Walks in Nidderdale
Brimham Rocks, one of the many delights to see in Nidderdale
Nidderdale is well known in North Yorkshire as the forgotten Yorkshire Dale and while it missed out in being included in the Yorkshire Dales National Park it was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1994. In addition to Nidderdale itself the area of outstanding beauty includes upper Nidderdale, the Washburn valley and part of lower Wensleydale, including Jervaulx Abbey and the side valleys west of the River Ure. There are many fabulous walks to be enjoyed in the area including the Nidderdale Way and the western part of the Ebor Way which runs to York. Notable highlights include Brimham Rocks, Scar House Reservoir, Middlesmoor, How Stean Gorge, Lofthouse, the area around Pateley Bridge and Upper Washburn. It is simply a wonderful place to visit and walking is the best way to enjoy its rich and varied countryside. These pages include walks in Nidderdale and in the nearby Washburn Valley area.
Interactive map of the walks
| Walk | Miles | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Swinsty Reservoir | 3.1 | I love this particular reservoir walk in Autumn. However it has variety and is a great walk all year round. |
| Fewston Reservoir | 3.7 | The complete reservoir perimeter walk in all of the Lower Washburn Valley area. |
| Druids Temple near Masham and Lower Wensleydale | 4.4 | A fantastic walk in the Masham area and in lush Lower Wensleydale to a remarkable folly. |
| Timble, River Washburn and Swinsty Reservoir | 4.7 | Walk from the village of Timble to Swinsty Reservoir, a perfect Sunday stroll. |
| Grewelthorpe, Horsepasture Hill, Nutwith Common, River Nidd and Limehouse Hill | 6.7 | A spectacular section of the River Ure is followed on this great route near Masham. |
| Crackpots Mosaic Trail | 7.0 | A walk to find 22 mosaic tiles in the countryside east of Kirby Malzeard Moor and Dallowgill Moor. |
| Kirkby Malzeard Moor, Grewelthorpe Moor and Carlesmoor | 7.1 | A walk with stunning views to experience. And on a quiet moor too. |
| Brimham Moor, Riva Hill, Hartwith, Summerbridge, Smelthouses and Brimham Rocks | 7.8 | A lovely circular walk in central Nidderdale which is steeped in history. |
| Washburn Valley, Norwood Edge and Lindley Wood Reservoir | 8.0 | A nice walk in the Lower Washburn Valley which affords great views of the surrounding countryside. |
| Middlesmoor, Nidderdale Way, Scar House Reservoir and How Stean Gorge | 8.0 | A walk in a white winter blanket to two of Nidderdale's best. |
| Skyreholme Bank, Grimwith Reservoir and Stump Cross | 8.3 | This is a quiet moorland walk from Skyreholme Bank which includes some easy right to roam challenges. |
| Ripley, Hampsthwaite, Birstwith, Burnt Yates and Bedlam | 8.5 | A walk which visits delightful villages to the north of Harrogate. There is also a lovely section of river walking to enjoy. |
| Brimham Rocks, Pateley Bridge, Glasshouses and Smelthouses | 8.6 | A walk from Brimham Rocks to Pateley Bridge and the River Nidd, exploring Nidderdale countryside and villages. |
| Lofthouse, Bouthwaite, Fountains Earth Moor and Thrope Edge | 8.8 | Best in late Summer when the heather is in blossom this is a wonderful moorland and valley circular. |
| Pateley Bridge, Coldstones, Greenhow Hill and Ashfold Side | 9.0 | Walk in wonderful meadow and moorland and visit the industrial past. |
| Lofthouse, Upper Nidderdale, Woogill Moor, Dale Edge and Lofthouse Moor | 9.3 | Walk along the upper River Nidd and then onto the moors above the reservoirs of Scar House and Angram. |
| Dallow Moor and Dallowgill Moor | 10.2 | A wonderful moorland walk close to Ripon and Pateley Bridge. |
| Scar House Reservoir, Little Whernside, Dead Man's Hill and Great Haw | 10.4 | A tough moorland walk for determined walkers as there are sections of off route on tough ground. |
| Lofthouse, Dale Edge, Scar House Reservoir and How Stean Beck | 10.5 | A walk in Upper Nidderdale, featuring moorland edges and Scar House Reservoir and with a walk along How Stean Beck. |
| High Crag, Yorke Folly, Bewerley, Pateley Bridge and Brimham Rocks | 12.0 | A walk in awful weather but made Brimham Rocks an eerie sight. |
| How Stean Gorge, Riggs Moor, Sandy Gate, Meugher and Stean Moor | 12.0 | This challenging walk from Lofthouse is to the high moors on the south side of Nidderdale's watershed. |
| Riggs Moor, Great Whernside, Angram Reservoir and Scar House Reservoir | 14.4 | A demanding walk from Middlesmoor across Riggs Moor to Great Whernside. Return via the source of the Nidd. |
Feedback and Suggestions:
I am always pleased to received feedback on the structure and content of the website. I also welcome suggestions on how I can improve the website which may include new areas to cover, new walks or route alterations to existing walks. To contact me with feedback and/ or suggestions please complete the Walking Englishman Feedback Form. Thank you.
(Note: Walking without proper preparation can be dangerous. Information and downloads on this website are provided free of charge; it is each walker's responsibility to check the material and use accordingly. Postscript: My walk reports are not route guides and should not be treated as such. They are written with personal reflections of my walks)
