Woodland Walks
In and around the Yorkshire Dales
Are you looking for Yorkshire Dales Woodland Walks?
Then you are in the right place! You’ll find all the family friendly walks on this page are through stunning Yorkshire Dales woodland.
Woodland walks always deliver on the kid friendly factor in our opinion as they are packed full of trees to climb, logs to balance on, stick dens to hide in, fungus to spot, bug hunts are at their best and you might even find a rope swing too!
All of these walks have been selected because they head predominantly through woodland and they all score highly on the family fun factor!
There might be a good old waterfall walk to chuck in too, there’ll definitely be a play park or two and if you’re lucky… ICE CREAM!
So scroll down to find all of our fantastic woodland wanders!
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
Aysgarth Falls and Freeholders Woods
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📍 Aysgarth, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire Dales
🎒/👶🥾💦🦆🌳✨🐶🚌
📏 2 miles linear walk
I’ll bet you will have heard of the famous Aysgarth Falls!
But did you know it is located next to the Woodland Trust Site of Special Scientific Interest and nature reserve, Freeholders Wood?
Scaleber Force, Settle
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📍 Settle, North Yorkshire
🎒🥾🚘💦🌳🐶
📏 1 mile
This spectacular fall is located in a magical wooded gorge, owned by the Woodland Trust. The linear walk is short and sweet, but you won’t be disappointed, nor will you want to leave.
A perfect wander for a late Summer’s Day (or on any day for that matter!)
(The difficulty rating has been awarded on terrain, as access to the waterfall is down steep steps)
Nidd Gorge
⭐⭐ 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!
Strid Woods, Bolton Abbey
⭐ Little Monkeys
📍 Bolton Abbey Estate, North Yorkshire
🎒/👶🌳🚘🥾🚌🐶
📏 3 miles linear walk
This family friendly walk through the famous Yorkshire woodland will mean finding SO MANY EXCITING THINGS!
Starting and ending at the Cavendish Pavillion (COFFEE!!!!) this walk will take you to the infamous Strid which is a waterfall in the middle of the Bolton Abbey Estate and is regularly the home to the Bolton Abbey Seasonal Trails.
Heber’s Ghyll, Ilkley
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📍 Ilkley, West Yorkshire
🚘🎒🥾💦✨🌳🚌🐶
📏 2 miles
A waterfall, woodland and a Neolithic carved stone. What more could you want from a walk? (Unless you fancy a dinosaur hunt as well…)
The Chevin, Otley
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📍 Otley
🚘👶/🎒🥾💦✨🌳🐶
There is so much hidden in Otley Chevin Forest Park, but this route packs in an Iron Age Settlement, many, many stick dens, waterfalls to splash in and massive rocks to climb on! There is a pushchairable (definitely a word…) option too.
Middleton Woods, Ilkley
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📍 Ilkley, West Yorkshire
🚘🎒 🥾🦆💦🧒🌳🐶🚌
📏 2.5 miles
This circular walk will take you to Middleton Woods in Ilkley as well as going along Ilkley riverside.
You’ll find a park, plenty of stick dens, stone throwing, paddling, ducks and picnic spots here! SO MUCH GOING ON!
The Chevin Rope Swings
⭐⭐ Little Adventurers
📍 Otley, West Yorkshire
🚘🎒🥾✨🌳🐶
📏 1-2 miles
This walk is full on nature’s playground stuff!
With massive rocks to scramble up, rope swings hanging from the trees, a surprise view and if you’re lucky, an ice cream van too! This walk is always top of my two’s list!
Fishpond Woods and Ice House
⭐⭐ 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!
Grassington and Grass Woods
📍 Grassington, Yorkshire Dales, Wharfedale
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
🥾🚘🎒🧒👻✨🌳🚌🐶
Woodland and Water…. a perfect combination!
This circular walk starts and ends in Grassington, where you’ll also find a play park and skate ramps!
Riffa Woods, near Otley
📍 Near Otley, West Yorkshire
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
🥾🚘🎒🌳🐶
📏 4 miles
Looking for bluebell walks? Then look no further!
This walk is a top secret woodland wander during Bluebell season!
Guisecliff Tarn
📍 Glasshouses, near Pateley Bridge, Nidderdale AONB
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📏 Circular walk 3 miles
🥾🎒🚘💦🌳🐶 🚌
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.
Flintergill, Dent
📍 Dent, Cumbria, Western Yorkshire Dales National Park
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📏 Circular walk 6 miles
🥾🎒🚘🚌🧒✨👻💦🌳🐶
This fab circular walk starts and ends in the village of Dent. The walk is PACKED full of cool stuff for the kids, it features a waterfall, a small farming museum, ruins, paddle spots, ice cream, a park AND a vampire stone! You’ll have to read more about that in the walk details!
Mill Gill and Whitfield Gill Force
⭐⭐⭐ Superstar Hikers
📍 Askrigg, Wensleydale The Yorkshire Dales
🚘🥾🎒💦🌳🚌🐶
📏4.5 miles
Oh yes. This one is for the waterfall lovers out there! Not one, but TWO epic waterfalls, and you get a bonus waterfall in for good measure!
This walk starts and ends in the bustling village of Askrigg in Wensleydale and is awesome in winter and paddlesome in Summer!
Scoska Cave, Littondale
📍 Litton, Littondale The Yorkshire Dales National Park
⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐ Short circular: Little Adventurers Full Cave: Superstar Hikers
🚘🥾💦✨🌳🐶
📏 2/ 3.5 miles
Finding a hidden cave is a TRUE adventure and this walk will take you right to it!
Don’t like caves? This walk can be adapted to be a fab little stepping stones circular too!
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!
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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