Skipton Explorer
It's the route to reach for when you want proper distance without a mountain attached, running out through genuinely pretty Dales-edge countryside that most visitors drive straight past on their way to the bigger fells.
Effort: Good distance, solid climb
Underfoot: Some uneven or off-path ground
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A 28.5km loop through the Craven countryside around Skipton, mixing canal towpath, farmland and quiet lanes with 644m of gentle climbing - a solid mid-distance route without a single big hill.
It's the route to reach for when you want proper distance without a mountain attached, running out through genuinely pretty Dales-edge countryside that most visitors drive straight past on their way to the bigger fells.
The route
Starting from the middle of Skipton, this loop heads out through the countryside surrounding the town rather than up into the higher Dales, taking in the canal towpath, farm tracks and the rolling fields of the Craven lowlands. It's a route built for covering ground steadily rather than fighting a single big climb, with 644m of ascent spread evenly across nearly 30km.
Craven countryside
This part of the Dales gets overlooked by runners heading straight for Wharfedale or the Three Peaks, but the mix of drystone walls, quiet farm lanes and the odd stretch of canal towpath makes for genuinely pleasant, varied running. It's also a good deal quieter than the honeypot villages further up the dales, even on a busy weekend.
Underfoot
Nothing here demands technical skill - the going is mostly good farm track and towpath with some field paths that can be soft after rain. That makes this a reliable option when the higher fells are in cloud or the ground up there is too greasy to enjoy, and a good distance-building route for anyone working up toward the bigger Dales days.
Who it suits
This is a good route for building distance without the recovery cost of a hilly day, or for runners newer to trail running who want more time on varied surfaces without technical risk. It also works well as a shakeout run the day before or after a bigger effort further into the Dales.
Getting there and back
Skipton's position on the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle line and its role as the main market town for this end of the Dales make this one of the more accessible longer routes on the list - you can arrive by train, run the loop, and be back at a cafe within a few hundred metres of where you started.
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Livestock and farm machinery on the working farmland sections - keep an eye out on the narrower lanes. Field paths can be greasy and soft after heavy rain.
Summits on this route
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
- Most runners complete Skipton Explorer in 3 hours 35 minutes to 4 hours 55 minutes, depending on pace and conditions.
Run by us· last checked July 2026
Jason Millward has run this route and written it up from the ground. How we check routes
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Runner reports
Nobody's logged a run here yet. If you get out on it, a few lines about how it went helps the next person plan their day.
Start from a town: Skipton 1.3 km · Ilkley 12.1 km · Grassington 12.5 km
EXPERT
VERY HARD
EXPERT
EASY
MODERATE
MODERATERaces on this ground
All Yorkshire Dales races →Races starting within 20 km of the Skipton Explorer start, nearest first. If you are entered for one, this route is the rehearsal.
10
Apr
2027
Skipton Skedaddle
Skipton, North Yorkshire · Punk Panther · 1 miles away
Out of the market town and into the Dales — Malham Tarn, Gordale Scar and Pen-y-ghent on the long one.
HARD TO VERY HARD
Entries open
7
Aug
2027
provisional
Dales Dazzler
Skipton, North Yorkshire · Punk Panther · 1 miles away
Skipton to the Pennine Way, Malham Tarn and back down the Dales Way. Fifty miles if you want it.
HARD TO EXPERT
Not open yet
6
Feb
2027
Skipton Sweetie Skedaddle
Craven Leisure Centre, Gargrave Road, Skipton · It's Grim Up North Running · 2 miles away
The Leeds & Liverpool towpath out of Skipton, flat and fast, 10k to ultra with a six-and-a-half-hour cut-off and sweets, chocolate and cake at the finish. Road shoes suggested.
Entries open
£29–£43
5
Aug
2027
Skipton Rock Up n' Run
Craven Leisure Centre, Gargrave Road, Skipton · It's Grim Up North Running · 2 miles away
A midweek summer evening 5k or 10k on the Leeds & Liverpool towpath from Craven Leisure Centre in Skipton. Register from six, pay on the night, jumble medal and hot food after.
Entries open
£17–£29