Muddy Boots Social Walks
Our ‘Muddy Boots Social Walks’ are small group guided walks that give you the chance to explore new areas, enjoy fresh air and stunning scenery, learn more about the Dales or Lakes and meet new people, all without needing to read a map or follow instructions!
Your walk leader, Matt, will organise the route (and make sure you don’t get lost!), as well being on hand to answer any questions about the landscape, geology, flora and fauna of the area, so all you need to do is turn up and enjoy the walk!
We have a variety of routes in locations across the Dales and Lakes and of varying levels of difficulty, so there is something to suit everyone, whether you live locally, are visiting the area for the day or are on holiday.
Details, dates and online booking for each walk are below. Full details of meeting point, what to bring, what to wear etc. will be sent on booking. Have a look at our FAQs for more information or if you have any questions just drop us a line and we’d be happy to help.
For 2026, we are continuing to offer a limited number of membership spaces for our Muddy Boots Social Walks! For a joining fee of £75 you can come along to as many of the walks as you would like to during 2026! Scroll to the end of the page for full details.
Why join a Muddy Boots Social Walk?
- Explore a new area without needing maps or walk books (and without getting lost!)
- Get out in the fresh air and meet new people
- Learn more about the Yorkshire Dales or Lake District from your walk leader (or just have a chat!)
- Small groups of no more than 12 people
- Routes of various lengths, in locations around the Dales and Lakes and at different times of year, so there is something for everyone
Muddy Boots Social Walks 2026 Schedule
- 19 FEBRUARY 2026 - Elterwater and Great Langdale
- 21 MARCH 2026 - Conistone Dib from Grassington
- 22 APRIL 2026 - The Unique Geology of the Limestone Dales (from Malham)
- 14 MAY 2026 - Ullswater, Gowbarrow and Aira Force
- 4 JUNE 2026 - "Contours and Compasses" Introduction to Navigation Day (from Clapham)
- 5 JUNE 2026 - "Contours and Compasses" Introduction to Navigation Day (from Grasmere)
- 14 JUNE 2026 - Flapjacks and Film Sets! (Upper Wharfedale and Yockenthwaite Farm from Buckden)
- 10 JULY 2026 - Easedale Tarn from Grasmere
- 23 SEPTEMBER 2026 - Askrigg and Nappa Scar
- 10 OCTOBER 2026 - Castle Bolton, Carperby and Curlew Dairy
- 21 OCTOBER 2026 - Kettlewell and Arncliffe
Details and booking for each walk below
Great Langdale AND ELTERWATER
DATE AND TIME: Thursday 19 February at 10.30am
DISTANCE: 6 miles / 10km (200m ascent)
DURATION: 3.5 hours
TERRAIN: Mainly on good tracks, some rocky paths and some uphill sections.
PRICE: £20 per person
MEETING POINT: Elterwater
A beautiful day’s walk in the central Lake District. We’ll be heading into the Great Langdale valley to get some great up close views of the famous Langdale Pikes. We’ll climb out of Elterwater to enjoy the woodland through Baysbrown Woods and follow the Cumbria Way on a lovely track to the base of Stickle Ghyll, where we can stop for a picnic lunch. From there, easy walking brings us back through Chapel Stile and past the idyllic Great Langdale Beck to return to Elterwater.
CONISTONE DIB FROM GRASSINGTON
DATE AND TIME: Saturday 21 March at 10.30am
DISTANCE: 7.5 miles / 12km (300m ascent)
DURATION: 4.5 hours
TERRAIN: Mainly on good tracks, some rocky paths, high stiles, open moorland and one rocky section up through Conistone Dib.
PRICE: £25 per person
MEETING POINT: Grassington National Park Centre
A day enjoying the fabulous limestone scenery of mid Wharfedale. We’ll have a relaxing start through delightful Grass Wood. A steady uphill climb through the wood and across some classic Dales pastures brings us into the little village of Conistone before tackling the straightforward scramble up the fascinating ‘Conistone Dib’. We’ll take in the stunning views along the valley before following the Dales Way over open moorland and through Lea Green, the site of an ancient medieval village.
THE UNIQUE GEOLOGY OF THE LIMESTONE DALES (FROM MALHAM)
DATE AND TIME: Wednesday 22 April at 9.30am
DISTANCE: 5 miles / 8km (225m ascent)
DURATION: 3.5 hours
TERRAIN: A mixture of terrain underfoot including well-made, flat paths, some steep sections and some rocky limestone pavement.
PRICE: £20 per person
MEETING POINT: Malham National Park Visitors Centre
A half day exploring the unique limestone landscape around Malham. Hear about some of the history and geology of this stunning area, and take in the famous sights of Malham Cove, Janet’s Foss and Gordale Scar. Don’t forget your camera as the view from the top of Malham Cove must be one of the most photographed in the Dales!
ULLSWATER, GOWBARROW AND AIRA FORCE
DATE AND TIME: Thursday 14 May at 10.00am
DISTANCE: 4.5 miles / 7km (200m ascent)
DURATION: 3.5 hours
TERRAIN: Mainly on good tracks, a rough woodland path, a stepped stone path up to the summit of Gowbarrow, and some rocky paths.
PRICE: £20 per person
MEETING POINT: National Trust car park at Aira Force
Start the day strolling through the pretty woodland surrounding Aira Beck as we admire the impressive Aira Force and gradually gain height to emerge on the open fellside.
A steep section takes us up to ‘Airy Crag’, the summit of Gowbarrow Fell, where we can enjoy lovely views over the northern fells. The descent loops around the side of the fell passing ‘memorial seat’ which gives us more stunning views down the length of Ullswater.
Contours and Compasses - An introduction to Navigation
DATE AND TIME: Thursday 4 June at 10.00am
DISTANCE: approx. 5.5 miles / 9km but the focus is on navigation practice rather than distance covered.
DURATION: 6 hours
TERRAIN: A variety of clear tracks and ‘off-road’ moorland with uneven and rocky terrain.
PRICE: £50 per person
MEETING POINT: National Park car park in Clapham, Yorkshire Dales
Our one day navigation courses aim to equip you with the knowledge and information you need to explore the British countryside with confidence.
After a brief introductory chat in a local cafe, we head straight outside to practice your navigation and get to know the landscape. By the end of the day, you will have new map reading and navigation skills and be ready to put them into practice on your own adventures.
Contours and Compasses - An introduction to Navigation
DATE AND TIME: Friday 5 June at 10.00am
DISTANCE: approx. 5.5 miles / 9km but the focus is on navigation practice rather than distance covered.
DURATION: 6 hours
TERRAIN: A variety of clear paths and ‘off-road’ hillside with uneven and rocky terrain.
PRICE: £50 per person
MEETING POINT: Centre of Grasmere village, Lake District
Our one day navigation courses aim to equip you with the knowledge and information you need to explore the British countryside with confidence.
After a brief introductory chat in a local cafe, we head straight outside to practice your navigation and get to know the landscape. By the end of the day, you will have new map reading and navigation skills and be ready to put them into practice on your own adventures.
FLAPJACKS AND FILM SETS! (UPPER WHARFEDALE AND YOCKENTHWAITE FARM)
DATE AND TIME: Sunday 14 June at 10.30am
DISTANCE: 7 miles / 11km (265m ascent)
DURATION: 5 hours
TERRAIN: Rocky tracks, farmland and riverside paths. A steady uphill climb at the outset is the only real hill of the walk.
PRICE: £30 per person including a drink and flapjack at Yockenthwaite Farm
MEETING POINT: Buckden National Park Car Park
An absolute classic of a Dales walk, the circuit around the head of Wharfedale is a fantastic mixture of stunning views, pretty villages, gentle riverside and traditional Wharfedale scenery.
We add to this a stop at beautifully situated Yockenthwaite Farm - which you may recognise as ‘Helen’s Farm’ in the recent adaption of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ - for a drink and to sample one of their homemade flapjacks!
EASEDALE TARN FROM GRASMERE
DATES AND TIME: Friday 10 July at 10.00am
DISTANCE: 5 miles / 9km (280m ascent)
DURATION: 4 hours
TERRAIN: Mainly on good tracks, minor road walking, stepping stones at the outfow of Easedale Tarn, through fields and stiles, and there can be some boggy sections on the return.
PRICE: £20 per person
MEETING POINT: Grasmere
A stunning circular walk from Grasmere. An undoubted highlight is Easedale Tarn at the highpoint of our walk; a beautiful mountain lake surrounded by an imposing backdrop of peaks (and the perfect place for a snack break). The way up to the tarn follows delightful Sourmilk Gill, filled with tumbling waterfalls. The return is along Far Easedale Gill, and follows the famous Coast-to-Coast route back to Grasmere.
ASKRIGG AND NAPPA SCAR
DATES AND TIME: Wednesday 23 September at 10.00am
DISTANCE: 5 miles / 9km (200m ascent)
DURATION: 4 hours
TERRAIN: Mainly on good tracks, through fields and stiles, open moorland, minor road walking and some rocky paths.
PRICE: £20 per person
MEETING POINT: Askrigg
Starting from picture-perfect Askrigg (one of the original filming locations for the All Creatures Great and Small adaptations), we’ll head down to the river Ure through meadows and classic Dales farmland. Some easy walking along the old disused railway and minor roads bring us to the little hamlet of Woodall. From here, we’ll climb up onto Nappa Scar for far reaching views along Wensleydale. The return down through the woodland below Heugh and Newbiggin gives more great views over Askrigg and the surrounding Dales landscape.
CASTLE BOLTON, CARPERBY AND CURLEW DAIRY
DATES AND TIME: Saturday 10 October at 10.30am
DISTANCE: 7 miles / 11.5km (250m ascent)
DURATION: 5 hours
TERRAIN: Mainly on good tracks, open moorland, minor road walking, through fields and stiles, and some rocky paths.
PRICE: £30 per person (including cheese tasting at Curlew Dairy)
MEETING POINT: National Park Visitor Centre at Aysgarth
This beautiful circular day’s walk takes in many of the highlights of mid-Wensleydale, including a stop to have a chat to the producers of artisan Wensleydale Cheese at Curlew Dairy! Start the day heading through ancient Freeholders Wood which adjoins Aysgarth Falls, followed by some lovely walking through classic Dales’ pastures leading up to impressive Bolton Castle. We’ll stop for a break at the imposing castle, and enjoy beautiful views over Wensleydale from the high moors of Bolton Parks on the return. We'll come back to Aysgarth via the pretty village of Carperby, where we can spend some time looking at Curlew Dairy’s new cheese making facility, and learning about the process of making cheese!
KETTLEWELL AND ARNCLIFFE
DATES AND TIME: Wednesday 21 October at 10.30am
DISTANCE: 7.5 miles / 11.5km (480m ascent)
DURATION: 5 hours
TERRAIN: Mainly on good tracks, open moorland (which can be quite boggy on this route!), minor road walking, through fields and stiles, and a steep sustained climb out of Kettlewell, with a small scramble up the limestone scar
PRICE: £25 per person
MEETING POINT: Kettlewell
This walk takes you through a number of distinct Dales’ landscapes and gives a wonderful overview of the wider area. A steep climb out of Wharfedale and the descent into its tributary dale of Littondale (as well as the return climb further down the dale!) ensures delightful far-reaching views throughout. Limestone scars, heather moorland, gentle riverside, farming pastures and postcard pretty villages are all covered, ensuring plenty of interest is crammed into a fairly modest distance!
Please note that the first section of the walk - just over 1.5km - out of Kettlewell is a steep sustained climb and does involve a short scramble up the limestone scar. There is nothing technical about it but it is a more strenuous walk than other social walks of this distance!
More Social Walks coming soon!
We’re always developing our schedule of Muddy Boots Social Walks so keep your eyes peeled for new ones being added, and if there is anything that you would like us to do that you don’t see available, let us know and we’ll try to add it!
If you’re interested in our new “Contours and Compasses - An Introduction to Navigation” days but can’t make either of the dates above, we also offer them as private days on a date to suit you - see full details on our Navigation Days page here.
bECOME A mUDDY bOOTS mEMBER!
For 2026, we are continuing to offer a limited number of membership spaces for our Muddy Boots Social Walks! For a joining fee of £75 you can come along to as many of the walks as you would like to during 2026! The full schedule is set out above (note that membership includes attending one of the new Introduction to Navigation days listed, taking place on 4 and 5 June).
You will still need to book a spot on each walk (so that we can keep an eye on numbers) but you’ll be given a special Muddy Boots membership code so that there is no charge. Sign up below and we’ll send you full details and your membership code.
Muddy Boots Membership also makes a great gift! Just sign up below then drop us a line to let us know it is a gift, so we can send you a voucher.