Name: 15 Short Walks in the Yorkshire Dales - Grassington, Skipton, Malham and Ilkley
Brand: Cicerone Press
Price: 9.95 GBP
Availability: InStock

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15 Short Walks in the Yorkshire Dales - Grassington, Skipton, Malham and Ilkley

Discover 15 of the best short walks around Grassington, Skipton, Malham and Ilkley. Each walk comes with easy-to-read Ordnance Survey maps, clear route description and lots of images, plus information on beauty spots and refreshment stops. No challenging terrain or complicated navigation means everyone can enjoy walks.

Printed book + eBookBest value ~~£19.90~~ £14.92 Full guidebook plus the digital edition — 50% off the eBook

Printed book £9.95 Full guidebook with maps & profiles. Available and ready to dispatch

eBook £9.95 Digital edition for your eReader. Download from your Cicerone Library

The eBook is also sold by Google Play Books, Apple Books, Amazon Kindle and Rakuten Kobo.

Quick facts

Location: Grassington, Skipton, Malham, Ilkley and surrounding areas, Yorkshire Dales National Park, North‑Yorkshire, UK (including Bolton Abbey, Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, Ilkley Moor, Cow and Calf rocks, Trollers Gill, Grassington lead mines and more)
Total walks: 15 selected short walks
Typical duration: Under 3 hours each (apart from challenge route)
Distance per walk: 4–10 km (2.5–6 miles)
Walk type: Easy day walks with no technical terrain; short climbs included
Difficulty: Easy to moderate; suitable for most walkers and families
Navigation: Clear Ordnance Survey® maps and step-by-step route descriptions included
Highlights: Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, Ilkley Moor, Cow and Calf rocks, Bolton Abbey, Trollers Gill, Grassington lead mines, panoramic viewpoints, limestone gorges, picturesque villages, waterfalls, and cosy local pubs and tea rooms
Best season: Walkable all year round; enjoy spring wildflowers, long summer days, autumn colours, and the crisp magic of winter landscapes (weather and conditions permitting)

Author Highlight

“Dry stone walls, grazing sheep, heather-clad fell tops, tea-box villages and curious rock formations wherever you go - the Yorkshire Dales has its own distinct charm and the southern part of the national park covered by this guidebook is no exception. The walks in this book combine the best of the two most accessible Dales: Wharfedale, which snakes north from the stately spa town of Ilkley towards Grassington, and Airedale, north of the traditional ‘Gateway to the Dales’ market town of Skipton. An array of spectacular sites awaits, including Bolton Abbey, Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, Janet's Foss, Linton Falls, Simon's Seat, the Strid, Cow and Calf rocks, Kilnsey Crag and Trollers Gill.”

Rachel Crolla and Carl McKeating, authors of 15 Short Walks in the Yorkshire Dales - Grassington, Skipton, Malham and Ilkley

Detailed overview

Discover the Yorkshire Dales’ iconic landscapes with this expertly curated collection of 15 short walks in and around Grassington, Skipton, Malham and Ilkley. Each route has been handpicked for its stunning scenery, local interest and accessibility, inviting you to explore the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park at a relaxed pace, perfect for families, newcomers and anyone seeking gentle adventure.

Each walk comes with a clear, easy-to-follow Ordnance Survey® map and step-by-step route description, making navigation in the Dales simple and enjoyable for walkers of all experience levels.
Practical information is included for every route in the Grassington, Skipton, Malham and Ilkley areas, covering parking, public transport options, facilities and must-see highlights, so you can focus on making the most of your day.
Discover classic Dales landscapes as you stroll through limestone gorges, ancient woodlands and picturesque villages, with iconic viewpoints at Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, Ilkley Moor and the Cow and Calf rocks, alongside historic sites such as Bolton Abbey, Trollers Gill and Grassington lead mines.
Routes range from 4 to 10km (all under three hours), and are graded easy to moderate, with short climbs but no technical terrain, ideal for a relaxed outing or walk with the whole family in the Yorkshire Dales.
Enjoy the best of Dales hospitality, with recommendations for welcoming pubs and cosy tea rooms along the way, plus expert tips for every season, from spring’s wildflowers and summer’s long days to autumn’s fiery colours and the crisp magic of winter walks.

Part of Cicerone’s trusted Short Walks series, this Grassington, Skipton, Malham and Ilkley guidebook is perfect for exploring the region’s most memorable walks. Whether you’re discovering gorges, caves and historic sites, or simply soaking up the views and vibrant village life, this guide offers everything you need for a rewarding day out in the Yorkshire Dales’ most captivating corners.

Where and when to go

Seasons

All walks have been designed to be worthwhile outings at any time of year.

Centres

Grassington; Ilkley; Malham; Burnsall; Skipton

Difficulty

Easily accessible walks with no difficulties, most of which will take two hours or less. Simple route finding and convenient villages and towns nearby.

Must See

Natural wonders of Malham Cove and Gordale Scar; Ilkley Moor and the Cow and Calf rocks; The beautiful valley of the River Wharfe; Bolton Abbey and Burnsall; Simon’s Seat; Grassington lead mines; Riverside and moorland scenery; craggy summits and limestone cliffs.

Using this guide

Introduction

Route Summary Table

Walking in the Yorkshire Dales

Things to See

Bases and Places to Stay

Travel

The walks

Walk 1 Ilkley: White Wells and the Cow and Calf

Walk 2 Ilkley: Heber’s Ghyll and the Swastika Stone

Walk 3 Bolton Abbey and the Strid

Walk 4 Simon’s Seat and the Valley of Desolation (Challenge)

Walk 5 Burnsall, Appletreewick and Kail Hill

Walk 6 Burnsall and Hebden by way of the Wharfe

Walk 7 Trollers Gill

Walk 8 Grimwith Reservoir

Walk 9 Grassington lead mines from Hebden

Walk 10 Grassington, Linton Falls and Linton

Walk 11 Grassington Grass Wood and the Wharfe at Ghaistrill’s Strid

Walk 12 Conistone Dib and Pie

Walk 13 Malham Cove and Janet’s Foss

Walk 14 Embsay Crag and Reservoir

Walk 15 Skipton Woods and Castle

Useful information

Which format is best for me?

Printed book

A guidebook with detailed route descriptions, stage breakdowns, accommodation listings, profiles and maps — everything you need on the trail.

ISBN	9781786312327
Availability	Published
Published	12 March 2025
Reprinted	30 April 2027
Weight	130g

eBook

The complete digital edition of the guidebook, with full route descriptions, accommodation listings, profiles and maps, ready to use on any device.

What is the Cicerone app?

The Cicerone App is your on-trail companion: GPS-enabled maps, route information and planning tools from our guidebooks, built for use on the move. Browse and buy guides directly in the app, then follow expert-curated routes, explore local landmarks and points of interest, and check facilities information as you go.

Find out more about the Cicerone App FAQs here, for further details.

Key features:

Expert-curated routes – Follow routes crafted by expert authors who know each area inside out.
Plan with confidence – Find detailed facilities information and discover local landmarks along the way.
Your adventure library, always with you – Access your purchased guides anytime and discover new adventures in our expanding digital collection, from local day walks to epic treks.

Get the app on the App Store or Google Play.

Please note: GPX files are downloaded separately and are designed for use in other mapping apps or GPS devices. They cannot be viewed within the Cicerone app.

Updates

Currently there are no updates for this book.

Meet the authors

Rachel Crolla

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Rachel Crolla is an outdoors all-rounder who loves hiking, biking, scrambling and climbing. She grew up in Yorkshire, where she still lives with her partner Carl McKeating and their young family. Rachel is an outdoors writer and photographer who is also trained as a journalist and teacher. She has hiked and climbed across the UK, Europe and the USA. In 2007 Rachel became the first woman to reach the summit of every country in Europe – she co-wrote the Cicerone guide book Europe’s High Points soon afterwards. Rachel has since co-written a guide to the mountains of the Massif Central in France and more recently has enjoyed writing about areas in the UK. She and Carl fully updated the Cicerone guide book Scrambles in Snowdonia, which was originally written by Steve Ashton in 1980. Rachel’s first cycling guide to the Yorkshire and Lancashire-based Way of the Roses was published in 2018. Rachel and Carl are passionate about enthusing the next generation of hikers and cyclists with a love of the outdoors.

Carl McKeating

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Carl McKeating is from Yorkshire. He is the co-author with Rachel Crolla of the books Europe’s High Points and Walking in the Auvergne published by Cicerone. Carl has also worked on the Yorkshire Gritstone: Volume 2 climbing guide for the YMC (2014) and is the co-updater with Rachel Crolla of Steve Ashton’s classic Scrambles in Snowdonia (Cicerone, 2017). A rock climbing and mountaineering enthusiast, in addition to ascending all of Europe’s national high points, in 2010 he completed a long-standing ambition to climb all the routes in Ken Wilson’s Classic Rock which he followed with a three month climbing and mountaineering tour of America. Inspired by Rachel Crolla’s work on a guide to the Way of the Roses cycling route, Carl has recently rediscovered his love of cycling. He loves playing football and guitar – both of which he does badly. A qualified English teacher, in 2014 Carl started work on a doctorate about Mont Blanc in British Culture. Carl and Rachel are passionate about enthusing the next generation of hikers and cyclists with a love of the outdoors.