The Best Hikes in the Yorkshire Dales

Going out for hikes in the Yorkshire Dales National Park is a hugely rewarding experience, with 841 square miles (2197 sq km) of fabulous scenery to explore, many miles of public footpaths and lots of lovely villages and towns for refreshments and overnight stays. Routes of all kinds – from easy family-friendly paths to challenging multi-day hikes – have been mapped out on websites such as AllTrails, or in the national park’s own walking app (a handy one to download before hitting the trails).

We’ve picked out a few of the best hiking trails in the Yorkshire Dales to get you started – read on for details of how you can visit waterfalls, mountains, traditional villages and even a famous pub…

Best hike in the Yorkshire Dales

With so many scenic trails around, choosing just one route to name at the best Yorkshire Dales hiking trail is always going to be a tricky task – but this 7.5-mile route from Malham won top spot, with recommendations from several of Pitchup’s keen hikers (locals and visitors alike).

Malham Cove and Gordale Scar circular

Start/end: Malham

Distance: 7.5 miles (12 km)

So, what is it that led us to choose this 7.5-mile route as the best hiking trail in the Yorkshire Dales? It's mostly because it features three of the area’s finest sights – taking in the soaring limestone cliffs of Malham Cove, the hidden gorge of Gordale Scar and the impressive cascades of Janet’s Foss waterfall. The route linking them is scenic too, with enough ascent and descent to make it feel like a good challenge, but not so much that it becomes the preserve of very experienced hikers only. 

The basics are excellent with this trail, too – it starts and ends in the lovely village of Malham, which has plenty of parking, a bus stop, public toilets and a good collection of pubs, tea rooms, shops and places to stay.

Local tip: If you’d like to see even more fabulous scenery while you’re in the area, take a walk around the nearby Malham Tarn, a glacial lake that’s now managed by the National Trust.

More of the best Yorkshire Dales hikes

There are plenty of places to give your boots a good workout with a hike in the Yorkshire Dales. Here we've picked out just a few of the top trails to get you started – all of these are circular hikes of moderate to hard difficulty, and should fill a half-day or full day. For shorter and easier outings, check out the ideas in our guide to great walks in the Yorkshire Dales.

Howgill Fells hike

Start/end: Sedbergh

Distance: 9.5 miles (15.5 km)

With easy access from the M6 and a thriving reputation as ‘England’s Book Town’, Sedbergh is a popular destination for visitors. The lovely market town is also at the foot of the Howgill Fells, a series of steep hills that form a beautiful backdrop for the town – and an excellent area for hikers to explore. The famous guidebook author Alfred Wainwright once described the scenery as being like ‘a herd of sleeping elephants’, and it’s certainly possible to see what he meant when you look up at the scenery from the town centre.

Despite its proximity to the market town, this is some demanding hiking territory, so the 9.5-mile route we’ve highlighted here requires a good level of fitness and some proper walking gear. These paths are likely to be fairly quiet, especially as you get further away from the town. The views are spectacular along the way, particularly after you've climbed to the top of The Calf, the highest point in the area. 

Local tip: Back in Sedbergh after a long and challenging hike, you'll be able to reward yourself with a drink in one of the town’s many pubs or cafés; there are also several good places to stay, including the budget-friendly and well-reviewed Farm and Fell Campsite.

Keld to the Tan Hill Inn

Start/end: Keld

Distance: 11 miles (17.5 km)

If you like to tick off some of the UK’s ‘extremes’ on your travels, try this hike: its destination point is the Tan Hill Inn, famously Britain’s highest pub at 1732 feet (528 m) above sea level. Stop in for a pint here or reward your climb with a meal before picking up the trail again to return to Keld. While the chance to sip Britain’s highest pint may be the highlight here, there's plenty more interest along this 11-mile trail, including several waterfalls and some gorgeous views as you hike up and down the various fells.

Much of this route follows well-plotted paths, including sections of the Pennine Way and Coast-to-Coast Walk, but it’s worth noting that mobile photo reception can drop, so it’s definitely a good idea to have an offline or paper map. There are often boggy and slippery sections along the route, so good waterproof boots are a must and walking poles will probably come in helpful. 

Local tip: While you’re in Keld, drop in to the Keld Resource Centre for its heritage centres, which hold all sorts of local artefacts and information about the area’s history and culture.

Pen-y-Ghent circular

Start/end: Horton-in-Ribblesdale

Distance: 6.2 miles (10 km)

If you don’t want to complete the full Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge (see below), you can simply choose one of these mountains for a day hike. All three (Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent) make great locations for a day out, but Pen-y-Ghent is a popular pick – partly because it's the lowest of the group.

That means the walk up Pen-y-Ghent is the shortest of the Three Peaks hikes – although it’s still very steep, so it’s not necessarily easy. As well as getting the chance to say you've climbed a mountain, you’ll also be able to see some spectacular Yorkshire Dales scenery on this trail, including the collapsed cavern known as Hull Pot (which sometimes becomes a waterfall in wet weather).

Starting from Horton-in-Ribblesdale, much of this 6.2-mile trail follows the route of the Pennine Way and is on fairly well-made paths, although you may need to scramble up some rocky sections from time to time and parts of the path can be boggy. All in all, however, it’s a good introduction to mountain walking and should be achievable for most hikers of decent fitness.

Local tip: Horton-in-Ribblesdale is a great place to stay if you’re planning a walking break in the Yorkshire Dales – as well as Pen-y-Ghent you’ll also be close to Ingleborough, the Ribblehead Viaduct, the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail and Ingleborough Cave.

Longer and multi-day hikes in the Yorkshire Dales

If you’re planning to spend several days hiking in the Yorkshire Dales, you could simply pick a few different routes to fill your days with – or you could set yourself the challenge of completing one of the area’s long-distance trails. Which one takes your fancy?

Yorkshire Three Peaks

Start/end: Horton-in-Ribblesdale

Distance: 24 miles (38.5 km)

The mountains that make up the Yorkshire Three Peaks trail are Pen-y-Ghent (694m), Ingleborough (723m) and Whernside (736m). It's possible to tackle them all separately as day walks, but the classic Three Peaks trail is the one that’s favoured by most ambitious hikers. The 24-mile trail is a real challenge even for regular hikers, so you’ll need to be fit and well prepared before tackling it. 

There are a couple of ways to approach the Yorkshire Three Peaks trail – you can either head out on your own (downloading the Three Peaks app is a good idea if you’re going to do this) or join an organised expedition – these are organised on dates throughout the summer by the Three Peaks Challenge and are often popular with groups wanting to raise money for charity. Commemorative medals are given out for those that complete one of the organised challenges, but those that went for the self-guided option can still have a reward for their efforts by printing off certificates from the national park website.

Local tip: Despite being a tough challenge, the Three Peaks trail is quite popular – and as Horton-in-Ribblesdale is quite small, it definitely pays to book your accommodation in advance to ensure you won’t have far to go once you’ve hit the finish line. The last thing you’ll want is another long walk or drive after all that effort!

The Dales Way

Start: Ilkley

End: Bowness-on-Windermere

Distance: 79 miles (126 km)

Despite the name, the Dales Way is not entirely within the confines of the Yorkshire Dales National Park – in fact, its end point is on the banks of Windermere in the Lake District National Park. The majority of it does, however, take you through the lovely scenery of the Yorkshire Dales – and if you’re keen to stick to this one park alone you could always finish your hike at Sedbergh to cut about 23 miles (38 km) off the total length. 

The Dales Way is said to be one of the gentlest long-distance trails in the UK, so it’s a good choice for hikers who are looking for their first multi-day challenge. The 79-mile route is usually completed in five or six days, so it fits nicely into a week’s holiday without rushing and while still allowing plenty of time to stop and admire the scenery. And that's just as well, because the scenery is special indeed – you’ll spend a fair amount of time on riverside trails and surrounded by gorgeous green hills as well as passing interesting sights like Bolton Abbey and the village of Grassington.

The full route is mapped out on the Dales Way Association website, and there are also plenty of useful links to blogs and YouTube videos on the Long-Distance Walkers Association website.

Local tip: Extra spurs at the start of the route give easy access to the main trail from nearby cities and towns such as Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate.

The Herriot Way

Start/end: Aysgarth/Reeth/Keld/Hawes

Distance: 52 miles (83.5 km)

The Herriot Way is something of an unusual thing, in that it’s not only a multi-day walk but also a circular trail – a handy thing where travel logistics are concerned, as you’ll eventually get back to wherever you left the car or arrived via public transport. The 52-mile trail through the Swaledale countryside was inspired by the life of vet James Herriot, and takes in several locations where both the fictional vet and the real-life author (Alf Wright) lived and worked. 

As it passes through several towns and villages along the way, you can start and end in any one of these, and find accommodation along the way in the others. They're all popular places though, so it pays to book places to stay in advance once you’ve made your walking plan. The route is designed to be completed in about four days at a fairly leisurely pace – there’s a bit of climbing to be done, but nothing too hardcore to slow you down too much. Along the way you’ll see many of the places mentioned in the James Herriot books or locations used in the All Creatures Great and Small TV series, as well as simply taking in some fabulous scenery at places like Hardraw Force and Melbecks Moor.

Local tip: The Herriot Way website gives a good outline of the route, but for full details you'll need the Walking the Herriot Way book, which includes excellent maps, handy facilities information and a very detailed set of instructions covering every turn-off, stile and point of interest.

Yorkshire Dales Mighty Hike

If the long-distance trails don’t take your fancy, how about giving your hike a mission by doing some good with your efforts? Joining the Yorkshire Dales Mighty Hike is a great way to give your walk a sense of purpose – these popular events are run by Macmillan Cancer Support, and they raise a huge amount for the charity. Over £11 million was raised by walkers at the various Mighty Hike events around the UK in 2023.

The Yorkshire Dales version of the event starts in Skipton, with full and half marathon routes available to walkers. Whichever one you go for, you’ll have full support along the route, including lunch and toilet stops, and you’ll be surrounded by friendly fellow walkers – either in groups or walking solo. Each walker pays a registration fee and agrees to raise a minimum amount for the charity; in return you’ll get various perks including a training plan and a finishers’ medal. A sociable and uplifting hike through beautiful scenery, and the chance to contribute to an excellent cause at the same time – what’s not to like?

Essential Yorkshire Dales hiking tips

Getting out to hike in the Yorkshire Dales can be a wonderful experience as long as you’re well prepared for the activity. This is some gorgeous scenery of course, but it’s still a wild and remote area so you’ll need to take a bit of responsibility for your own safety and comfort while you're out. Follow our hiking tips below for a safe and enjoyable day out in the Dales.

• Always choose a trail that’s suitable for your ability and fitness level

• Make sure you’re wearing the right clothes, with sturdy and waterproof boots, a waterproof jacket and suitable layers for the weather

• Set off with a fully charged mobile phone and download a GPS-enabled app, but also bring a paper map and compass if possible; phone reception can be patchy in the Yorkshire Dales

• Carry plenty of water and snacks to keep you going, and a small first-aid kit in case of mishaps

• Check the weather forecast before setting off, and plan/pack accordingly

• Always stick to the marked trails and don't go off route – this helps to protect the area as well as making sure you don’t stray into boggy areas or dead ends

• Be aware of livestock and give animals a wide berth, especially if you have a dog (which should be kept on a lead)

• Follow the Countryside Code, take all litter with you and leave no trace of your visit

Planning your Yorkshire Dales hiking break

Hiking in the Yorkshire Dales makes a great focus for an outdoor break, whether you're planning a succession of day hikes, a long-distance trail or a mix of hikes and other activities like climbing or cultural visits. Stay overnight or spend a week or two exploring the whole of the park – you should find plenty of great things to fill your time with while you're here. 

If you really want to make the most of the scenery, the fresh air and the stargazing opportunities, go for the full outdoor experience by choosing something from Pitchup’s collection of Yorkshire Dales campsites and glampsites. Whether you like a simple budget-friendly farm campsite, a sturdy camping pod or a luxurious lodge with a hot tub, we’ve got you covered for your outdoor accommodation.