Walking in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire climbs from the cities of Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield up to the South Pennine moors: Ilkley Moor, the Brontë country around Haworth, and the steep wooded valleys around Hebden Bridge.
Difficulty is shown only where we have graded the route, so choosing a level hides walks not yet graded.
Every walk on this page is plotted on the map above. Zoom, drag or click a pin to explore, or search a town to list its walks.
Choose a starting town
Bradford, Ilkley & Brontë Country
Calderdale & the South Pennines
Huddersfield & Kirklees
Leeds & Wharfedale
Wakefield & Pontefract
Top walks by area
A starting point for each part of West Yorkshire: well-documented routes that finish back where they start, between 1 and 12 miles.
Bradford, Ilkley & Brontë Country
- Denholme Velvets Short LoopBradford · 3.0 mi
- Burley-In-Wharfedale via Old Railway and Golf Club LoopBurley in Wharfedale · 3.3 mi
- Twelve Apostles LoopBingley · 5.1 mi
- Addingham via Drovers RoadAddingham · 3.6 mi
- Ilkley via Addingham MoorIlkley · 4.7 mi
- Haworth via StanburyHaworth · 4.8 mi
Calderdale & the South Pennines
- Ripponden To Rishworth Mill Circular WalkRipponden · 3.1 mi
- Well Royd Mount Tabor LoopPellon · 3.5 mi
- Hebden Short LoopHebden Bridge · 4.3 mi
- Southowram – Cromwell Loop ~WalkSouthowram · 5.6 mi
- Midgley Moor LoopHalifax · 6.0 mi
- Norland Moor Loop Inc Ladstone RockSowerby Bridge · 2.8 mi
Huddersfield & Kirklees
- Rising Sun Norristhorpe Via Country Park CircularNorristhorpe · 3.4 mi
- Thurstonland via Farnley Moor CircularThurstonland · 4.1 mi
- Deighton Viaduct LoopMirfield · 4.3 mi
- Farnley Tyas via Castle HillFarnley Tyas · 4.3 mi
- Flush House via Digley ReservoirHolmfirth · 4.3 mi
- Battyeford via Calder Valley Greenway CircularBattyeford · 4.4 mi
Leeds & Wharfedale
- RH Shadwell LoopRoundhay · 3.2 mi
- Calverley Woods LoopCalverley · 3.9 mi
- Harewood Back LoopArthington · 4.2 mi
- Leeds Country Way LoopScarcroft · 4.7 mi
- Harewood LoopHarewood · 5.9 mi
- Kirkstall Abbey and Bramley Falls LoopArmley · 6.1 mi
Wakefield & Pontefract
- Southern Washlands Bottom LoopStanley Ferry · 3.0 mi
- Ossett via Dewsbury Greenway CircularWakefield · 4.7 mi
- Ossett – Dewsbury Greenway Circular – Extra LongOssett · 6.9 mi
- Middlestown Circular Inc CanalMiddlestown · 9.6 mi
- Notton via Disused RailwayNotton · 2.1 mi
- Ackworth Loop From Sharlston To FevSharlston Common · 11.2 mi
Popular in West Yorkshire
Know before you go
Practical points for walking in West Yorkshire. Rules and timetables change, so check the linked sources before you set off.
Ilkley Moor
Part of Rombalds Moor, it rises to 402 metres. Look for the Cow and Calf rocks above Ilkley and the prehistoric carved rocks, including the Swastika Stone on Woodhouse Crag.
Stoodley Pike
The 37-metre monument on this 400-metre hill above Todmorden and Hebden Bridge was completed in 1856, after the first one collapsed. The Pennine Way passes it.
Hardcastle Crags
About 2 miles north of Hebden Bridge, this National Trust valley has 400 acres of woodland, around 30 miles of paths and the restored Gibson Mill.
Top Withens
This ruined farmhouse on the moors near Haworth, at 420 metres, is linked with Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. Both the Brontë Way and the Pennine Way pass it.
Walking in West Yorkshire: questions
How many walks are there in West Yorkshire?
We list 408 walking routes in West Yorkshire, starting from 123 towns and villages. The typical route is about 8 miles; 57 are under 4 miles and 150 are 10 miles or more. Every route is free to view.
Which towns have the most walks?
Ilkley (28), Hebden Bridge (25), Wakefield (17), Bingley (15), Bradford (15) and Halifax (15). Use the town search or the town list on this page to see every walk from a particular place.
Are there short circular walks in West Yorkshire?
Yes. 22 routes under 4 miles finish where they start, including Okel Tor Mine (1.2 mi), Steeton via Currer Wood (1.6 mi), Notton via Disused Railway (2.1 mi) and Wetherby Bridge via Waterside Lane (2.3 mi). Choose Under 4 mi and Back to start in the filters above to see them all.
Can I take my dog on West Yorkshire walks?
Yes, on most routes. Keep dogs on a lead near sheep and on the moors in spring, when ground-nesting birds are breeding. See Know before you go for more.
Can I walk to Stoodley Pike?
Yes. Several of our walks from Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Todmorden and Mankinholes climb to the monument, and the Pennine Way passes it.
Where can I walk to Top Withens?
Our walks from Haworth, Stanbury and Oxenhope go there. Top Withens sits on both the Brontë Way and the Pennine Way.
Which long-distance trails pass through West Yorkshire?
The Pennine Way and Dales Way both pass through West Yorkshire, and each has its own guide on Walking Rambler.