Short Walks around the Yorkshire Dales

These short family walks are in Ilkley, Skipton, Otley and more!

Do you want a short and easy walk in Yorkshire?

Yes? Then welcome and hello! This is our page dedicated to short and easy walks found in the outlying towns of the Yorkshire Dales National Park so we’re talking Ilkley, Skipton, Otley and more!

You might be surprised to see walks that feature waterfalls, ruins, peaks, 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!

Embsay Reservoir

📍 Embsay near Skipton, Yorkshire Dales (South)

⭐⭐ Little Adventurers

🚘🥾🎒🧒💦🌳🐶

📏 1 mile

This is a fab little wander. It’s flat, the paths are pretty well maintained and we reckon it’s great for little adventurers! If you head into Embsay afterwards you can also find the park and a pub, and Skipton town is just a stone’s throw away down the road too!

Playing next to the river in Ilkley

Ilkley Riverside

📍 Ilkley, West Yorkshire (Edge of the Yorkshire Dales, South)

⭐⭐ Little Adventurers

👶🚘🦆🧒🌳💦🚌🐶

📏 Under 2 miles

This walk packs a punch for less than two miles! It’s pushchair friendly, it has a park, ice cream, ducks to feed, paddle and picnic spots, all in a stone’s throw from Ilkley town centre!

Pinhaw Beacon

⭐⭐ Little Adventurers

📍 Outside Skipton

🚘🎒🥾✨🌳🐶

📏 under 2 miles

This is the perfect starter peak for very little legs. A very gentle ascent and a knockout view, this ‘there and back again’ walk will take you to the trig point and beyond to Robert Wilson’s grave (check out the story about that on the page). There are geocaches too!

Otley Chevin Forest Park

Otley Chevin Forest Park

⭐⭐ Little Adventurers

🚘👶/ 🎒 🥾💦 ✨ 🌳

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 option too.

Heber’s Ghyll

📍 Ilkley, West Yorkshire (Southern edge of the Yorkshire Dales)

⭐⭐ Little Adventurers

🚘🎒🥾💦✨🌳🐶

📏 1.5 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…)

This walk is just a stone’s throw from the centre of Ilkley Town too, so make sure you check out what the high street has to offer!

Almscliffe Crag

📍 North Rigton between Otley and Harrogate

🚘🎒🌳🥾🐶

📏 1 mile

Located between Otley and Harrogate, Almscliffe Crap is a rock scrambler’s paradise, with a trig bolt to grab too! Hours can be spent clambering on the rocks and watching the climbers do their thing!

White Wells Spa, Ilkley

📍 Ilkey

🎒🦆💦✨🥾🚘🐶

⭐⭐ Little Adventurers

📏 over 1 mile

White Wells is THE original Spa of Ilkley. Dating back to the 1700’s the building is open to the public and has a little cafe. The walk here packs so much in for less than 2 miles. The perfect walks for a budding adventurer!

Burley in Wharfedale Stepping Stones

📍 Burley in Wharfedale near Ilkley, West Yorkshire

⭐ Little Monkeys

🚘👶🎒💦🥾✨🌳🧒🚌🐶

📏 less than 2 miles

This is a circular walk that we are super familiar with, and which is a firm fav. Brilliant for a bike ride too, the walk has geocaches, starts and ends at the park, and has stepping stones with a great place to throw stones! There is a pushchair friendly version too.

Make sure you check out the fab businesses in Burley, from the pubs to the cafes!

Ilkley Tarn

📍 Ilkley, West Yorkshire

⭐⭐ Little Adventurers

🚘👶🦆💦🌳🚌🐶

📏 over 1 mile

This fabulous little wander takes you past the paddling pool (not so great for paddling, but great to sail a boat on), up to Ilkley Tarn where there are ducks to feed, and there are plenty of places to sit and take a breather. Starting at ending at the ‘Millenium Maze’ in Darwin Gardens, this one is a fab wander for younger walkers.

Ben Rhydding Nature Reserve

⭐ Little Monkeys

📍 Ben Rhydding, near Ilkley

🚘👶🥾🦆🌳

A nature reserve is a top way to get little ones interested in their surroundings. This one is a very short little wander with plenty to see.

looking at the river at Otley Gallows Hill

Otley Gallows Hill Nature Reserve

⭐ Little Monkeys

🚘 👶 🦆 🌳

Located in Otley, this is a top little wander, which you can connect up with a trip to the park and feed the ducks if you fancy making it a bit longer…. and there’s ice cream too!

The Chevin Swings

Otley Chevin Swings

⭐⭐ Little Adventurers

🚘 🎒 🥾✨ 🌳

This walk is awesome. Massive rocks, rope swings hanging from the trees, a surprise view and if you’re lucky, an ice cream van too!

Yeadon Tarn nature reserve

Yeadon Tarn

⭐ Little Monkeys

📍 Yeadon, West Yorkshire

🚘👶🦆✨🚌🐶

📏 under 1 mile

This is a fabulous family friendly walk for very little legs. It has a park, boats to spot, a nature reserve, ducks to feed, ICE CREAM, and planes to watch!

Saltaire Mill walking along the canal

Robert’s Park, Saltaire

⭐ Little Monkeys

📍 Saltaire (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), West Yorkshire

🚘👶🦆🌳✨🚌🐶

📏Under 2 miles

This is an excellent wander for little legs, with plenty on offer to entertain! Canal boats, a park, skate park, plenty of scooter friendly paths, LLAMAS! (No…. not real I’m afraid!)

Scroll using the arrows for all our Family Friendly Walks

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