Yorkshire Feature

The green dales, the changeable moors, the rugged North Sea coast: Yorkshire's landscapes are glorious to explore on foot, and they're crisscrossed by long-distance footpaths designed to take in the most charming villages and the most breathtaking views. There's no need to pack a backpack and head to the hills for days if you're not an experienced hiker—even a brief walk can take you deep into the quiet of the countryside. The hardest part is deciding where to start. Short trails and longer paths meander across the Yorkshire Dales National Park, while the North York Moors have long, empty swaths of land for tramping, and craggy cliff walks follow the dramatic coastline. Top trails include the Cleveland Way (108 mi), from Helmsley to Filey; the hard-going coastal Lyke-Wake Walk (40 mi), from Osmotherley to Ravenscar; and the eastern section of the Coast-to-Coast Walk (190 mi), which starts or finishes in Robin Hood's Bay. The Dales Way (80 mi) connects Leeds and Bradford with the Lake District. Exhausting but incredible, the Pennine Way, which runs from the Peak District to Scotland, crosses the Yorkshire Dales.