Winter is a brilliant time for a family walk! When it’s frosty and everything is crisp underfoot, there are so many sights to delight the kids – from frozen cobwebs to icy puddles. Or with bright, clear (but chilly skies) you can see for miles around! Of course, you might need to be prepared for duller or even wetter days and plenty of mud, but wrapping up warm is half the fun.
We listed some great winter walks near York below, plus some further afield in the North York Moors which is a beautiful and tranquil location to explore and escape the hustle and bustle of the season.
Remember to take care and plan your walk in winter as winter weather can change quickly and the days are much shorter. Never go into frozen water – even it ice appears thick from the bank of a river or lake it can quickly become thin.
A great one for younger walkers and toddlers! Enjoy a peaceful walk around the boardwalk at Askham Bog, making it also perfect for buggies. Or get kitted out in your wellies if you want to explore any of the other paths – there is plenty of wildlife to discover.
👶 Buggy friendly (boardwalk only)
🐶 Dog-friendly: Dogs must be on leads and stay on the boardwalk
🚶Circular: Yes
⏰ Distance/time: ½ mile and takes 30 minutes
🚗 Car parking: Free parking at the entrance
⏲ Driving distance from York: 15 minutes
🗺 Postcode for satnav: YO23 2UB
ℹ️ For more information see the YWT website
There are several route options and footpaths you can take. Most of the paths are footworn through heathland and follow gravel and tarmacked tracks or the woodland edge.
In winter you might be lucky enough to spot some wildlife, including a Stonechat, Willow tit or even a brown hare!
🐶 Dog-friendly: Dogs must be on leads
🚶Circular: No
⏰ Distance/time: A complete circuit of the reserve is about 2.5km and takes an hour or more to complete.
🚗 Car parking: Roadside parking. A central parking point is by the Common Road level crossing.
⏲ Driving distance from York: 20 minutes
🗺 Postcode for satnav: YO32 5YB
ℹ️ For more information see the YWT website
A favourite with York Mumblers, this woodland garden is part of the ancient Forest of Galtres. Perfect for little legs, there is a lot of things to spot along the way like carved trees, a trail, ponds and a treehouse to discover!
It’s a nice short, circular walk and with plenty of trees, making it very sheltered which is perfect if the weather isn’t amazing!
👶 Buggy friendly: Yes
🐶 Dog-Friendly: No dogs allowed
🚶Circular: Yes
⏰ Distance/time: 1 ½ miles and allow up to an hour
🚗 Car parking: Park on the verge near the entrance gate
⏲ Driving distance from York: 15 minutes
🗺 Postcode for satnav: YO32 2RE
ℹ️For more information see the YMT website
It’s a classic York walk but still a great one – enjoy seeing all the sights from a new perspective. A brilliant walk if you have visitors to York as you can point out lots of the amazing sights of York.
It is great in winter as it is mud-free, but check the York Walls website if the weather has been very cold as it can be closed if there is snow/ice.
👶Buggy friendly: No
🐶Dog-Friendly: Only assistance dogs allowed on the walls
🚶Circular: Yes
⏰ Distance/time: 2 miles and takes about 2 hours
🚗 Car parking: City centre parking – charges apply
ℹ️ For more information see the City Walls website
A hidden gem amongst all the houses is Rawclifee Lake – yet just minutes from Clifton Moor! It is a lovely place to walk around, scoot or bike and the lake looks lovely across all the seasons, especially on a cold winter day when it freezes over!
👶 Buggy friendly: Yes
🐶 Dog-Friendly: Yes on leads
🚶Circular: Yes
⏰ Distance/time: 1 mile and takes about 20 minutes or more if you stop and feed the ducks or do an extra lap!
🚗 Car parking: Off-street parking – numerous access points to the Lake (Oakdale Road, Greystoke Road & Beaverdyke)
⏲ Driving distance from York: 10 minutes
🗺 Postcode for satnav: YO30 4XL
ℹ️ For more information see the York Council website
A scale model of the Solar System can be seen along the 6.4-mile stretch of the old railway line around York. Not only does it make a great track for cycling along, but there are plenty of places you can walk a short section – try starting from behind the racecourse or Naburn and stop at the Station Café.
Also, the paths are good, so has the bonus of being a fairly mud-free winter walk!
👶 Buggy friendly: Yes
🐶 Dog-Friendly: Yes
🚶Circular: No
⏰ Distance/time: 6.4 miles and time depends on how much of it you do! Get on your bikes for the full experience.
🚗 Car parking: Various places to park for free – depends on where you start the walk
⏲ Driving distance from York: 15 minutes
ℹ️ For more information see the York Solar website
There is a really helpful Walks section on the North York Moors website.
Here are some walks which we think sound brilliant for families this winter.
This is a fantastic walk, along a section of a disused railway line, in the company of the tumbling Murk Esk.
👶 Buggy friendly: Yes
🐶 Dog-Friendly: Yes
🚶Circular: No
⏰ Distance/time: 3 miles
ℹ️ More information here
Enjoy a walk through the trees on a 2-mile circular route that passes an idyllic woodland tea garden and the 30-foot Falling Foss waterfall, before returning alongside babbling May Beck.
👶 Buggy friendly: No
🐶 Dog-Friendly: Yes
🚶Circular: Yes
⏰ Distance/time: 3 miles
ℹ️ More information here
On this 2.5 mile circular walk, you can enjoy the best of the local natural and cultural heritage. This walk is one of five new routes developed as part of the Ryevitalise Landscape Partnership Scheme, encouraging people to head out and explore the majestic River Rye.
👶 Buggy friendly: No
🐶 Dog-Friendly: Yes
🚶Circular: Yes
⏰ Distance/time: 2 1/2 miles
ℹ️ More information here
It is a pleasant short walk along the cliff top with wide views over Runswick Bay that is also suitable for pushchairs.
👶 Buggy friendly: Yes
🐶 Dog-Friendly: Yes
🚶Circular: No
⏰ Distance/time: 1 1/2 miles
ℹ️ More information here
A good walk with older kids as the route is 5 miles and gently undulating on tarmac roads and grassy pathers which can get muddy. Also, take care when walking on the road near Castle Howard as it can get busy with fast-moving traffic.
👶 Buggy friendly: No
🐶 Dog-Friendly: Yes
🚶Circular: Yes
⏰ Distance/time: 5 miles
ℹ️ More information here
If there has been a frost (or even more exciting SNOW!), you can look for icy puddles, frozen spider webs and leaves, and icicles hanging from branches.
Download our FREE winter scavenger hunt here and see how many things you can find!
Embrace the mud, get your wellies on and go for a muddy walk – toddlers will LOVE it! Cleaning the boots afterwards – never as much fun!
Pack a picnic to keep everyone going with some winter treats. How about a flash of soup or some mulled apple juice? If you have a food flask you could pack hot dogs, stews or pasta & sauce. Don’t forget to pack a waterproof layer to sit on!
When all the leaves has fallen from the trees, mushrooms are even easier to spot. You can take photos and identify them using an app like Seek or Mushroom Identificator.
❄️ We hope you enjoy a family winter walk near York this winter! ❄️
