The Trails Shop guide to the best walks in Yorkshire

There are hundreds (probably thousands, quite possibly millions) of walks on the internet and you can spend hours trying to find the best walk for you.

And then you come across a website proudly claiming it has the "best walks" only to find it's a list of place names and a lot of seemingly unrelated ads.

Disclaimer!

We’re holding our hands up – whilst this blog contains links to books and maps that we hope you'll buy, it has been written with the best intentions - to share our experience and knowledge of searching for walks online. We hope that you'll find the information useful and if you do decide you'd like a guidebook or map then we hope you'll buy them from us (we've also got some great mugs, t-shirts and socks!).

The best websites to find walks

We know quite a bit about promoting walks, whether that’s online, in print or in person so we  know what we’re talking about it (at least we think we do!). And like many of you out there, we’ve also spent hours searching the internet for a decent walk to do at the weekend.

We think the best websites have a good map and some decent directions. Perhaps some enticing photos, information about car parking and where the nearest café, pub, and loos are. Details of interesting things to see or do along the way are always a bonus. And helpfully, what to expect in terms of terrain, if there are any steps, stiles or gates, steep ascents/descents and whether it’s suitable for pushchairs, dogs, wheelchairs or children.

Whether you're looking for short walks, long distance multi-day challenges, family walks suitable for pushchairs or little legs, dog friendly walks, pub walks, tea-room walks or walks with great views we've found websites with walks to suit everyone and we've made a list of some the websites we use most regularly to find a good walk. Let us know if you agree and please do share your own recommendations.

The North York Moors National Park

The North York Moors National Park’s website is one of the best. It features a handy interactive map displaying walks within the park's boundary. You can filter by difficulty, distance, special features including dog-friendly, public-transport friendly and accessibility (which will display the 'miles without stiles' routes). Clicking on a route gives further details including a description, map and elevation profile and photographs.

Browse walks on the North York Moors National Park Authority's website.

Photo CC BY-NC 2.0 DEED - A deep valley in the North York Moors by Jack Cousin - flickr.com/photos/jackcousin/43071550345

National Trails

National Trails are long distance routes - most of them walks but some can be ridden on mountain bike or horse. They're maintained to high standards and are way-marked with a distinctive acorn symbol.

Yorkshire is lucky enough to be home to 5 National Trails (Cleveland Way, King Charles III England Coast Path, Pennine Way, Pennine Bridleway, Yorkshire Wolds Way - and it will be 6 once the Coast to Coast Path is complete!).

Even if you're not looking for a multi-day hike, there are some fantastic short walks using the trails, taking in some of the best scenery in the county.

Visit the National Trails website to find out more.

Leeds List

The Leeds List is a great website for Leeds and the surrounding area (but also covers the entire county). Food and drink, days out, nights out and walks!

Visit their walks page to find their recommendations for everything from easy walks that end at the pub to crisp winter walks, canal walks and photogenic walks within an hour of Leeds!

CC BY 2.0 DEED - Huddersfield Broad Canal by Tim Green - flickr.com/photos/atoach/4672605712/