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.
Five and a half miles there and back on a flat, well-drained towpath that stays walkable in the worst of a Dales winter, when every field path around Skipton is churned to mud. It starts at Skipton canal basin behind Bridge Street, five minutes from the bus station and ten from the railway station, so it works as a walk without a car. There are no stiles and no livestock, which makes it one of the few walks in this book where a big dog can be off the lead for the whole distance; watch for cyclists on the shared surface, keep an eye on the unfenced edge, and note that the canal here is deep with steep stone sides, so a dog that goes in may need hauling out at a lock landing.
Five flat miles of towpath from Skipton to Gargrave along the lock-free summit level of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, about two hours each way, on a firm surfaced path that stays walkable when the fells are under water. Start at Skipton canal basin off Coach Street and finish at Gargrave, where the hourly 580 bus and the Leeds-Morecambe train will both get you back to Skipton so you need not walk it twice. There is not a single stile on the whole route and no livestock on the towpath, which makes it the obvious choice for a big dog or an old one, but keep leads on: the water is deep with steep stone edging, cyclists come through fast, and moored boats have their own dogs aboard.
Seven and three quarter miles and about four hours, walked straight out of town: field paths and walled lanes to Tarn Moor, then a steady grassy pull to the twin tops of Sharp Haw and Rough Haw, which turn greasy underfoot after rain. It starts at Skipton railway station, which is the useful part - the Airedale line from Leeds and Bradford runs every half hour, so there is no need to find a parking space in town at all. Sheep graze Flasby Fell the whole year and the summit ridge is open access land with ground-nesting birds, so this is a lead walk throughout; the field-path section is punctuated by narrow slotted wall stiles that a broad Labrador will not squeeze through unaided, and there is no reliable water above the last beck crossing.
One of the best-preserved medieval castles in England, over 900 years old and fully roofed, at the top of Skipton High Street. Well-behaved dogs on short leads are welcome throughout the castle and grounds, excluding only the tea room and shop. Combine with the adjoining Castle Woods for a full dog-friendly outing.
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