A great variety of long-distance leisure trails use North Yorkshire as their backdrop. The leisure trails are shown in blue on the map.
Long-distance walks completely in North Yorkshire
Centenary Way (North Yorkshire)
Distance: 83 miles
Start: York
Finish: Filey Brigg
This route celebrates the 100th anniversary of North Yorkshire County Council. It runs across the Howardian Hills and Yorkshire Wolds via Castle Howard and Wharram Percy, linking York and the Foss Walk with the Yorkshire Wolds Way and Cleveland Way National Trails. Meeting the Derwent and Foss, it combines riverside walks in deep valleys with forest tracks.
We have published a new 48 page guide to the Centenary Way. You can purchase a hard copy for just £4 from your local library or Amazon or download the Centenary way it as an e-book here.
Find out more about the Centenary Way.
The Nidderdale Way
Distance: 53 miles
Start: Pateley Bridge
Finish: Pateley Bridge, North Yorkshire
The Nidderdale Way is a circular walk mostly within the Nidderdale area of outstanding natural beauty. The route follows the river Nidd and leads up the valley above Scar House Reservoir before heading back down and through the village of Ripley. Find out more about the Nidderdale Way.
The Ripon Rowel
Distance: 50 miles
Start and finish: Ripon
The route travels through the villages of North Stainley, Mickley, Masham, Dallowgill, Grantley, past Fountains Abbey and then Markington and back up to Ripon through South Stainley and Bishop Monkton. Find out more about the Ripon Rowel.
Foss Walk
Distance: 28 miles
Start: York
Finish: Easingwold
The walk follows the river Foss from where it meets with the Ouse in York to its source at Pond Head, four miles from Easingwold. The walk passes through Strensall, Sheriff Hutton, Crayke and Oulston. Find out more about the Foss Walk.
Harrogate Ringway
Distance: 20 miles
Start and finish: Harrogate
A trail encircling the spa town at a radius of three to four miles on country lanes and river paths. Can be divided into shorter stages or linked with Knaresborough Round to form a 36-mile route. Find out more about the Harrogate Ringway.
Knaresborough Round
Distance: 20 miles
Start and finish: Knaresborough
The route runs along the river Nidd then follows country lanes through villages to the north and east of Knaresborough. It can be divided into two stages or linked with the Harrogate Ringway to form a 36-mile route. Find out more about the Knaresborough Round.
Long-distance walks that start in North Yorkshire
Ebor Way
Distance: 76 miles
Start: Helmsley
Finish: Ilkley, West Yorkshire
The Ebor Way (named after the Roman name of York, Eboracum) heads south through the Howardian Hills area of outstanding natural beauty, taking in York before heading west to Ilkley. Find out more about the Ebor Way.
Pennine Journey
Distance: 247 miles
Start and finish:Settle
A challenging circular walk based on a 1938 route walked by Alfred Wainwright. It heads north through the Yorkshire Dales along the eastern side of the Pennines and crosses the moors of County Durham to reach Hadrian's Wall. After following the wall, it returns south along the western side of the Pennines through the Eden Valley. Find out more about the Pennine Journey.
Long-distance walks that end in North Yorkshire
The Coast to Coast Walk
Distance: 192 miles
Duration: 14 to 21 days
Start: St Bees, Cumbria
Finish: Robin Hoods Bay
Devised by Alfred Wainwright, the Coast to Coast walk takes in stunningly varied countryside and crosses three national parks - the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors. 2013 was the 40th anniversary of the publication of Wainwright's guidebook. Find out more about the Coast to Coast.
The Ribble Way
Distance: 73 miles
Start: Longton, Lancashire
Finish: Gayle Moor
The Ribble Way starts on the estuary west of Preston and follows the River Ribble through Lancashire into North Yorkshire to finish at its source at Gavel Gap near Horton-in-Ribblesdale. The walk takes in ancient abbeys and landmarks from the industrial revolution and incorporates tidal marshes, open moorland and limestone gorges. Find out more about the Ribble Way.
The Six Dales Trail
Distance: 38 miles
Start: Otley, West Yorkshire
Finish: Middleham
The trail covers the length of the Nidderdale area of outstanding natural beauty to Middleham. It crosses five watersheds, separating in turn Wharfedale, Washburndale, Nidderdale, Colsterdale, Coverdale and Wensleydale. It also passes the ruins of Jervaulx Abbey and Middleham Castle.
Long-distance walks which run through North Yorkshire
The Trans Pennine Trail
Distance: 215 miles
Coast to Coast route
Start: Southport, Merseyside
Finish: Hornsea, East Riding
The Trans Pennine Trail is an exciting route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders linking the North and Irish seas, passing through the Pennines, alongside rivers and canals and through historic towns and cities. It is signposted all the way, mainly traffic-free and surprisingly level. Easy gradients and surfaced paths make many sections suitable for families, gentle exercise and people using wheelchairs and pushchairs. Find out more about the Trans Pennine Trail.
The Dales Way
Distance: 78 miles
Start: Ilkley, West Yorkshire
Finish: Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria
The route goes through the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Howgill Fells and the south-eastern part of the Lake District. It passes over Cam Fell, into Dentdale and follows the River Dee to Sedburgh then the River Lune and River Kent. The section over the watershed at Cam Fell is steep and exposed and can be challenging. Find out more about the Dales Way.
