Where can I walk with my dog in the North York Moors

You should always keep your dog on a lead or to heel on moorland to protect rare birds and wildlife.  If you want to exercise your dog more freely, then please consider a walk with your dog in the national park away from the moorland areas. 

On this page, you can find some routes in the national park which you can walk with your dog. 

We have chosen these walks as suitable for dogs because they
• Have very few stiles to cross
• Avoid moorland areas with the most sensitive wildlife
• Mostly do not cross fields with livestock (however in some places this cannot be avoided – please keep your dog on a short lead in fields with livestock)

Walks With Dogs in the North York Moors: 

Ravenscar and Common Cliff - 4.2 miles/6.8km

Staithes and Port Mulgrave - 3.8 miles/6.2km

Boggle Hole from Robin Hood’s Bay – 2.5 mile/4km

Maw Wyke from Robin Hood’s Bay – 6 mile/9.6km

Nettle Dale and the Hambleton Hills from Sutton Bank – 9 mile/14.5km

Kilburn Woods from Sutton Bank – 6 mile/9.6km

Scotch Corner from Sutton Bank – 5 mile/8km

Lingmoor from Hutton-le-Hole – 3.5 mile/5.6km 

Blansby Park from Pickering - 5 mile/8km

Cloughton and Hayburn Wyke - 4.5 mile/7.6km

Cloughton to Crook Ness - 4 mile/6.75km

Sand Dale and Ellerburn from Thornton le Dale - 6 mile/10km

Moorland ‘Dog Welcome’ Areas

In most moorland areas of the national park, landowners have used legal powers to exclude dogs from ‘open access land’.  Dogs are still allowed on moorland rights of way, but they have to stay on the path.  However, there are some ‘Dog Welcome’ areas on the moorland where landowners allow dogs to be exercised off rights of way and off lead (but under control).  You need to make sure that you stay inside the Welcome area and do not stray onto nearby land where dogs are not allowed.

Information on moorland dog welcome areas can be downloaded below(further areas will be available soon).

Hutton-le-Hole (Spaunton Estate)

Walks With Dogs in Forestry Commission Woods

Forestry Commission woods are a great place for you and your dog to explore.  You can let your dog off the lead - but always make sure he is under control.

Forestry Commission woods are great to visit any time of year, but you can help protect rare moorland birds by choosing a walk in the forests especially from March to July when ground nesting birds are breeding on the moors.

There are over 55 square miles (144km2) of Forestry Commission woodland in the national park where dogs are welcome.  This includes the forests at Dalby, Langdale, Cropton, Boltby and Silton.  As well as public rights of way, these forests have may other good tracks and paths which you are welcome to explore with your dog.

You can download some walking routes in Forestry Commission woodland below.

Clay Bank and Greenhow Plantation - 3 miles/5km

Clay Bank and Broughton Plantation - 3.5 miles/5.5km

Cropton Forest: Spiers House and Sutherland Road - 4.1 miles/6.6km

Cockmoor Hall and Dalby Forest - 6 miles/9.6km

Broxa Forest: Reasty Hill Top and Barns Cliff - 5.7 miles/9.3km

Levisham Station and Newtondale Walk 1 (Heads Road) - 4.75 miles/7.6 km

Levisham Station and Newtondale Walk 2 (Pickering Beck) - 6 miles/9.8 km

Levisham Station and Newtondale Walk 3 (Raindale) - 3.5 miles/5.7 km

Click here to download a copy of the Walking with Dogs Leaflet 

If you have any comments or feedback on the 'Walking With Your Dog' web pages, please email s.blakemore@northyorkmoors-npa.gov.uk