Pateley Bridge and Cold Stones Cut

The route

Start in Pateley Bridge and head up Nidderdale, looping around Gouthwaite Reservoir and climbing onto the valley sides before returning along the River Nidd. The route runs 14.5km with around 350m of climbing, a proper Nidderdale outing that mixes easy riverside with steeper ground on the moor edge. It gives you the full character of the dale in a single loop, from the market town to the wild upper valley.

Gouthwaite and the moor

Gouthwaite Reservoir fills the valley floor north of Pateley, a long, still water that is a designated nature reserve and one of the finest birdwatching sites in the region, drawing wetland birds and raptors through the year. Above it, the valley sides carry the scars of Nidderdale's lead-mining past, with old workings and tracks threading the moor. The Nidderdale Way provides much of the line, linking the reservoir shore with the higher ground and the pretty village of Wath.

Why it works

This is a route with good variety for its length. The riverside and reservoir sections are easy and runnable, while the climbs onto the moor edge add enough to feel like a hill day. Navigation is largely straightforward on the Nidderdale Way and valley paths, with a little more care on the open ground. It suits a steady long run or a scenic outing with a stop for the birdlife. The low ground holds mud after rain and the moor is exposed up top, so carry a layer. Pateley Bridge is a proper base, with cafes, the oldest sweet shop in England and a car park with toilets, so it is easy to make a morning of it. It is a route that shows why Nidderdale, quieter than the big-name dales, keeps the runners who find it. Come in early summer for the wildflowers along the river and the birds on the water at their busiest.