Skipton Canal and Stirton
Canal towpath running at its most accessible - flat, surfaced, and direct. Stirton sits quietly 2km south of Skipton and gives the route a reason to go beyond the park.
Effort: Moderate distance, manageable climb
Underfoot: Mostly paths and tracks
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Mostly on runnable ground, but most runners still walk the steepest climbs.
An 8.3km circuit from Skipton along the Leeds–Liverpool Canal towpath to the hamlet of Stirton, returning via field paths and the edge of town.
Canal towpath running at its most accessible - flat, surfaced, and direct. Stirton sits quietly 2km south of Skipton and gives the route a reason to go beyond the park.
The route
From Skipton town centre, the route picks up the Leeds–Liverpool Canal towpath heading southwest. The canal here is at its most animated - narrow boats moored along the cut, the canal basin a short detour to the north, and the town's medieval castle visible from the bridge. Once clear of the marina, the towpath quietens quickly.
After roughly 2km the route leaves the canal near Bradley Road bridge and climbs briefly into the hamlet of Stirton - a small settlement of stone-built farmhouses sitting above the canal on the southwestern approach to Skipton. From Stirton the route returns via field paths through the lower edge of town, rejoining the canal towpath for the final stretch back to the start.
Total distance is 8.3km with 67m of ascent - the climb to Stirton is the only real gradient on the circuit. It's a pace run or easy day effort rather than something that'll stress your legs.
The Leeds–Liverpool Canal
The canal opened in 1816 as the longest single canal in Britain. The Skipton section passes through some of its most attractive stretches - limestone walls, swing bridges, and the occasional working narrowboat. The towpath is maintained and accessible year-round, though narrow in places where boats are moored along the edge.
Skipton Canal Basin, just north of the route start, is worth a look before or after the run - the confluence of the Springs Branch adds an extra channel of water and the surrounding buildings give a good sense of what the canal's commercial peak looked like.
Practical notes
This route is best run early on summer weekends - the towpath through Skipton gets busy with visitors and families by mid-morning, and the canal path is narrow enough that passing takes some coordination. On weekday mornings it's largely yours. The return field path section through the edge of Stirton is quiet regardless of season.
Canal towpath is narrow in places - be aware of cyclists and other towpath users. Swing bridges and lock gates require care at speed.
Leave No Trace
- Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories.
- Please respect the countryside and all its inhabitants.
- Dogs on leads near livestock, and around ground-nesting birds from March to July.
- Gates as you find them — open or closed, leave it that way for the farmer and the next runner.
- Take it all home — wrappers, peel, tissue, the lot. It doesn't count as biodegradable if you can still see it.
- Stick to the path where the ground either side is wet, planted, or nesting habitat.
Common questions
Run by us· last checked June 2026
Jason Millward has run this route and written it up from the ground. How we check routes
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