Miles without Stiles - Yorkshire Dales National Park : Yorkshire Dales National Park

Miles Without Stiles Walks up to 2 miles

These routes are suitable for those in wheelchairs, buggies or even walking dogs who can’t negotiate stiles easily. They are all under 2 miles.

We try to keep our maps up to date but details and path conditions can change, so do check for current local information about routes before setting off.

The walks are identified as:

Green – Route for all. Gradients will be no more than 1:10 and the surface will be hard and smooth with some loose stones no bigger than 10mm. They are suitable for everyone, including people operating their own wheelchairs and pushchair users. Path widths will be a minimum of 1 metre with passing places.

Blue – Route for many. Existing gradients no more than 1:10, although newly built gradients can be up to 1:8. The path surface will preferably be hard and firm in all weather and may be rougher with some stones of 4cm diameter. They are suitable for assisted wheelchair users and those with more robust, all terrain type buggies.

Red – Route for some. Existing gradients will be no more than 1:8 will have improved surfacing or handrails. There may be some low steps up to 10cm in height. Stone surface material may be up to 10cm in diameter.

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Walk – Burnsall – a miles without stiles walk

An easy access route starting in Burnsall and following the River Wharfe. A 700m length of a popular section of the Dales Way runs between the village of Burnsall and Loup Scar. The route is well surfaced and level. There are two kissing gates along its length which can be difficult for scooters.

Whilst walking along the river, look out for pied and grey wagtail, dipper, common sandpiper and oystercatcher.

Distance: 0-2 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Wharfedale

Start point: SE032611
Turning point: SE031617

Getting there: From Skipton take the B6265 towards
Grassington. Turn right after Swindon Quarry towards Linton and
then right at the T-junction on the B6160 to Burnsall.

Facilities: The nearest public toilets, including RADAR facility toilets,
are in the Grassington National Park car park. Burnsall has a private
car park with parking fee.

Walk – Malham Cove – a miles without stiles walk

Starting at the National Park Centre, follow the road through the village. At the phone box, go through the gate to follow the unsurfaced woodland trail alongside the stream then continue on the road to just beyond Town Head Barn where the gradient reaches 1 in 6.

The footpath to the cove is a well-surfaced track of compact stone with a general width of at least 150cm. The first 25m of the route has a gradient of 1 in 6. From here, the footpath levels out and does not exceed a 1 in 8.

From the beginning of April to the end of August, wardens and
volunteers from both the RSPB and the Yorkshire Dales National Park
Authority are present near the Cove to show visitors some of the
exciting birds that can be found in the Yorkshire Dales.

Distance: 0-2 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Malhamdale

Start point: SD898632
Turning point: SD897640

Getting there: From Skipton take the A65 towards Kendal. At
Gargrave, turn right, following the signs to Malham. The National
Park car park is on the left hand side as you enter the village.

Facilities: There are public toilets, including RADAR facility toilets,
in the Malham National Park car park. There are parking facilities –
including designated bays for blue badge holders – in the Malham
National Park car park. Normal charges apply.

Walk – Buckden – a miles without stiles walk

Follow the steep footpath out of the car park. Cross the road and carry on down the unsurfaced track to reach Dubbs Lane. From here follow the road across the river. The two routes start on either side of the road once over the bridge.

Walking south, this 1km level footpath runs alongside the River Wharfe. The surface is constructed of a mixture of stone flags, aggregate and grass with a general width of 1m. Walking north, the footpath is a mixture of grass and compact aggregate.

Whilst walking beside the River Wharfe, look out for kingfisher, oystercatcher, dipper and sand martin.

Distance: 0-2 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Wharfedale

Start point: SD9427732
Turning point: SD932779 (north) and SD938765 (south)

Getting there: From Skipton take the B6265 towards
Grassington. At Threshfield carry on the B6160 all the way to
Buckden.

Facilities: There are public toilets, including RADAR facility toilets, in
the Buckden National Park car park. There are public parking facilities
including two designated bays for blue badge holders in the Buckden
National Park car park. Normal charges apply.

Walk – Grinton – a miles without stiles walk

Grinton is one of the 87 lead smelt mill sites known in the Yorkshire Dales. It is of national importance and is a scheduled monument.

This 750m route runs from the Grinton to Leyburn road to the remains of the smelt mill and back again. The track is a compact mix of aggregate and grass with a general width of 200cm. The track to the smelt mill has some gradients reaching 1:8. There is a small add on loop at the end of the route. This requires a shallow water crossing and a short, 60m, gradient of 1:6.

Distance: 0-2 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Swaledale

Start point: SE049968

Getting there: From Reeth follow the B6270. When you reach
the small village of Grinton, turn left towards Leyburn. The informal
parking area is just after the tight right hand bend in the road.

Facilities: The nearest public toilets, including RADAR facility toilets,
are at the northern side of the village green in Reeth. There is a small
lay by for parking at the start of the route on the Grinton to Leyburn
road at the obvious bend in the road.

Walk – Gordale Scar – a miles without stiles walk

An easy access route into the towering cliffs of Gordale Scar. This 600m footpath runs from Gordale Bridge to Gordale Scar. The route is well surfaced and level and has a general width of 100cm. Whilst walking the route, look out for peregrines and dippers.

Distance: 0-2 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Malhamdale

Start point: SD913634
Turning point: SD915640

Getting there: From Skipton take the A65 towards Kendal. At
Gargrave, turn right, following the signs to Malham. Go past the
National Park Centre on the left and then turn right at the village
green and over the bridge. Carry on up Gordale Road for 1.5km and
you will reach the footpath to Gordale Scar on the left hand side.

Facilities: The nearest public toilets, including RADAR facility toilets,
are in the Malham National Park car park. There is informal, roadside
parking at the start of the route. Please give consideration to where
and how vehicles are parked so as not to cause inconvenience to
others.

Walk – Sedbergh – a miles without stiles walk

Starting from the Joss Lane car park in Sedbergh, turn left and follow the footpath to join Long Lane. Turn left onto Long Lane and cross the road at the zebra crossing by the police station. Turn right onto the A684 and follow the footpath to the school entrance. From here the surface is a mixture of concrete and compact earth with a general width of 100cm. There is one accessible kissing gate along the length of the route. The section of the footpath along the river is relatively flat. However, the descent from Settlebeck School has gradients reaching 1:7.

Whilst walking along the river, look out for heron, dipper and goosander as well as nuthatch, tree creeper and long-tailed tit in the trees and hedges. In the late autumn look out for salmon jumping at the weir.

Distance: 0-2 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Lune Valley; Rawthey Valley

Starting point: SD663918

Getting there: Follow the one way system in Sedbergh town
centre down the Main Street. The car park is on the left hand side.

Facilities: The nearest public toilets, including RADAR facility toilets,
are on Main Street, Sedbergh. The nearest public parking facility –
including three designated bays for blue badge holders – is the Joss
Lane car park, Sedbergh. Normal charges apply.

Walk – Killington – a miles without stiles walk

An easy access walk alongside the River Lune not far from Sedbergh.

Killington New Bridge Local Nature Reserve is owned and managed by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. It consists of a steep woodland bank running down to the River Lune which flattens out at the top to provide a narrow strip of grassland, scrub and diverse hedge which is partially laid. Salmon occur in the river and there is a strong likelihood that mammals such as otter and badger use the wood.

Access to this 575m level footpath is through an accessible kissing gate. The surface is constructed of compacted aggregate with a general width of 120cm.

Distance: 0-2 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Lune Valley

Start point: SD622907
Turning point: SD624913

Getting there: From Kendal take the A684 towards Sedbergh.
Before you reach Sedbergh, turn right onto the B6256 towards Kirkby
Lonsdale. The parking for Killington New Bridge is just over the River
Lune.

Facilities: The nearest public toilets, including RADAR facility toilets,
are on Main Street, Sedbergh. There is limited parking on the roadside
verge at the site entrance.

Walk – Malham Tarn – a miles without stiles walk

This 2.5km footpath starts at the National Trust car park. The first 500m of the route are rough grass up to a gradient of 1:10. From here, the route joins a well-surfaced track with a general width of at least 300cm. There is a wheelchair accessible boardwalk loop providing access to the nature reserve at the Water Houses end.

The tarn is said to be the highest marl lake in Britain and is rich in submerged aquatic plants. Whilst walking round the lake, look out and listen for great crested grebe, moorhen, coot, tufted duck and teal.

Distance: 0-2 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Malhamdale

Start point: SD894658
Turning point: SD885675

Getting there: From Skipton take the A65 towards Kendal. At
Gargrave, turn right, following the signs to Malham. Go past the
National Park Centre on the left and then turn right at the village
green and over the bridge. Bear left after 275m onto Malham Raikes.
The car park is on the right hand side after approximately 4km.

Facilities: The nearest public toilets, including RADAR facility toilets,
are in the Malham National Park car park. There is a free National
Trust car park at the start of the route at Water Sinks.

Walk – Hawes – a miles without stiles walk

Starting at the car park, follow the road through Hawes, crossing Gayle Beck. After approximately 60m from the bridge, turn left up the cobbled footpath signposted to Gayle. The next 70m of this route are cobbled with a gradient of 1:7. After this point, the footpath levels out with some slight gradients up to 1:10. Most of the length is constructed of stone flags at a width of 100cm. There is a rest area halfway along the route.

Distance: 0-2 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Wensleydale

Start point: SD875898
Turning point: SD870895

Getting there: When arriving into Hawes on the A684 from the
Leyburn direction (east), the Hawes National Park car park is on the
right-hand side.

Facilities: The nearest public toilets, including RADAR facility toilets,
are in the Hawes National Park car park. Normal charges apply. There are public parking facilities – including nine designated bays for blue badge holders – in the Hawes National Park car park. There is a further pay and display car park in the town centre. Normal charges apply.

Walk – Aysgarth Falls – a miles without stiles walk

The first 500m of this 1.5km footpath runs through Freeholders’ Wood and has great views of the Middle Falls. The surface here is compact aggregate and the width of the footpath is at least 100cm. All gates are fully accessible and there are benches along the route.

From here, a flight of seventy steps provide access to the Lower Falls. Alternatively, the footpath continues for a further 1km along an unsurfaced grass route.

A further 600m route can be followed from the start along an
unsurfaced track through the woodland.

Distance: 0-2 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Wensleydale

Start point: SE012888
Turning point: SE022895

Getting there: From Leyburn follow the A684 towards Hawes.
Turn right at the Aysgarth Falls Hotel signposted Carperby and
Aysgarth Falls. The Aysgarth Falls National Park Centre is over the
bridge on the left-hand side.

Facilities: The nearest public toilets, including RADAR facility toilets,
are in the Aysgarth Falls National Park car park. There are public
parking facilities – including four designated bays for blue badge
holders – in the Aysgarth Falls National Park car park. Normal charges
apply.

Walk – Cotter Force – A miles without stiles walk

Known as ‘the valley of the waterfalls’, Wensleydale harbours many delights for the visitor. Cotter Force, west of Hawes, is a lovely secluded waterfall in a wooded setting. It is a series of about six waterfalls with the largest single drop being about 1.5m. This 490m level footpath alongside the beck is constructed of compact stone with a general width of 100cm. There are three benches evenly spaced along the footpath.

Whilst walking the route look out for dippers, grey wagtails, redstarts, long tailed tits and kingfishers.

Distance: 0-2 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Wensleydale

Start point: SD850915
Turning point: SD848919

Getting there: From Hawes, follow the A684 and after a few
miles you will reach Cotter Force.

Facilities: The nearest public toilets, including RADAR facility toilets,
are in the Hawes National Park car park. There is a pull-in for three
cars, but with limited width for wheelchairs.

Walk – Grassington – a miles without stiles walk

An easy access walk by the River Wharfe close to the lovely village of Grassington.

A gate at the lower end of the car park gives access to a walled lane. The route here is well-surfaced with some gradients reaching a 1:7. Follow the river to the right along an unsurfaced route. From here, turn right onto the main road into Grassington where the first 50m are a 1:6 gradient.

Take a moment to look at Linton Falls when by the river. The falls mark the line of the North Craven Fault.

Distance: 0-2 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Wharfedale

Start point: SE002637

Getting there: From Skipton take the B6265 towards
Grassington. Turn right at Threshfield and follow the road into
Grassington. The road bears to the right with the car park on the
right-hand side.

Facilities: The nearest public toilets, including RADAR facility toilets,
are in the Grassington National Park car park. There are public parking
facilities – including five designated bays for blue badge holders – in
the Grassington National Park car park.

Walk – Clapham Nature Trail – a miles without stiles walk

The route along the nature trail is a well surfaced track of compact stone with a general width of two metres. There are benches along the full length of the route. There is a general incline along the full length with some gradients reaching 1:8.

The Nature trail was set up by the Ingleborough Estate to commemorate Reginald Farrer, a botanist and seed collector. The woods are home to many of the new species of rhododendrons, shrubs and alpine plants that he collected in China, Tibet and Upper Burma in the early 1900s. Farrer is said to have fired seeds from his shotgun to make them look natural. Look out for the information panels located along the route.

Distance: 0-2 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Clapdale

Start point: SD745695
Turning point: SD754711

Getting there: From Skipton take the A65 signposted towards Kendal. After approximately 20 miles, take the right hand turn signposted to Clapham. The car park is signposted from the village.

Facilities: There are public toilets, including RADA facility toilets, in the Clapham National Park car park. There are public parking facilities, including designated bays for blue badge holders, at Clapham National Park car park. Normal charges apply. An electric all terrain wheelchair is available to use free of charge.

For further information or to make a reservation contact Ingleborough Cave on
info@ingleboroughcave.co.uk or 015242 51242.

Please note, there is a £1 per person fee for the nature trail.

Walk – Bolton Abbey – a miles without stiles walk

An easy access walk at the delightful Bolton Abbey alongside the River Wharfe.

For the first 1.8km of the route, the surface is compact stone at a width of at least 200cm. There are passing places and accessible benches along the full length of the route. Most of the route is flat with some areas having a gradient up to 1:10. From here, the route is unsurfaced with some gradients reaching 1:6.

Distance: 0-2 Miles; 3-5 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Wharfedale

Start point: SE077552
Turning point: SE064563 (for all) SE052574 (for some)

Getting there: From Skipton take A59 signposted towards
Harrogate. At the Bolton Bridge roundabout, turn left towards Bolton
Abbey onto the B6160. Turn right at the Cavendish memorial to reach
the Sandholme car park.

Facilities: Wheelchair accessible toilets are available at the Cavendish
Pavilion. There are public parking facilities – including designated
bays for blue badge holders – at Sandholme car park. Pre-booked
wheelchairs and electric scooters are available for visitors to use
between April and October.

Miles Without Stiles Walks from 3 – 5 miles

These routes are suitable for those in wheelchairs, buggies or even walking dogs who can’t negotiate stiles easily. They are all 3-5 miles.

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Walk – Bolton Abbey – a miles without stiles walk

Distance: 0-2 Miles; 3-5 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Wharfedale

Start point: SE077552
Turning point: SE064563 (for all) SE052574 (for some)

Walk – Ivelet Moor – a miles without stiles walk

An easy access walk with tremendous views of Swaledale.

This 11km route follows a well-surfaced track over the heather moorland. The route is at least 200cm wide with some short sections of gradients reaching 1:6.

Whilst walking, look out and listen for moorland birds including red grouse, meadow pipit, golden plover, curlew, lapwing and skylark.

Distance: 3-5 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Swaledale

Start point: SD940983

Getting there: From Reeth follow the B6270 into Gunnerside. Go
over the bridge and then carry straight on instead of carrying along
the B6270. Follow the single track tarmac road to Dyke Heads where
parking is available on the grass verge. Please take care not to block
access.

Facilities: The nearest public toilets, including a toilet with facilities for
people with disabilities, are next to the Kings Arms pub in Gunnerside.
There is informal roadside parking at the start of the route.

Walk – Grimwith – a miles without stiles walk

An easy access walk around Grimwith Reservoir high in the Yorkshire Dales.

The route to the east follows a well-surfaced track to a width of at least 200cm. There are some gradients reaching 1:8 to access the water’s edge but most of the route is relatively flat. The first section of the route to the west passes over the dam and is unsurfaced. From here, the track is surfaced with some gradients reaching a 1:6.

Grimwith Reservoir is one of the best places to see wildfowl in the Yorkshire Dales so take along your binoculars and you might see wigeon, teal, greylag and Canada geese on the water.

Distance: 3-5 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Wharfedale

Start point: SE064640
Turning point: SE058650 (for many), SE054655 (for some)

Getting there: Grimwith Reservoir lies on the B6265 between
Grassington and Pateley Bridge. Turn left along the access track when
you see the Yorkshire Water sign.

Facilities: Wheelchair accessible toilets are available at the
Grimwith Reservoir car park. There are free public parking facilities at
the site.

Walk – Old Gang – a miles without stile walk

An easy access walk close to Reeth which takes you to the remains of the Old Gang lead mine workings.

The smelt mill at Old Gang, in Arkengarthdale, was built in the early nineteenth century. A huge open-sided peat house, reputed to hold three years’ worth of fuel, was built nearby.

The first 3km of the route runs alongside Old Gang Beck to the remains of Old Gang Smelt Mill. The track to the smelt mill is at least 200cm wide and is surfaced with a well-compacted aggregate. The steepest gradient is a 1:10. From here the track becomes more undulating but the views along Swaledale are well worth it for those who like a challenge.

Whilst there, look out and listen for buzzard and raven in flight.

Distance: 3-5 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Swaledale

Start point: SD989999
Turning point: NY964013 for some

Getting there: From Reeth take the B6270 until you reach the
small village of Healaugh. Turn right at Healaugh, signposted towards
Langthwaite. The parking area is just before you cross the bridge.

Facilities: The smelt mill at Old Gang, in Arkengarthdale, was built in the early
nineteenth century. A huge open-sided peat house, reputed to hold
three years’ worth of fuel, was built nearby.

Walk – Sulber Nick – a miles without stile walk

This 6km route follows a well defined track over a grass surface with some exposed bedrock. The route is at least 1.5m wide with some short sections of gradients reaching 1:6.

Follow the track to Sulber Gate. From here, you can retrace your steps or follow the fence line eastwards to the perpendicular wall line where you can add an extra loop to your walk. This section is rougher grass with an undefined path.

Please note: This section is across open access land. Local restrictions, such as no dogs, may apply and before planning your journey it is advisable to check the Natural England website (www.naturalengland.org.uk/openaccess).
On a fine day, the view down Crummack Dale is stunning. To the west is Long Scar with its miles of limestone pavements, and to the east is Moughton where the juniper grows amongst the rocks.

Distance: 3-5 Miles
Features: Accessible route
Location: Ribblesdale

Start point: SD788746

Getting there: From Settle follow the B6479 towards Horton in Ribblesdale. Follow this road for about 8 miles. There is a layby, for approximately 4 cars, on the right hand side. Please give consideration to where and how vehicles are parked so as not to cause inconvenience to others.

Facilities: There are public toilets, including RADAR facility toilets, in the Horton in Ribblesdale National Park car park.
There is informal roadside parking at the start of the route.