New Year's Day walks in Yorkshire 2024: Best places to go for a walk on January 1 in Yorkshire to begin the year including trails in Harrogate, Yorkshire Dales and Malham

There are many areas in the region that provide the perfect backdrop for a refreshing New Year’s Day walk.

From exploring historic rock formations at Malham Cove and observing wildlife at Bempton Cliffs to chasing waterfalls at Ingleton and basking in the glorious countryside and popular landmarks in the Yorkshire Dales, we have picked out some of our favourite New Year’s Day walks.

Some are short, relaxing walks, while others require more effort but the views and stops along the way are very rewarding.

New Year’s Day walks in Yorkshire on January 1, 2024

Muddy Boots Social Walk – New Year’s Day Ramble

The guided walk in Grassington is a seven mile circular walk that takes you along the beautiful banks of the River Wharfe. It follows a path that leads to the quaint villages of Grassington, Burnsall and Linton with an opportunity to grab a well-earned drink in a cosy pub. It’s a relatively gentle walk on a mixture of lanes, fields and riverside paths.

Date and time: January 1 at 10.30am

Distance: Seven miles

Duration: Four hours

Ingleton Waterfalls Trail

This trail boasts some of the most beautiful views of the stunning waterfall and oak woodland scenery.

This venue is the perfect place to observe seasonal landscapes all year round and appreciate unspoilt surroundings for family and friends.

Distance: Four and a half miles

Duration: One hour and a half

Brimham Rocks

The short circular walk will show you the highlights of Brimham including the dramatic rock formations and the heather moorland.

The rocks were formed by a river 100 million years before the first dinosaurs. Brimham Rocks and the moorland are Sites of Special Scientific Interest and attract geologists, naturalists, climbers and walkers.

Distance: 1.3 miles

Duration: One hour

New Year’s Day Walk at RSPB Bempton Cliffs

This event is a guided walk along the clifftops of RSPB Bempton and the leader will take you around the reserve.

You can explore the local wildlife including species such as Short-eared Owls, Peregrines, Kestrels, wintering Seabirds, Linnets, Tree Sparrows, Goldfinch and more.

Date and time: January 1, 2024 from 11am to 1pm

Distance: Four miles

Duration: Two hours

Malham Cove

Malham Cove is a remarkable limestone amphitheatre created through ice and water erosion during the last million years. It is part of the Pennine Way that leads from Malham Village to the Cove, that mounts up the western grassy side of the 250-feet high cliff.

Distance: 7.6 miles

Duration: Two and a half

The Herriot Way

The Herriot Way takes more than four days, each of which is approximately 13 miles and is ideal for someone who has never tried a multi-day walk before.

The trail passes through some of the best scenery in the Yorkshire Dales, including the famous Wensleydale and picturesque Swaledale.

Distance: 13 miles per day (four days in total)

Duration: Four and a half hours per day