Masham and the River Ure

The route

Start in Masham's market square and drop to the River Ure, following the riverside path and field tracks in a gentle 10.8km loop that takes in Marfield Wetlands nature reserve. This is easy lowland country on the eastern fringe of the Dales, with only the faintest climbing, so it stays runnable throughout and suits a steady rather than a hard day. The river is the constant, wide and slow, with the town never far away.

The river and the town

The Ure runs broad and calm past Masham, and the loop uses its banks and the wetlands at Marfield, a reserve created from old gravel workings that now draws a wide range of wetland birds. Masham itself is one of the best small towns in the area, built around a huge market square and famous for its two breweries, Theakston, home of Old Peculier, and Black Sheep, both of which run tours. Hackfall Woods and the wilder Ure are a short distance upstream if you want to extend.

Why it works

This is a route for an easy, sociable day. The ground is largely good path and meadow, the navigation simple along the river, and the town at either end makes it easy to build a morning around. It suits families, beginners or a relaxed long run. The riverside meadows flood in winter and hold mud after rain, so the low path can be soft or impassable in spate, and the Ure should be respected when high. Marfield is a nature reserve, so keep to the paths and dogs under control for the birdlife. It is a route that rewards a relaxed pace and a flask, the kind of morning you finish in the market square with cake.