The Top 8 Wheelchair Friendly Walks in Yorkshire
Autumn has just begun, which means crunchy leaves, crisp air, and low sunshine. The perfect conditions for a lovely countryside walk.
The UK has some of the best walking destinations there is, but one of the most popular walking locations is Yorkshire. Yorkshire is renowned for its beautiful rolling hills, its picturesque valleys, and quaint villages.
With over 11,000km of stunning countryside to explore, Yorkshire brings in millions of tourists each year, which proves it’s walking worth.
So, to celebrate the autumnal season ahead, with the help of All Trails, we have come up with a list of wheelchair friendly walks throughout the Yorkshire region.
From riverside walks to reservoir adventures, this list has it all.
Located in North Yorkshire, Ripon is a quaint historic cathedral city, and is the oldest city in England. The Ripon Riverside walk is a 1.1 mile stroll, perfect for those wanting a scenic but swift amble. The route is suited to all skill levels, and the whole trail is wheelchair friendly.
For those who want to explore more of Ripon, there are various wheelchair friendly days out to take advantage of, such as Ripon Cathedral or Fountains Abbey.
The Helmsley Discovery Trail is based in North Yorkshire and is a 1.1 loop route. Close to the market town, the trail is perfect for those who want to stop off and get a bite to eat to replenish themselves. The walk follows a path of tarmac or paved surfaces which makes it entirely wheelchair friendly.
Nearby The Helmsley Discovery Trail is Helmsley Castle, a medieval castle with a small gift shop and café.
Newburgh Priory and Colley Broach Road
This 3.1 mile round trail is located near Newburgh Priory in North Yorkshire. The trails boast scenic views of beautiful landscapes. On the walk you will be able to spot famous landmarks in the distance, including Newburgh Priory, Byland Abbey, and Kilburn White Horse. The walks followers a well-made wide tarmac vehicle lane which is commonly quiet, and great for wheelchair users.
The Terrington Mowthorpe Lane trail is a there and back walk in North Yorkshire, with beautiful nature features including wildflowers and vast landscapes. The trail varies from few gentle or moderate gradients, but remains even the whole way, and is perfect for wheelchair users. Depending on how you are feeling, the walk can be shortened or lengthened.
This beautiful river walk is a 1.6 mile out and back trail located near Scarborough, North Yorkshire. The walk has been purposefully built for wheelchairs and pushchairs, so you can be rest assured you wont bump into any obstacles on your way around.
Once finished on the walk, Scarborough centre is a short drive away, and there are many wheelchair accessible holiday rentals to stay at if you fancy making a staycation out of it.
Cawthorn Roman Camps is a short 0.9 mile stroll near Pickering, North Yorkshire. The trail is a loop route and provides easy access to wheelchair users to whole way round. This trail is used by walkers to discover the earthwork remains of Roman fortifications and boasts stunning views across the North York Moors.
Pickering is an ancient market town and is home to Flamingoland. If you want to stayover in Pickering, here’s a list of The best Pickering wheelchair accessible holiday rentals.
Aire and Calder Canal and Southern Washlands Nature Reserve
Located in Normanton, West Yorkshire, this trail Is a 10.7 mile loop that features a river, and is great for all skills levels. In the colder months, the nature reserve is great to observe interesting wildfowl including Goldeneye, Greenshank and Green Sandpiper as they pass through during migration.
This walk is a short 0.7 mile amble located in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The walking path is large and open, with even ground throughout. On the walk you find wildflowers, areas of forestry and some trail runners!
Close to the Betty Eastwood Park Loop is Yorkshire Sculpture Park, an open air gallery showing work by British and international artists, including Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth.
Whilst on these walks, it’s unlikely you will bump into heaps of people, but if on the off chance you do, it could be worth being prepared and reading our blog post on how to stay COVID-19 safe in public places.
So, where in Yorkshire will you be visiting for your next autumnal amble?
Image credit: All Trails