Our drawing of the route, over road and path data from OpenStreetMap. It shows where the walk goes and what it goes through. It is not a survey and not a navigation aid — carry OS Explorer on the hill.
Eight miles of Ouse bank and flower-rich meadow north-west of the city, three and a half hours, entirely flat on riverside path and farm track with two field gates and a low railway arch to duck under. Start at the end of Church Lane in Nether Poppleton, where there is roadside parking near St Everilda's church, and Poppleton has its own station on the Harrogate line, five minutes from the riverbank. The meadows here are grazed ings and cattle are out on them all summer, which with calves is the single biggest risk on this walk, so read every field before you unclip; the Ouse is deep and the current is stronger than it looks, so a swim is for confident dogs only, and the whole low-lying route floods for weeks at a time after winter rain.
Three miles of riverbank and old railway five miles south of the city, an hour and a quarter, level throughout apart from one flight of steps up to the railway path and two or three stiles that a heavy dog will need helping over. Start in Acaster Malbis where there is limited roadside parking and a pub car park for customers, and in summer the York City Cruises boat from Kings Staith will drop you at the village landing, which is far and away the best way to arrive. The riverside fields are grazed by cattle from spring to autumn, so leads on there and give any herd with calves a wide berth, and the Ouse offers a proper swim for a strong dog at the sandy pull-in below the village; the railway path stays hard and clean in winter while the riverbank turns to deep mud.
A pocket-sized local nature reserve on the south-west edge of the city, giving a mile of woodland and meadow paths in twenty-five easy minutes; a remnant of genuinely ancient woodland with bluebells in May and shade in a heatwave. Park on Acomb Wood Drive or Foxwood Lane and walk straight in, or take the number 4 bus to Foxwood; there are no gates or stiles a big dog cannot manage. Dogs are off lead throughout with no livestock, but the reserve is small, popular and close to housing, so recall matters; the woodland paths get properly claggy after rain and this is not the one to pick in a wet January.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's celebrated fenland reserve on York's south-west edge — Sir David Attenborough called it a cathedral of nature conservation — explored via a 750-metre boardwalk circuit. Dogs are allowed but must stay on a lead and keep to the boardwalk to protect the fragile peatland and its wildlife. Free entry at all times, with a small gravel car park off the A1036 near Askham Bar.
One short email when we add places or a council changes its beach rules. No noise, easy out.
NO SPAM · UNSUBSCRIBE ANY TIME · WE NEVER SELL THE LIST
Wagfinder Members · Coming soon
NO PAYMENT NOW · FIRST IN WHEN DOORS OPEN · EASY OUT