Swinton Estate
a walkers paradise with 20,000 acres to explore
Swinton, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 4JH
Visit WebsiteThe Swinton Estate sprawls over more than 20,000 acres of wild and windswept upland in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. But there’s a lot more than just traditional heather moorland waiting to be explored here.
- Children Welcome
- Good Food
- Multiple Dogs Allowed
- Parking
- Refreshments
- Rural Walks
Good to know
Overview
Easily accessible from the parking area at the Bivouac Café, the Druid’s Temple will enchant young and old alike. Spend some time exploring the woodland paths here, then pop into the dog friendly café for a bite to eat and to thaw out frostbitten fingers by the fire.
If you’ve still got energy to burn, there are nearly ten kilometres of mountain biking trails in the woods here. For a true taste of Yorkshire, head out onto the moor for some fantastic views over Leighton Reservoir and the surrounding grouse moor. While visitors in July and August will be treated to a spectacular show of colour, there’s a nowhere better for a bracing winter walk to blow away the cobwebs than out on the hills if you ask us.
If you want to avoid the more exposed, windier walks, head to Nutwith Common or Ellington Firth. These estate-owned woods are only frequented by the odd local dog walker, and present a great alternative to the more popular tourist hotspot of Hackfall Woods. Both woods are close to the thriving market town of Masham, where you can stop off at the dog friendly White Bear to warm up after your walk. If you’ve still got some daylight left, take a stroll along the River Ure, where there are plenty of opportunities for water-loving pups to take a dip.
For wild swimmers, make sure to head to the estate’s landscaped gardens (entry fee applies) where there is, in addition to the walled gardens and parkland, a dedicated wild swimming pond. The estate can provide a tow float for you to use, but you’ll need to bring your own towel. Dogs need to be kept on leads in the walled gardens but are free to run off lead in the parkland, as long as the locals (a herd of fallow deer) aren’t hanging around.
For The Dogs
Bring leads, towels and poop bags.
Opening Hours
Daylight is recommended for the outdoor walks. The Bivouac Café is open 10am – 3pm Wednesday and Thursday and 9am – 5pm Friday to Sunday.
Parking
There are car parks at Druid’s Temple (HG4 4JZ) and Ellington Firth (HG4 4PF), and roadside parking at Nutwith Common and Leighton Reservoir.
The Area
The Nidderdale AONB tends to be somewhat sidelined in comparison to its more famous neighbour, the Yorkshire Dales national park. The Yorkshire Dales are one of Britain’s oldest national parks, established in 1954, but Nidderdale had to wait until 1994 to officially become an AONB. Don’t let its lack of national park status put you off visiting though: everything the Dales has, Nidderdale has too (and with less people).
For more walks, pubs and places to stay, see our guide to dog friendly Yorkshire.
