Our drawing of the route — the shape of the walk, not a navigation aid. Carry OS Explorer on the hill. Off-lead information here is what walkers reported or what signage allows — never our advice. Whether and when a dog is off the lead is the owner’s decision and legal responsibility; keep dogs under control near livestock and follow signs on the day.
A big ten-and-a-half-mile day with 339 metres of climbing, four and a half hours over open heather moor scarred by old lead workings, then farmland and a mile of riverside back to the village. Start on the cobbled green in front of the Black Bull and the Kings Arms in Reeth, where there is free parking and the Little White Bus serves Richmond. The moorland is open access land, so dogs must be on a short lead from 1 March to 31 July for ground-nesting grouse and curlew, and sheep are on the moor and the in-bye all year; the Swale at the end is the best paddle on the route, but it runs fast after rain.
Arkleside Country Guest House is a place to stay in Reeth. It is listed here so you know it is there, but we have not yet established whether dogs are welcome — so there is no verdict on this page and no stamp. If it is your business, claim the page and tell us, and we will stamp it.
Cyclists' cafe and cakery at Fremington, a five-minute walk from Reeth across the Swale. The cafe is dog friendly and people friendly, with upwards of twenty-five home-baked cakes on display most days and seating inside, in the courtyard or on the lawn. Open daily; note dogs cannot stay in the accommodation pods.
Eight miles and about four and a half hours, climbing the steep scree-strewn nose of Fremington Edge for the finest view in Swaledale, then along the moor top to drop into Arkengarthdale at Langthwaite and back over Calver Hill; the top is peaty and the climb is rough, loose and unrelenting. Start on Reeth Green, with free parking on the cobbles and the 30 bus from Richmond. This is grouse moor as well as sheep ground, so the dog stays on the lead and particularly between March and July when ground-nesting birds are on the heather - keepers here are not tolerant of loose dogs and they are within their rights; old chert workings and open shafts line the Edge a few feet from the path, there is no water between Reeth and Langthwaite, and the wall crossings on the descent include a ladder stile that a large dog cannot climb.
Real dog-welcoming cottages from our booking partner holidaycottages.co.uk — live prices, booked on their site. Booking through these links supports Wagfinder and never changes the price you pay.
Birchwood Stable Cottage
Yorkshire · dogs welcome
7 nights from £428
Hawthorn Cottage Yorkshire
Yorkshire · dogs welcome
7 nights from £447
Prospect Lodge Halifax
Yorkshire · dogs welcome
7 nights from £453
Clover Cottage Osmotherley
Yorkshire · dogs welcome
7 nights from £479
Number 2 Bank Top
Yorkshire · dogs welcome
7 nights from £484
Havercroft
Yorkshire · dogs welcome
7 nights from £485
Whisper Cottage
Yorkshire · dogs welcome
7 nights from £520
Lavender Cottage Helmsley
Yorkshire · dogs welcome
7 nights from £521
Dove Cottage Old Malton
Yorkshire · dogs welcome
7 nights from £649
Farmstead Cottage At Bland Close Farm
Yorkshire · dogs welcome
7 nights from £671
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