Bolton Abbey to The Strid Circular Walk.
- Michael Palmer
- Jul 8, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Aug 7
Bolton Abbey to The Strid Circular Walk – 4.54 Easy Miles Along the River Wharfe
Looking for an easy Yorkshire Dales walk combining riverside scenery, ancient woodland and one of Yorkshire's most famous historic sites? Our 4.54-mile Bolton Abbey to The Strid Circular Walk gives us all of that within a manageable route.
Lyn and I personally walked, photographed and GPS recorded this route for The White Shire.
We rate the walk as easy.
The route takes us through the beautiful Bolton Abbey Estate, alongside the River Wharfe and through Strid Wood towards the famous Strid.
For us, it's a great example of a Yorkshire walk where the scenery and history are every bit as interesting as the mileage.
Bolton Abbey to The Strid Walk at a Glance
Distance: 4.54 miles
Route type: Circular
Difficulty: Easy – based on our experience
Location: Bolton Abbey
County: North Yorkshire
Area: Yorkshire Dales
Terrain: Riverside paths, woodland paths and estate tracks
Highlights: Bolton Priory, River Wharfe, Strid Wood and The Strid
Walked and photographed by: Michael and Lyn Palmer, The White Shire
Our Bolton Abbey to The Strid Walk
Lyn and I found this a really enjoyable Yorkshire walk.
At 4.54 miles, it's long enough to give us a good few hours outside without becoming a particularly demanding day.
We've rated it easy based on our own experience.
There's also plenty of variety.
We have the historic priory, riverside walking, woodland and The Strid itself, so the scenery is constantly changing as we make our way around.
Starting at Bolton Abbey
Bolton Abbey is one of those places where we could easily spend much longer than the walk itself requires.
Despite the name, the famous ruins are actually those of Bolton Priory.
The Bolton Abbey Estate records that Lady Alice de Romille of Skipton Castle gave the land to Augustinian canons in 1154. Construction of the priory took around a century, and building continued on the site until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1540. (Bolton Abbey)
Today, the ruins beside the River Wharfe create one of Yorkshire's most recognisable landscapes.
Following the River Wharfe
The River Wharfe is a major part of this walk.
For Lyn and me, riverside routes nearly always have something extra.
The landscape constantly changes as the river twists through the valley, sometimes opening into broad stretches of water and elsewhere narrowing between rocks and woodland.
And on this walk we're following it towards somewhere very different indeed.
The Strid.
Walking Through Strid Wood
Strid Wood is one of the highlights of the route.
This isn't simply an attractive woodland. The Bolton Abbey Estate describes it as one of the largest remaining areas of sessile oak woodland in the Yorkshire Dales. (Bolton Abbey)
Depending on when we visit, there's plenty of wildlife and seasonal interest too.
Bluebells usually flower in late April and early May, followed by wild garlic, while the woodland provides habitat for wildlife including roe deer, otters, kingfishers and greater spotted woodpeckers. (Bolton Abbey)
It's exactly the sort of Yorkshire landscape we enjoy slowing down to explore.
A Woodland Opened to Walkers More Than 200 Years Ago
There's an interesting connection between Strid Wood and the people walking through it today.
In 1810, the 6th Duke of Devonshire and Reverend William Carr opened the woodland to the public and created paths through it. (Bolton Abbey)
More than two centuries later, Lyn and I are still enjoying those woods on foot.
We like details like that.
They connect our own Sunday walk with generations of people who have come here to enjoy exactly the same landscape.
The Strid
Eventually we reach the feature that gives this walk its name.
The Strid is where the River Wharfe suddenly becomes dramatically narrower and the water is forced through the rocky channel under considerable pressure.
The Bolton Abbey Estate explains that the formation was created as stones moving in circular currents gradually wore away softer rock. (Bolton Abbey)
It's fascinating to see.
But it's also somewhere that needs treating with considerable respect.
The Strid is Dangerous
This is one point where we think every walking guide should be very clear.
The Strid is dangerous.
The Bolton Abbey Estate explicitly warns visitors that lives have been lost here and tells people to pay attention to the warning signs and remain well back from the edge. (Bolton Abbey)
So we'd enjoy the view from a safe position and wouldn't attempt to get closer to the water for a photograph.
Why We Rate This Walk Easy
Our difficulty ratings are based on how Lyn and I personally experienced each route.
We rate this one as easy.
The 4.54-mile distance is manageable, and we didn't find the overall terrain particularly demanding.
Interestingly, the Bolton Abbey Estate itself grades its 4.7-mile Cavendish Pavilion to Barden Bridge route as easy, although that is a different route from our own White Shire circular. (Bolton Abbey)
As always, weather can change conditions underfoot, so we'd still wear decent footwear.
The Bolton Abbey Stepping Stones
Another famous feature of Bolton Abbey is the line of stepping stones across the River Wharfe near the priory.
They're not simply a modern visitor attraction.
The Bolton Abbey Estate says the stepping stones were an ancient right of way used by the Augustinian canons. (Bolton Abbey)
It's another example of how history is built directly into the landscape here.
Whether you choose to cross them obviously depends on conditions and your own confidence.
There's no need to use the stepping stones simply because they're there.
Walking Through a Historic Estate
Bolton Abbey today encompasses a huge area of Yorkshire countryside.
The estate includes woodland, riverside pasture, moorland, farms and numerous historic buildings, as well as five miles of the River Wharfe. (Bolton Abbey)
That gives the walk a very different character from simply visiting the priory ruins.
Once we're out walking, we start seeing Bolton Abbey as a landscape rather than just a historic attraction.
That's what we enjoy about exploring places on foot.
Is the Bolton Abbey to The Strid Walk Suitable for Beginners?
Based on our own experience, we'd consider this one of our more approachable routes.
At 4.54 miles, the distance is manageable for many people who are reasonably comfortable walking.
There are surfaced trails within parts of Strid Wood, and the estate maintains an extensive network of walking routes. (Bolton Abbey)
However, our easy rating doesn't mean we'd recommend treating the countryside casually.
Wear appropriate footwear, take account of the weather and always follow the safety warnings around The Strid.
How Long is the Bolton Abbey to The Strid Circular Walk?
Our GPS-recorded route measures 4.54 miles.
I've checked this against both the live White Shire article and your North Yorkshire Walks collection, which give the same 4.54-mile distance. (The White Shire)
How long it takes depends on your pace and how often you stop.
And there's plenty to stop for on this one.
Lyn and I are taking photographs, looking at the river, exploring the woodland and generally enjoying the surroundings rather than trying to complete the route as quickly as possible.
When is the Best Time to Walk Bolton Abbey?
We think this is a route that offers something different throughout the year.
Spring is particularly attractive in Strid Wood, especially when the bluebells and wild garlic appear.
Summer gives us long days beside the river.
Autumn brings changing woodland colours.
And a crisp winter day can give Bolton Abbey a completely different atmosphere.
Because this is a popular destination, quieter times can also make the experience particularly enjoyable.
Make More of Your Visit
One advantage of a 4.54-mile route is that we've still got time to look around afterwards.
The Bolton Abbey Estate currently has more than 80 miles of footpaths, so our circular only scratches the surface. (Bolton Abbey)
That gives us plenty of reasons to return.
There are longer walks, different sections of the river and more of the surrounding estate to explore.
More North Yorkshire Walks
Bolton Abbey adds another very different route to our growing collection.
We've explored Wensleydale, Nidderdale, Clapham, Gargrave, Spofforth and many other parts of North Yorkshire.
Some of our routes are about remote countryside.
Others are about villages.
And some, like Bolton Abbey, combine walking with a major piece of Yorkshire history.
That's how we want The White Shire to work.
Find one walk you enjoy and hopefully discover somewhere else to explore next.
Discovering the Real Yorkshire
Bolton Abbey is undoubtedly one of Yorkshire's better-known destinations.
But walking rather than simply visiting the priory allows us to see another side of it.
We discover the River Wharfe.
We walk through ancient Strid Wood.
We learn that people were being invited to walk these woodland paths more than 200 years ago.
And we reach one of Yorkshire's most remarkable natural features at The Strid.
That's what Lyn and I increasingly want The White Shire to be about.
Not simply telling people where Yorkshire's attractions are, but getting outside and discovering the landscape, history and stories around them.
About Michael and Lyn
Michael and Lyn Palmer explore Yorkshire together on foot, personally walking, photographing and GPS recording the routes featured on The White Shire.
We're not professional hikers.
We're simply a husband and wife who enjoy getting outside together, discovering interesting places and learning more about Yorkshire as we go.
Our difficulty ratings are based on how we personally experienced each route.
Bolton Abbey to The Strid Circular Walk – Our Verdict
Our Bolton Abbey to The Strid Circular Walk measures 4.54 miles.
Lyn and I rate it as easy.
For us, it's a particularly good Yorkshire walk because so much is packed into a relatively manageable distance.
We have the River Wharfe, Strid Wood, the historic Bolton Priory and The Strid itself.
There's history stretching back to the arrival of the Augustinian canons in the 12th century, ancient woodland and one of Yorkshire's most dramatic stretches of river. (Bolton Abbey)
The only point we'd strongly emphasise is respecting The Strid. It's beautiful and fascinating, but the official estate warning about its danger should be taken seriously.
Otherwise, this is a lovely 4.54-mile route and another part of the real Yorkshire we're very glad Lyn and I explored together.
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