Yorkshire Dales! Get those purple stained fingers ready for picking!

Ilkley Moor, White Wells and Ilkley Tarn

You gotta lead with the best right?!

Well we think that this walk is just the PERFECT early Autumn walk. Not only are the lower slopes of Ilkley Moor absolutely HEAVING with wild blackberries, but Wells Road, where the walk begins, is lined with massive Horse Chestnut trees, so you can go crazy conker collecting too!

The walk also leads to the historic White Wells spa building, which is literally oozing with history, and has just reopened after the Covid restrictions have lifted, so go and check out the bath itself, make a wish and grab a hot chocolate from the cafe. It’s a great place for a brew with a view!

Ducks!

Not only conkers, blackberries, tea and history, but Ilkley Tarn is home to some of the craziest ducks on the planet who just LOVE to be fed, so remember your duck food (or you’ll hear about it forever…… definitely not speaking from experience there!)

Our duck food recipe is here, or you can buy some from New Brook Street Deli in the centre of Ilkley. Actually, if you go in through the doors of New Brook Street Deli, you will absolutely not be able to leave without bags full of deli treats, and the MOST AMAZING cakes! Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Help! The moaning has begun!

If blackberry picking, conker collecting, history absorbing and duck feeding isn’t enough? Why not try our free printable moorland eye-spy sheet as well?!

The money part…

Parking at Darwin Gardens is free, as is entry to White Wells although they encourage you to spend money at the cafe if you have checked out the spa. Just check for the flag. If it’s flying it’s open, if it’s not, it’s closed.

‘Mummy, I’m hungry!’

After you’ve foraged to your heart’s content and when you’ve packed your pockets so full of conkers you can’t possibly carry any more, why not take a trip into Ilkley Town where you’ll be spoiled for choice for lunch options! We love a bit of Friends of Ham at the bottom of Wells Road (charcuterie and tasty beer!), and Pizza Express (always a firm favourite with my two) is at Ilkley Train Station amongst loads more!

The Nitty Gritty bit…

Check out the full Ilkley Moor to White Wells route here.

Or find the pushchair friendly Ilkley Tarn version here!

Brimham Rocks, North Yorkshire

Located just outside Summerbridge near Harrogate, not only does Brimham Rocks have the geological wow factor, it’s also brimming with blackberries.

Get it?! Brimham Rocks is BRIMMING with blackberries…..?! I’m sorry, I’m terrible at puns, feel free to eye roll away!

Not so much a walk, as a trip to one of nature’s best ever playgrounds, but whilst you are scrambling up those rocks and soaking in the views across Nidderdale, forage yourself a few of the finest wild blackberries too!

The money bit.

This is a National Trust owned site, so parking fees do apply although there is no admission charge….

Cars: £6 for 4 hours £9 for the day

Motorhomes: £12

Motorcycles and Blue Badge owners: FREE

National Trust members are FREE.

Fancy a bite to eat?

There’s a little kiosk located right at the heart of the rock formations, which sells tasty ices creams, drinks and treats.

Of course, you might be full from all those blackberries though……

West Burton Waterfalls

Located in Wensleydale, this fabulously epic set of waterfalls is the home to the well known Cauldron Falls (on account of the swirly plunge pool directly in front of it) and would you believe it…..

Is a pretty epic blackberry walk too!

Do I have to pay for parking?

Nope. So it’s a totally FREE blackberry walk too!

What are the walk details?

You can find them on our West Burton Waterfalls page!

Want a playpark?

This walk has got one!

Otley Chevin, Surprise View

The Chevin is the name broadly given to the steep bank of woodland on the slopes above the West Yorkshire town of Otley, but take yourself right up to the top, and you’ll find a rocky outcrop, which is called Surprise View.

The views are quite literally breath-taking, and on a clear day, you can see as far as York Minster in one direction and the Yorkshire Dales in the other.

But not only is this place home to an absolute corker of a late Summer/ Early Autumn walk, the slopes below and around Surprise View are packed with wild blackberries!

Our favourite walk here takes in the views, the blackberries, and the woodland (obviously the best place to be in Autumn!) but not only that, it takes in the rope swings too!

But where do I park?

There are several car parks dotted around the Chevin, but we recommend Yorkgate Quarry car park for this walk. You could also park at Surprise View where there is regularly a Yorkshire Dales ice cream kiosk (although the walk will take you to that too! These aren’t called family friendly walks for nothing!). There are no parking charges at any of the Chevin Car Parks, but they can get busy on a sunny weekend.

So it’s free?

Yup! Totally freeeeeeee!

Uh Oh, was that a tummy rumbling?

The Royalty Pub is literally within sight of Surprise View and it has the best beer garden for any budding plane spotters, as it has an epic view over the Leeds Bradford Airport runway! Plus it does decent family friendly pub grub too!

Go on then give me the details…

You’ll find our Chevin Swings Walk here!

Any help with the walking whinges?

If you need some more entertaining then why not try out our Gruffalo Hunt, this is exactly the place where we tried this out, or maybe a bug hunt too, plenty of places for creepy crawlies to hide! Check out all of our walking games and nature activities!

We hope you enjoy our Yorkshire Blackberry Walks as much as we do!

Let us know how you get on by leaving a comment below!