Best Trail Running Routes in the Yorkshire Dales

These are twelve of our best Yorkshire Dales routes, from a 7.8 km loop past Malham Cove, Gordale Scar and Janet's Foss to the 43.7 km Kettlewell Ultra, with 98 m to 1,707 m of climb. Five are graded Moderate and suit newer trail runners. Four are Hard summit and tarn days, and three are big days out, including the full Yorkshire Three Peaks. Every route has a free GPX file, with no account and no email needed, and every grade is honest, so a Hard here means the same as a Hard anywhere else on the site.

Why the Dales works for trail running

The Dales gives you a lot of variety in a small area. You can run a flat riverside loop and a rough moorland summit on the same weekend, often from the same village. A lot of the classic running follows good tracks, green lanes and National Trail paths like the Pennine Way, so you can hold a rhythm rather than fight the ground. When you want something rougher, the high tops deliver proper bog, tussock and navigation.

Two rock types shape the running. Limestone gives you the pale pavements, dry valleys and waterfalls around Malham, Settle and Aysgarth. It's grippy when dry and slick when wet. The higher moor tops above Wharfedale are wetter and boggier, and a beck is a stream, of which you'll cross a few.

The routes below come from seven bases: Malham, Aysgarth, Bolton Abbey, Settle, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Ribblehead, and Buckden and Kettlewell in Upper Wharfedale. Settle, Horton and Ribblehead are all on the Settle–Carlisle railway. For more detail on individual towns, see our guides to trail runs from Settle, trail runs from Grassington, trail runs near Skipton and trail runs from Ilkley.

The routes at a glance

Route	Distance	Ascent	Grade	Terrain	Area	Best for
Malham Cove, Gordale Scar and Janets Foss from Malham	7.8 km	172 m	Moderate (E2·T2)	Path, fell	Malhamdale	The three Malham classics
Easy Malham Loop	8.6 km	143 m	Moderate (E1·T2)	Path, woodland	Malhamdale	A gentle first Dales run
Pen-y-ghent from Horton-in-Ribblesdale	9.5 km	459 m	Hard (E3·T3)	Fell, moorland	Three Peaks	A first Three Peaks summit
Aysgarth Falls and Bolton Castle Loop	10.4 km	151 m	Moderate (E2·T1)	Path, woodland	Wensleydale	Waterfalls and a castle
Bolton Abbey Loop	10.9 km	98 m	Moderate (E2·T1)	Path, woodland	Wharfedale	Flat riverside, any season
Whernside from Ribblehead	13.1 km	457 m	Hard (E3·T3)	Fell, moorland	Three Peaks	The highest of the three
Settle Loop	14.3 km	335 m	Moderate (E2·T2)	Path, fell	Settle	Year-round limestone running
Malham Cove and Malham Tarn	16.5 km	411 m	Hard (E3·T3)	Path, moorland	Malhamdale	The full tour of upper Malhamdale
Buckden Pike from Buckden	19.1 km	580 m	Hard (E3·T2)	Fell, path	Wharfedale	A quiet summit with big views
Wharfedale Three Peaks	35.2 km	1,129 m	Very Hard (E4·T3)	Moorland, fell	Wharfedale	The rough, quiet Three Peaks
Yorkshire Three Peaks Circuit	41.5 km	1,505 m	Expert (E5·T3)	Fell, path	Ribblesdale	The big one
Kettlewell Ultra	43.7 km	1,707 m	Expert (E5·T3)	Fell, path	Wharfedale	A full ultra-distance day

Grades combine effort (E) and terrain (T). The grading explainer covers how we work them out.

Moderate: a first taste of the Dales

Malham Cove, Gordale Scar and Janets Foss from Malham

Malham Cove, Gordale Scar and Janets Foss from Malham is a 7.8 km loop from Malham village with 172 m of climb, graded Moderate (E2·T2), taking 60 to 80 minutes. It packs Malham's three big limestone features into one short run.

You head to Malham Cove first, the 80 m curved limestone cliff, and climb the steps to the limestone pavement on top. The route then drops to the waterfall at Janet's Foss before approaching Gordale Scar from below. The gorge is dramatic, with sheer walls rising 90 m and a waterfall you pass with a short scramble. That scramble is very slippery when the rock is wet and can be impassable in spate. On the pavement, the grykes are an ankle risk. The route is waymarked, and with a mud rating of 2 out of 5 on path, a light trail shoe is plenty. The National Park car park in Malham is pay and display and can fill by 10am in summer. There's no water on the route. It's a spring to autumn run, and Beck Hall and the Buck Inn are both popular afterwards.

Malham Cove, Gordale Scar and Janets Foss from Malham: route & free GPX →

Easy Malham Loop

The Easy Malham Loop is 8.6 km with 143 m of climb, graded Moderate (E1·T2), and takes 65 to 85 minutes. It's the relaxed way to see the best of Malhamdale, and a good first Dales run.

From the National Park car park in Malham, the loop heads out on good paths to Janet's Foss, a moss-framed waterfall tucked into woodland, then works round towards the foot of Malham Cove. It stays low, so you keep the 80 m limestone wall in view rather than climbing it. The surfaces are firm field paths, walled lanes and well-trodden tracks, with no rough fell ground to slow you down, so a light trail shoe is plenty. The limestone near the Cove is very slippery when wet, and both the Cove and Janet's Foss are busy in peak season. Parking in the village is pay and display, and the free Watersinks car park sits higher up between the Cove and the Tarn. Seasonal DalesBus services, such as the 210, run from Skipton at weekends and on bank holidays. There's no water on the route. It's a spring to autumn run, with the Old Barn Cafe, the Buck Inn and the Lister Arms in the village.

Easy Malham Loop: route & free GPX →

Aysgarth Falls and Bolton Castle Loop

The Aysgarth Falls and Bolton Castle Loop is a 10.4 km loop through Wensleydale with 151 m of climb, graded Moderate (E2·T1), taking 75 to 100 minutes. It's riverside path and quiet farm track, with next to no climbing.

From the Aysgarth Falls car park you drop to the River Ure, where the Upper, Middle and Lower Falls step down over wide limestone shelves for the best part of a kilometre. The path runs through Freeholders' Wood, then climbs gently on field paths to Castle Bolton, a 14th-century fortress that once held Mary, Queen of Scots, for six months. You gain height slowly on grass and stone track, so it never feels like a proper climb. The limestone right by the falls can be greasy after rain, there are unfenced drops above the river in places, and there's livestock in the fields between the falls and the castle. A light trail shoe is plenty. The National Park car park has toilets and an information centre. The Little White Bus runs along the A684, but it's a rural service, so check the timetable. There's no water on the route. It's a spring to autumn run, and the Yorevale Tea Room is at the car park.

Aysgarth Falls and Bolton Castle Loop: route & free GPX →

Bolton Abbey Loop

The Bolton Abbey Loop is a 10.9 km circuit of the Bolton Abbey estate with just 98 m of climb, graded Moderate (E2·T1), taking 75 to 100 minutes. It follows both banks of the Wharfe, past the priory ruins and the Cavendish Pavilion, to the Strid.

From the estate car park the route follows the eastern bank downstream through mixed woodland to the Cavendish Pavilion after about 2 km, crosses at the footbridge, and comes back up the western bank through the narrow wooded gorge of the Valley of Desolation to the Strid. At the Strid, the whole Wharfe is forced through a gap less than a metre wide. It's dangerous: stay on the marked path and don't try to cross. The river paths can flood after heavy rain. It's one of the few Dales routes that lists winter among its best seasons, and with a mud rating of 2 out of 5 on path, a light trail shoe is plenty. The estate car park costs £15 on the day or £12.50 booked online, with toilets. Dales Bus 74 runs from Skipton on summer Sundays and bank holidays. The Cavendish Pavilion cafe is mid-route.

Bolton Abbey Loop: route & free GPX →

Settle Loop

The Settle Loop is 14.3 km with 335 m of climb, graded Moderate (E2·T2), and takes 110 to 150 minutes. From Whitefriars car park in Settle it climbs steeply out of town onto the limestone upland, with wide views across Ribblesdale to Pen-y-ghent and Ingleborough, before looping back down to the valley.

It's the most reliable run in Settle, on good tracks and clear paths with a mud rating of 2 out of 5, and it lists winter among its best seasons. Watch for slippery limestone pavement in the wet and a few exposed edges above town. A light trail shoe is plenty. Settle station on the Settle–Carlisle line is about five minutes from the start.

Settle Loop: route & free GPX →

Hard: summits and the tarn

Pen-y-ghent from Horton-in-Ribblesdale

Pen-y-ghent from Horton-in-Ribblesdale is the classic 9.5 km circuit with 459 m of climb, graded Hard (E3·T3), taking 85 to 115 minutes. It's the most accessible of the Yorkshire Three Peaks summits, and Horton-in-Ribblesdale station is a short distance from the start.

You follow lanes and tracks before climbing the stepped southern ridge. Near the top there's a short rocky step where you use your hands briefly, which needs care in the wet or ice. Above it the angle eases to the 694 m summit, and the descent follows the Pennine Way north on good, fast tracks. The top is exposed to weather, and the surrounding moorland is managed for grouse, with shooting from August to December. You'll want deep-lug shoes and a windproof and waterproof layer. There's no water on the route. The National Park car park in Horton charges from 6am to midnight.

Pen-y-ghent from Horton-in-Ribblesdale: route & free GPX →

Whernside from Ribblehead

Whernside from Ribblehead is a 13.1 km loop over Whernside, the highest of the Three Peaks at 736 m, with 457 m of climb. It's graded Hard (E3·T3) and takes 110 to 145 minutes. Ribblehead station is right at the start.

The route follows the railway past the Ribblehead Viaduct before climbing onto Whernside's long northern ridge, with a wall guiding you along the crest to the summit. The ridge is narrow and fully exposed to wind, the steep descent off the far side is awkward when wet, and the lower return is persistently boggy, with a mud rating of 4 out of 5. Wear deep-lug shoes and carry a waterproof. There's no water on the route, but the Station Inn and the station cafe are at the start.

Whernside from Ribblehead: route & free GPX →

Malham Cove and Malham Tarn

Malham Cove and Malham Tarn is a 16.5 km loop from Malham with 411 m of climb, graded Hard (E3·T3), taking 130 to 175 minutes. It's the full tour of upper Malhamdale.

From the village you climb to the top of Malham Cove, where the limestone pavement opens out in clints and grikes above the 80 m cliff. The route then threads Watlowes, a curving dry limestone valley, before opening onto the moor towards Malham Tarn. At around 375 m, the tarn is one of England's highest natural lakes and a National Nature Reserve, and the track round its shore gives easy running. The pavement at the top of the Cove is uneven and very slippery when wet, with a sheer drop at the cliff edge, and the upper sections are exposed to weather. The rough limestone calls for deep-lug shoes with real grip. There's no water on the route. It's a spring to autumn run. Parking in Malham is pay and display, with the free Watersinks car park between the Cove and the Tarn.

Malham Cove and Malham Tarn: route & free GPX →

Buckden Pike from Buckden

Buckden Pike from Buckden is a 19.1 km loop with 580 m of climb, graded Hard (E3·T2), taking 155 to 210 minutes. It trades the Three Peaks crowds for a steady climb and one of the best views in Upper Wharfedale.

From the National Trust car park in Buckden village, a clear path heads north-east through woodland onto the open fell and follows the ridge to the 702 m summit. At the summit, a white cross marks the 1942 crash site of a Wellington bomber, with a memorial to its Polish crew. The views run down Upper Wharfedale towards Kettlewell. The summit can be misty and exposed, and the ridge path gets boggy after rain. There's no water on the route and no toilets. The Wharfedale bus from Skipton is seasonal. It's a spring to autumn route, and the Buck Inn in Buckden does good food.

Buckden Pike from Buckden: route & free GPX →

Very Hard and Expert: the big days

Wharfedale Three Peaks

The Wharfedale Three Peaks is a 35.2 km round from Kettlewell with 1,129 m of climb, graded Very Hard (E4·T3). Most runners take between 4 hours 45 minutes and 6 hours 30 minutes. It links the three highest tops above Upper Wharfedale and is the rough, quiet alternative to the Yorkshire Three Peaks.

Run anti-clockwise, it climbs first to Great Whernside at 704 m, a rough, boulder-strewn summit, then crosses the valley to Buckden Pike at 702 m and saves the long pull over Birks Fell for last. There are no purpose-built paths. The route crosses bog, tussock, farmland and open moor, often on faint sheep tracks or no track at all. With a mud rating of 5 out of 5, it's the boggiest route here, and the beck crossings can rise after rain. The tops are remote and fully exposed. The route is marked as needing map skills, and navigation is serious in cloud, so carry a map and compass and know how to use them. Take food and a proper water carry, since there's no water on the route, plus deep-lug shoes and a windproof and waterproof layer. It's recorded as a summer and autumn route only. Bus 72 links Skipton, Grassington, Kettlewell and Buckden. Zarina's tea room and the Blue Bell Inn are in Kettlewell.

Wharfedale Three Peaks: route & free GPX →

Yorkshire Three Peaks Circuit

Yorkshire Three Peaks Circuit is 41.5 km with 1,505 m of climb, graded Expert (E5·T3). Most runners take between 5 hours 50 minutes and 7 hours 50 minutes. It links Pen-y-ghent (694 m), Whernside (736 m) and Ingleborough (723 m) in the traditional direction from Horton-in-Ribblesdale, which is on the Settle–Carlisle railway. The Three Peaks Race, one of Britain's oldest fell races, is held on the route every April.

The route is well signed but long, with a lot of distance between sheltered sections. The ground between Ribblehead and Ingleborough can be brutal after rain, and navigating the Ingleborough plateau in cloud can be tricky despite the waymarking, so carry a map and compass as backup. There's no water on the route. Most runners carry 1.5 to 2 litres, so take a proper water carry and food, plus deep-lug shoes and a windproof and waterproof layer. Horton's pay and display car park is a popular start, so arrive early.

Yorkshire Three Peaks Circuit: route & free GPX →

Kettlewell Ultra

The Kettlewell Ultra is 43.7 km with 1,707 m of climb, graded Expert (E5·T3), and it's the biggest day in this guide. Most runners take between 6 hours 15 minutes and 8 hours 25 minutes.

From Kettlewell's National Park car park on Park Lane, the route climbs out of Wharfedale onto the high moorland linking the heads of the surrounding dales. It visits Great Whernside, Buckden Pike and Birks Fell, with several climbs and descents to remote dale heads, before the final return along Wharfedale. It's long and remote, with some pathless moorland, limited shelter and limited water on the high ground, and the weather can change quickly. The route is marked as needing map skills. Carry a map and compass, more food than you think you need and a proper water carry, plus deep-lug shoes and a windproof and waterproof layer. Know your bail-out options before you set off, because there are few escape routes on the high moor. Dales Bus 72 runs from Skipton to Kettlewell in summer only. It's a spring to autumn route, and the Blue Bell Inn does food all day.

Kettlewell Ultra: route & free GPX →

Practical notes

Getting there without a car. Settle, Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Ribblehead are all on the Settle–Carlisle railway, which puts the Settle Loop, Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and the Three Peaks Circuit within reach by train. Bus 72 links Skipton, Grassington, Kettlewell and Buckden. Malham and Bolton Abbey rely on seasonal DalesBus services from Skipton, mostly at weekends, so check timetables before you travel. Aysgarth is served by the Little White Bus, a limited rural service.

Parking. Malham's car park can fill by 10am in summer, and Horton, Kettlewell and Buckden get busy on fine weekends. Bolton Abbey charges £15 on the day or £12.50 booked online.

Terrain and weather. Limestone is fast and grippy when dry, slick when wet. The high moor holds water and stays boggy, with the Wharfedale Three Peaks rated 5 out of 5 for mud. The tops carry their own weather: it can be still in the valley and blowing hard on Ingleborough. Check the forecast for the height you're running at, not the village.

Seasons. The Settle Loop and the Bolton Abbey Loop are the two that list winter among their best seasons. The Wharfedale Three Peaks is summer and autumn only, and every other route is spring to autumn.

Safety. Nine of the twelve routes go onto open fell or moorland. Read the safety page before a big day.

In an emergency call 999 or 112, ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue. If you have no signal you can text 999, but you have to pre-register first — text "register" to 999.

Kit. For the five Moderate routes, a light trail shoe is plenty in the dry. For the summits, Malham Tarn and the big days, you'll want deep-lug shoes and a windproof and waterproof layer. The Wharfedale Three Peaks and the Kettlewell Ultra are both marked as needing map skills, and the Three Peaks Circuit's hazard notes say to carry a map and compass as backup. On the three big days, carry food and a proper water carry. Our kit guides go into more detail.

Free GPX, condition reports and photos

Every route in this guide has a free GPX download on its route page, with no account and no email signup. Load it onto your watch or phone and go. If you've run one of these recently, add a condition report on the route page. It's the quickest way for the next runner to find out whether Gordale Scar is passable or the Wharfedale tops are under water. For more routes across the national park, see the Yorkshire Dales hub.

FAQ

How many trail running routes are there in the Yorkshire Dales?

Trail Running Planet has 70 published trail running routes in the Yorkshire Dales, across Wharfedale, Malhamdale, Ribblesdale, Wensleydale, the Three Peaks, Settle and the Skipton area. Every one has a free GPX download and an honest grade. This guide picks twelve of the best, from 7.8 km to 43.7 km.

What is the easiest trail run in the Yorkshire Dales?

The Easy Malham Loop is the gentlest in this guide: 8.6 km with 143 m of climb, graded Moderate (E1·T2), past Janet's Foss to the foot of Malham Cove on firm paths. The Bolton Abbey Loop has even less climbing, at 98 m over 10.9 km, and it lists winter among its best seasons.

Can I run the Yorkshire Three Peaks in one go?

Yes. The Yorkshire Three Peaks Circuit is a 41.5 km loop from Horton-in-Ribblesdale with 1,505 m of climb, graded Expert (E5·T3). Most runners take between 5 hours 50 minutes and 7 hours 50 minutes. There's no water on the route, so carry 1.5 to 2 litres and food.

What is the Wharfedale Three Peaks?

The Wharfedale Three Peaks is a 35.2 km round from Kettlewell over Great Whernside, Buckden Pike and Birks Fell, with 1,129 m of climb, graded Very Hard. It has no purpose-built paths, deep bog and serious navigation in cloud, which makes it rougher and quieter than the Yorkshire Three Peaks.

Do I need a car to trail run in the Dales?

Not always. Settle, Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Ribblehead are on the Settle–Carlisle railway, so you can reach the Settle Loop, Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and the Three Peaks Circuit by train. Bus 72 links Skipton with Kettlewell and Buckden. Malham and Bolton Abbey rely on seasonal weekend buses.

Are the GPX files free?

Yes. Every route on Trail Running Planet has a free GPX download on its route page, with no account and no email signup required.