Best Trail Running Routes Near Skipton

Skipton sits right on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, and you don't need a car to get onto proper trail. The ten routes below all start in Skipton or a short bus ride away, and between them they cover 6.3km to 28.6km and 55m to 714m of climbing. There's a flat town-and-canal loop you can do in trainers, a steep little summit twenty minutes from the station, and a 28.6km Pennine Way push out to Pinhaw Beacon and back if you want a proper long day. Every route here has a free GPX download, an honest TRP Grade, and the practical detail — parking, terrain, transport — to help you pick the right one for what you've actually got time and legs for.

Why Skipton works as a base

Skipton doesn't get talked about much as a trail running town, which is odd given what's on its doorstep. The Leeds–Carlisle line puts you at the station, and Skipton Moor starts climbing within minutes of the last houses on the northwest edge of town. Embsay Crag and Sharp Haw are both reachable on foot from the centre. Bus services 12, 13, 72, 75 and 280 cover Skipton itself, and the 74/75 gets you out to Embsay Reservoir for the Barden Moor routes. If you're coming by train for the day, the shorter moor routes are genuinely doable without a car — something that's rare for trail running in the Dales.

The town also does the after-run part properly: a market on Mondays and Saturdays, a decent spread of cafes and pubs on the High Street, and the Devonshire Arms as the standard recommendation if you want food and a pint at the end.

How to choose

If you're short on time or new to trail running, start with Skipton Aireville Park and Woods — flat, well-surfaced, and five minutes from the station. If you want a quick taste of open moor without committing to a long day, Skipton Moor from Skipton gets you up and back in under two hours. If you're after the best views for the effort, Embsay Crag and Sharp Haw both deliver a proper summit feeling from a short, sharp climb. And if you want a proper long day out, Skipton Moor, Bolton Abbey and Barden Moor and Skipton to Pinhaw Beacon and Back via Pennine Way and Canal are both pushing 28km — genuine long-adventure distance, not just the longest options on a short list.

Short and beginner-friendly

Skipton Aireville Park and Woods (6.8km, 55m) is the easiest route on this list and the one to reach for if you've got an hour and don't want to think about navigation. It runs through the park, the adjacent woodland, and a stretch of canal towpath, with barely any climbing and good underfoot conditions all year. Skipton parkrun uses the same park on Saturday mornings, so you'll know the terrain if you've run that.

Skipton Moor from Skipton (6.3km, 254m) is short but not easy — it's an out-and-back that climbs straight onto the moor above town and back down again. Most of the climbing happens in the first 2km, so it's a good option if you want a concentrated effort without a long round trip. Easier navigation and winter-safer routes Skipton Canal and Stirton (8.3km, 67m) stays on the Leeds–Liverpool Canal towpath for most of its distance, with one short climb up to the hamlet of Stirton. Flat, surfaced, and easy to follow even if you've never run from Skipton before — it's also one of the better options when the moor routes are too boggy to enjoy.

Burnsall and Appletreewick (13.6km, 264m) is the most relaxed route in this group despite being one of the longer ones. It follows both banks of the Wharfe between the two villages on wide, well-used paths, with two pubs en route if you fancy stopping. It's worth knowing that the riverside section below Burnsall can flood after heavy rain.

Public transport friendly

Skipton Moor from Skipton again earns a mention here — the moor access point is about ten minutes' walk from the train station, which makes this one of the more train-friendly moor routes anywhere in the Dales. Sharp Haw from Skipton (13.9km, 323m) is also well served, with bus routes 12, 13, 72, 75 and 280 all passing through Skipton, plus the Saturday-only DalesBus 59. For the Barden Moor routes, the 74/75 bus gets you out to Embsay village, a ten-minute walk from the reservoir car park.

Best views

Embsay Crag from Skipton (11.6km, 304m) climbs through Embsay village to a cluster of gritstone outcrops at 371m, with clear-day views north to Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside, and south across the Aire Valley. Sharp Haw from Skipton does something similar from a smaller, steeper hill — the climb is short and sharp, but the trig point at the top gives you a clear view back over Skipton and out across Craven. Barden Moor from Embsay Reservoir (Short) (10.1km, 335m) trades a summit for open moorland and big skies, with the reservoir framing the start and finish.

Tougher climbs

Sharp Haw's last stretch to the summit is the steepest short pull on this list — it's a small hill that punches above its size. For sustained climbing, Skipton Moor, Bolton Abbey and Barden Moor carries the most total climbing of the group at 714m over 28.3km, crossing Skipton Moor, dropping to the Wharfe at Bolton Abbey, then climbing again onto Barden Moor for the return. Skipton to Pinhaw Beacon and Back climbs more gradually — its own route page describes the climbing as "real but not severe, spread across a long, steady approach rather than one hard pull" — though the numbers on that page don't agree with each other: the stats panel lists 444m of ascent, while the route description states 257m twice. To confirm before you rely on either figure; either way it's a long day on tired legs by the final stretch back.

Long days out

If you want real distance, Skipton Moor, Bolton Abbey and Barden Moor (28.3km, 714m) and Skipton to Pinhaw Beacon and Back via Pennine Way and Canal (28.6km) are your two options here — both genuine half-marathon-plus efforts, both graded Very Hard. The Bolton Abbey route is a loop with a natural bail-out at the halfway point (Cavendish Pavilion café, by the priory ruins) if it's not your day. The Pinhaw Beacon route is logged as a loop on the route page but reads as an out-and-back throughout its own description — it follows the canal and Pennine Way out to the beacon and "retraces the same line home," so what you climb on the way out, you climb again in reverse on the way back. Worth being honest with yourself about fitness before committing to either at full distance. Carry more water and food than you think you'll need, and check the forecast before you go.

Practical notes: terrain, parking, transport, shoes, weather and safety

Terrain ranges from fully surfaced canal towpath and park paths (Aireville Park, Canal and Stirton) through to open, sometimes pathless moorland (Barden Moor, Bolton Abbey/Barden Moor, Pinhaw Beacon). Mud ratings on the site run from 1/5 on the flattest canal and park routes up to 3/5 on the moor routes after rain — check the rating on each route page before you go, especially in winter.

Parking is straightforward for all ten routes. Most start from Skipton town centre car parks (Coach Street, Swadford Street, or pay-and-display near BD23 1AH for the Pinhaw Beacon route) or the free Yorkshire Water car park at Embsay Reservoir, which holds around 20 cars. The Bolton Abbey/Barden Moor route starts from free roadside parking on Shortbank Road (BD23 2TX) instead. Get there early on summer weekends if you're driving to the reservoir.

Shoes: a grippy trail shoe earns its keep on the moor routes — Embsay Crag, Sharp Haw, Skipton Moor, Barden Moor (Short), and the two long routes (Bolton Abbey/Barden Moor and Pinhaw Beacon) all have loose or boggy sections where a road-leaning trail shoe will let you down. For the canal and park routes you can get away with something less aggressive. See the shoes section of our kit guide for current recommendations — kit suggestions are secondary to the route itself, so don't let gear choice be the thing that stops you going.

Weather and safety: several of these routes cross open, exposed moorland with no shelter — Embsay Crag, Sharp Haw, Skipton Moor, both Barden Moor sections, and the moorland stretch near Pinhaw Beacon all fall into this category. Check the forecast before you head up, and be aware that Skipton Moor and Barden Moor are managed grouse moors with shooting from August to December — flags go up at access points on shooting days, and those days should be avoided. The moorland approach to Pinhaw Beacon is also grouse shooting country, with the season running 12 August to 10 December and no shooting on Sundays. If you need help and have no signal, you can text 999 (pre-register first by texting "register" to 999) and ask for Police, who'll connect you to Mountain Rescue — that's the confirmed safety panel on the Bolton Abbey/Barden Moor route page; the Pinhaw Beacon page doesn't carry the same panel, so treat it as standard practice rather than route-specific guidance there. Tell someone your route and expected return time before you head out, on any of these.

Free GPX, route reports and photos

Every route on this list has a free GPX download — no email gate, no account needed. If you run one of these and the conditions have changed, add a condition report so the next person knows what they're walking — or running — into. We also take route submissions if you've got something local that isn't on the site yet, and reviews, photos and "I've run this" markers all help keep the route pages honest and current.

8. FAQ section

Where can I run trails near Skipton?

Skipton Moor, Embsay Crag and Sharp Haw all start within a few kilometres of Skipton town centre, with Barden Moor and Burnsall and Appletreewick a short drive or bus ride out towards Embsay and the Wharfe valley. All ten routes above are mapped, graded and available as free GPX downloads.

What is the easiest trail run near Skipton?

Skipton Aireville Park and Woods (6.8km, 55m ascent) is the easiest route on this list — flat paths through the park, woodland and a stretch of canal towpath, five minutes from the train station.

Is there a trail running route in Skipton I can reach by train?

Yes. Skipton Moor from Skipton starts around ten minutes' walk from Skipton train station, and several other routes — including Sharp Haw and Skipton to Pinhaw Beacon and Back — start from the town centre, a five-minute walk from the station.

What's the toughest trail run near Skipton?

Skipton Moor, Bolton Abbey and Barden Moor (28.3km, 714m ascent) and Skipton to Pinhaw Beacon and Back via Pennine Way and Canal (28.6km) are the two hardest routes here, both graded Very Hard. Sharp Haw has the steepest short climb of any route on the list, despite its shorter overall distance.

Are these routes free to download?

Yes — every route on Trail Running Planet has a free GPX download with no account or email required.

Is Skipton Moor dangerous for running?

Skipton Moor and Barden Moor are managed grouse moors, with shooting from August to December — check for flags at access points on shooting days and avoid the moor when they're up. Both are also exposed with no shelter, so check the forecast before heading out and tell someone your route and expected return time.

Can I run these routes in winter?

The canal and park routes (Aireville Park, Canal and Stirton) hold up well in winter and have the lowest mud ratings on this list. The moor routes get considerably boggier after rain — check the mud rating on each route page before you go.

Do I need a car to run near Skipton?

No. Several of these routes — Skipton Moor, Sharp Haw, Embsay Crag and Skipton to Pinhaw Beacon and Back — start from Skipton town centre, within walking distance of the train station. Barden Moor (Short) and Burnsall and Appletreewick are reachable by local bus, and the longer Bolton Abbey/Barden Moor loop starts around 2km from the station — an easy warm-up jog or a short bus hop.