6.6 miles | 10.6 km | 319 m Ascent | 8.2 Naismith miles | Susan Badley Walking from a city centre is unusual for The Bentham Footpath Group. This interesting walk starts in Lancaster city centre and takes the Lancaster Canal South to the Fairfield Nature Reserve, where we loop round the "Fauna", "Flora" and community orchard areas to arrive back at the canal. We then head through Aldcliffe to the Lune estuary and the Lancashire Coastal Way, before returning via Freemans Woods to the city centre. Good views of the Priory and Castle end this refreshing walk.
82 Easy
Walks
All the walks shown below are considered “easy”. This means they are . . .
less than 12 km in length and less than 700m total ascent
Click on any of the walk titles or images below to see full details
7.3 miles | 11.7 km | 439 m Ascent | 9.4 Naismith miles | Alison Kinder & Colin Stroud Silverdale and Arnside are great walking locations - Bentham Footpath Group often base walks in this area. This walk includes the Knott and it's great views before heading to an ancient "pele" tower and through a nature reserve to Challan Hall and Hawes Water. From there we pass a gingerbread house in the woods before seeing an even bigger pele tower and ending the walk.
5.3 miles | 8.5 km | 228 m Ascent | 6.4 Naismith miles | Don Cartledge An easy walk takes us out from Bull Beck car park down the Millennium park way to Caton where we head up toward Brookhouse Methodist Church. Here we take a path over fields toward Gresgarth Hall, before taking a path over open fields to a green lane and the Littledale Road. A short road section takes us to Annas Ghyll where we crest the ridge and walk down to Caton Green Road. A path through housing takes back into open fields and we return to the A683 and Bull Beck car park
4.5 miles | 7.3 km | 245 m Ascent | 5.8 Naismith miles | Graham Cooper This circular walk starts from Austwick. We first head out of the village along Wood Lane before cutting back to cross the Austwick Beck at the Flascoe bridge from where we walk down to the Horton road. A right turn takes us to a well signed bridle way up to the pretty hamlet of Wharfe, and from there we head up the Dales Highway path to the “wash dubs”. There we cross a small stone clapper bridge to take the footpath over the fields back down into Austwick.
6.9 miles | 11.1 km | 478 m Ascent | 8.2 Naismith miles | Sandra Craggs Silverdale is a great place to walk, and BFG have used it as start point many times. This easy walk heads out of the village up to Arnside Knott where there are panoramic views over the Kent Estuary. We then head over to Arnside Tower, Eaves Wood and the Pepper pot monument before returning to the start.
4.7 miles | 7.5 km | 228 m Ascent | 5.8 Naismith miles | George Sheridan Slaidburn is a great place to start a walk. Parking is at the village hall car park, adjacent to a good café for refreshments. This easy walk takes us out of the village past the Hark To Bounty pub and then onto paths along the Croasdale Brook. We skirt Tenter Hill and then head north to the farm at Croasdale House where we set off back toward Slaidburn past Shay House. We re-join the road at Town Head and stroll back through the village to end the walk. Excellent views of the moors are available throughout. Public toilets are sited at the car park.
7.4 miles | 12.0 km | 375 m Ascent | 9.3 Naismith miles | Kate Rowe We start from Gargrave village where there is ample free parking and public toilets, as well as shops and refreshment opportunities, before crossing the River Aire to pick up the Pennine way. This well trodden path takes us to the unusual double bridge at East Marton, where we turn round and return via the towing path of Britain’s longest canal.
5.5 miles | 8.9 km | 411 m Ascent | 7.6 Naismith miles | Graham Cooper Hull Pot is the believed to be the remains of an ancient cavern that collapsed millennia ago. It is now a spectacular hole in the side of Pen-y-Ghent. This easy walk from Horton-in-Ribblesdale offers excellent views.
6.7 miles | 10.7 km | 316 m Ascent | 8.2 Naismith miles | Don Cartledge This walk combines sections of the Lancaster Canal with parts of the Lancashire Coastal path. It's no surprise then that it's a relatively gentle walk with little climbing. The only notable exception to this is a diversion at the start to pass a site where vineyards one produced white wine.
6.3 miles | 10.1 km | 560 m Ascent | 9.1 Naismith miles | Sandra Craggs Semerwater is one of only two freshwater lakes in the Yorkshire Dales. That in itself makes it worth visiting. Add in spectacular views, a Roman road, two idyllic villages and an atmospheric ruined church and this relatively easy six mile walk becomes very attractive.