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View down Upper Wharfedale, Yorkshire Dales
Views across Upper Wharfedale | © National Trust Images / Ben Selway
Yorkshire

Yockenthwaite to Cray walk

Discover valleys, flower-rich meadows, and seasonal wildlife on the Yockenthwaite to Cray walk. This moderate circular trail heads up across the hillside and over glaciated valleys, visiting villages and offering views across the Yorkshire Dales. It also offers the chance to spot a variety of local wildlife, including birds, bats, and butterflies.

Total steps: 6

Total steps: 6

Start point

Yockenthwaite Bridge, Skipton, BD23 5JH. Grid ref: SD904790.

Step 1

Starting at Yockenthwaite Bridge, follow the footpath signposted to Scar House. Turn right off the farm track at another footpath sign to go through Strans Wood and emerge onto the open hillside. Continue on this footpath until you reach Scar House.

Step 2

Continue past Scar House towards Cray, keeping the woodland boundary on your right. Keep walking until you reach Crook Gill. (For a shorter walk, turn right at Scar House, and follow the track to Hubberholme, then jump to Step 5).

Step 3

Cross Crook Gill and carry on through the hay meadows to Cray. Hay is a valuable crop to farmers, so please walk in single file. Turn right on entering Cray to follow a footpath along Cray Gill until you reach a road (Stubbing Lane). (Alternative route: extend your walk to Buckden. On entering Cray, rather than turning right, head through the hamlet, cross the road (Park Lane) and the stepping stones to join a fellside path to Buckden. Now jump to Step 6.)

Close-up of a common blue butterfly perched on a flower stalk at Coombe Hill
Common blue butterfly | © National Trust Images/Hugh Mothersole

Step 4

Turn right and walk down the road (Stubbing Lane) for about 0.5 miles (0.8km) to reach Hubberholme.

Step 5

From Hubberholme, take the footpath behind the church. Follow this footpath all the way back to Yockenthwaite Bridge and the end of the trail.

A close up image of a Daubenton’s bat
Daubenton's bat | © National Trust Images/Bat Conservation Trust/Hugh Clark

Step 6

If you've taken the extended route and are now in Buckden, head west on Dubb's Lane out of the village and over the bridge. Just after the bridge turn right through the gate and follow the footpath and road to reach Hubberholme. Here, you'll rejoin the main walk, so jump to Step 5.

End point

Yockenthwaite Bridge, Skipton, BD23 5JH. Grid ref: SD904790.

Trail map

Map route for Yockenthwaite to Cray wildlife walk
Yockenthwaite to Cray walk map | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey

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River Wharfe at Buckden, Upper Wharfedale, Yorkshire Dales
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Get in touch

Malham Tarn Estate Office, North Wing, Malham Tarn House, Settle, North Yorkshire, BD24 9PU

Our partners

Cotswold Outdoor

We’ve partnered with Cotswold Outdoor to help everyone make the most of their time outdoors in the places we care for.

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