Dog Friendly Walks & Beaches in North Yorkshire

A World Heritage walk linking the abbey ruins with the Seven Bridges Valley, mixing history, water features and ancient woodland.

A privately managed circular trail through two river gorges that strings together six major waterfalls and some of the finest woodland walking in the north of England.

This iconic circular from Malham village packs limestone gorges, woodland waterfalls and sweeping pavement views into one of the most spectacular walks in the Yorkshire Dales.

A magnificent high-level circuit that combines one of England's most iconic Victorian structures with a challenging fell walk to the summit of Whernside, the highest peak in the Dales.

A dramatically sited fishing village at the end of the Coast to Coast walk, with a rocky beach, year-round access and one of England's most characterful settings.

A beautifully preserved fishing village cove with sandy beach, year-round access and one of the most photogenic settings on the Yorkshire coast.

A short Wensleydale loop for dogs from Askrigg to two wooded waterfalls, with enclosed lanes to stretch their legs and a pool to swim in.

A gentle woodland and riverside loop taking in all three tiers of one of Yorkshire's most celebrated waterfall systems, with good scent work and easy terrain throughout.

A breezy moor-top circuit from one of Britain's highest inns, with easy off-lead walking once you clear the sheep pasture.

A beautifully varied estate walk combining ruined priory, ancient woodland and the most dangerous stretch of river in England, set in the lower reaches of Wharfedale.

A loop through extraordinary wind-sculpted rock formations on Nidderdale moorland, with geological drama and wide Yorkshire views.

A dog friendly moor-top circuit around the sculpted gritstone outcrops of Brimham Rocks, with long views across Nidderdale.

A loop from Byland Abbey's 12th century ruins for dogs through Abbey Bank Wood to Coxwold and Wass, with views to the Kilburn White Horse.

A surfing beach south of Scarborough with year-round dog access, good cliff walks above and a surf cafe at the car park.

An easy and varied forest trail with high off-lead potential on clear woodland paths and good on-site facilities; one of the most accessible walks in Dalby Forest.

A moorland and woodland circuit for dogs from Swinton Park to the Druid's Temple, a 19th century folly styled like Stonehenge above Colsterdale.

A gentle woodland walk to a beautiful waterfall with a charming tea garden; the easy terrain suits dogs of all fitness levels.

A dog friendly moorland and woodland loop to the sixty-foot Falling Foss waterfall, with a tea garden at the halfway point.

A dog friendly spring daffodil walk along the River Dove, famed in April but quieter and just as pretty the rest of the year.

A wide sandy beach at a quieter Yorkshire seaside town, with the dramatic Filey Brigg headland at one end and year-round dog access in designated areas.

A classic North York Moors loop from Heartbeat country up onto open moor and down to the boulder-strewn Mallyan Spout waterfall.

A classic Wharfedale circuit linking two of the dale's most handsome villages via riverside Dales Way paths, limestone gorge scenery and open field walking with far-reaching views.

A Woodland Trust gem with ancient trees, hidden follies and a ravine that feels genuinely wild and forgotten.

A spectacular hidden cove in the North York Moors National Park reached through woodland, with a double waterfall onto a rocky beach, year-round dog access and no restrictions.

A short easy to moderate riverside circular between two of the prettiest hamlets in Upper Wharfedale, with the George Inn at Hubberholme as the perfect end.

A loop through the wooded Nidd Gorge from Knaresborough for dogs, with river paddling, plenty of off-lead running and two dog friendly stops.

A moderate Upper Wharfedale circuit linking Buckden with Cray, Yockenthwaite and Hubberholme through the ancient hunting forest of Langstrothdale Chase.

Wild moorland walking with atmospheric ruins and high off-lead potential across the open heath; a genuinely rewarding North York Moors circuit.

A serious day walk across the high limestone moors above Malham, taking in England's highest natural freshwater lake before climbing to the summit of Fountains Fell on a remote and demanding fell route.

A dog friendly riverside loop from Richard III's childhood castle along the River Cover, with racehorse gallops and Wensleydale views.

A taster loop of the longer Nidderdale Way from the market town of Pateley Bridge, with dale views and a solid pub finish.

One of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, Pen-y-ghent offers a challenging but rewarding ridge walk with a distinctive stepped profile and exceptional views across the limestone uplands.

A clifftop loop for dogs around Ravenscar, taking in the abandoned Peak Alum Works and long views up the Yorkshire coast towards Robin Hood's Bay.

A circuit from Redmire village for dogs to the cascades of Redmire Force on the River Ure, with views to Bolton Castle across Wensleydale.

An easy low-level Swaledale loop between Reeth and Grinton via river meadows and a dramatic suspension bridge, with welcoming pubs at both ends.

A dog friendly circuit below Richmond's Norman castle walls, along the River Swale to the ruined Easby Abbey and back.

A gentle wooded stroll through Saltburn's Victorian Valley Gardens to the beach, with tea rooms, a miniature railway and plenty of shade.

A town and seafront loop linking Scarborough's medieval castle with Holbeck clifftop gardens, all on firm paths and easy for older dogs.

An ancient wood for dogs in the middle of Skipton, running along Eller Beck and the Springs Canal below the castle walls, with old mill dams and plenty of water.

A clifftop circuit for dogs from Staithes to Boulby, the highest point on England's east coast, with sweeping Cleveland Way views and a village pub stop.

A small rocky cove in one of England's most atmospheric fishing villages, year-round access with the dramatic harbour and cliff scenery as backdrop.

A loop through the National Trust deer park at Studley Royal, with herds of red and fallow deer against a backdrop of the Water Garden.

A classic Swaledale circular through the wildflower meadows and gorge paths linking Keld and Muker, the picture-postcard walk of the Dales.

A classic Yorkshire Dales circuit from Muker's hay meadows along the Pennine Way to the Kisdon Force waterfalls at Keld.

An easy Wharfedale riverside stroll between two pretty villages, linking Burnsall's green with the tumbling Linton Falls and plenty of pub stops.

The wide sandy beach below Whitby Abbey with the famous swing bridge and good year-round access on the quieter western end.

A riverside loop for dogs from Boroughbridge past the Bronze Age Devil's Arrows standing stones, Milby's canal locks and Kirby Hill's ancient church.

A remote moorland and valley loop at the wild northern head of Bransdale, with sheep to lead for and no crowds.

The estate's own walk for dogs on a short lead, from the Castle Howard courtyard round the Great Lake and Ray Wood to the Temple of the Four Winds and the Obelisk.

A secluded, rocky North Yorkshire wyke accessible via the Cleveland Way with no dog restrictions, very few visitors and a wild, exploratory character suited to adventurous dogs and owners.

A sheltered Forestry England loop through conifer plantation and birch woodland on the southern edge of the North York Moors.

Open moorland gives dogs room to range on the climb to Eston Nab's Iron Age hillfort, with sweeping views over Teesside for their humans at the top.

A breezy Cleveland Way finish that loops out along Filey Brigg's rocky spit before returning through country park and town.

A charming riverside walk connecting two historic North York Moors villages with good facilities at both ends; sheep in surrounding fields require attention.

A dramatic moderate circular linking Janet's Foss, Gordale Scar and the limestone pavement above Malham Cove, easy to extend for a bigger day out.

A big-sky loop for dogs on a lead around Yorkshire Water's largest reservoir, on a wide stile-free track above Wharfedale past a 16th century cruck barn.

A gentle Esk Valley circuit linking two pretty steam-era villages along old field paths, woodland and a short road stretch.

Old mining ruins and woodland give dogs room to explore at Guisborough Forest, rising to the Hanging Stone outcrop and views across the Tees Valley for their humans.

Up a Swaledale side valley for dogs on a lead, from Gunnerside to the ruins of Bunton Hush and Blakethwaite Smelt Mill, with the beck for company.

A dog friendly town-park loop through Harrogate's Grade II-listed Valley Gardens and Pinewoods, all on surfaced paths.

A gentle farmland circuit in the heart of Wensleydale, culminating in England's highest single-drop above-ground waterfall, tucked into a dramatic limestone amphitheatre behind a village pub.

A dramatic geological amphitheatre with varied terrain and good moorland walking; sheep on the farmland sections and steep descents into the Horcum require care.

A loop through fields and woodland for dogs around Hovingham in the Howardian Hills, following Marr's Beck to a dog friendly village restaurant.

A circuit for dogs on a lead around Nidderdale's dramatic limestone gorge, linking Lofthouse to How Stean Gorge's dog friendly cafe through woods and hay meadows.

A spectacular remote fossil-hunter's cove with no dog restrictions, accessed via a steep rope-assisted descent from the clifftop, and some of the best ammonite hunting on the Yorkshire coast.

A short, easy loop for dogs beneath Kilnsey Crag's dramatic 55 metre limestone cliff, following the old drovers' road of Mastiles Lane above Wharfedale.

Leyburn's signature walk for dogs: the full length of the Shawl escarpment above Wensleydale, then field paths to Preston-under-Scar and the old church at Wensley.

A quiet moderate moorland climb on an old packhorse route over Horse Head Pass, one of the remotest and most peaceful crossings in the Dales.

A quiet lanes and woodland walk past one of England's finest moated medieval manor houses, with rolling Nidderdale countryside throughout.

A gentle riverside and meadow loop from the brewing town of Masham along the River Ure and the smaller River Burn.

A quiet steam railway and moor-edge loop through the wooded Newtondale gorge, arriving back at a working heritage station.

A varied walk combining reservoir views with woodland paths and a welcoming village; livestock in the surrounding fields require leads on some sections.

A rewarding circuit linking the atmospheric ruins of Rievaulx Abbey with the market town of Helmsley; livestock in the farmland sections require leads.

A flat, easy towpath walk along Ripon Canal with waterside views throughout - no hills, no fuss, just a straightforward stroll.

A gentle riverside walk following the Skell through Ripon, connecting town amenities with countryside stretches.

A short, sharp climb to one of the North East's most distinctive summits with satisfying views; sheep on the lower slopes and the steep ascent require attention.

An atmospheric moor-edge loop from a pretty Rosedale village up to the ruined ironstone kilns and along the old mineral railway.

A beautiful three-mile Yorkshire Heritage Coast beach connecting Sandsend village to Whitby, with seasonal restrictions near the village from 1 May to 30 September and excellent off-lead walking outside the restricted zone.

A wild circuit for dogs on a lead around Scar House Reservoir at the head of Nidderdale, crossing its great 1930s masonry dam with views to Angram's spillway.

The quieter of Scarborough's two beaches with more off-season appeal and a less congested atmosphere than South Bay.

A quiet and undervisited circuit around North Yorkshire's second-largest natural lake, taking in remote Raydale hamlets, open fell views and a peaceful lakeside far from the main Dales honeypots.

A steep climb for dogs on a lead from Settle to the limestone cliffs of Attermire Scar, taking in Victoria Cave and Jubilee Cave above Ribblesdale.

A historic ironstone village beach split by a Victorian loading pier, with year-round dog access on the adjacent Cattersty Sands and dramatic Cleveland Coast cliffs in both directions.

Two Ribblesdale waterfalls for dogs to explore on a lead, Catrigg Force in its wooded ravine and Stainforth Force below a 17th century packhorse bridge.

Dramatic escarpment views and a walk to the iconic White Horse with good visitor centre facilities; livestock on the surrounding farmland require leads.

An easy, stile-free loop for dogs on a lead around a Victorian reservoir in the Washburn Valley, on wide surfaced paths past the 17th century Swinsty Hall.

A dramatic coastal walk between two iconic North Yorkshire villages with spectacular cliff-top scenery; the point-to-point format requires transport planning and livestock on cliff sections need care.

An easy riverside loop for dogs through York via Rowntree Park and the Millennium Bridge, flat and accessible with a dog friendly pub on the route.

A climb for dogs from Bewerley through ancient Guisecliff Wood to Yorke's Folly, a pair of 19th century pillars above Nidderdale's best view.

A moderate off-the-beaten-track Coverdale circuit over Arkleside Moor, with old lead mining relics and huge views across the quietest Dales valley.

A challenging Wensleydale horseshoe over two remote Hewitts, all open moorland with huge skies and working sheep fells underfoot.

A challenging Yorkshire Three Peaks ascent from the quiet Chapel-le-Dale side, rewarding confident dog walkers with huge moorland views.

A limestone loop for dogs on a lead from Clapham along the medieval Thwaite Lane to the Norber Erratics, dark glacial boulders above Crummackdale.

The River Tees gives dogs a paddle through this Stockton park, past a Victorian hall museum with a rare Viking Age helmet for their humans to see.

A challenging circular over Yorkshire's highest summit with the iconic Ribblehead Viaduct bookending the route, best suited to confident hill dogs on leads.

An epic 24 mile circuit taking in Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, only suitable for very fit dogs prepared for long moorland miles on lead.