Easy Walk From Burnsall To Grassington: Via Linton Falls

This walk takes you from the small but beautiful village of Burnsall, along the river Wharfe to Linton Falls, up to the quaint market town of Grassington, before circling back on top of the hills, with fantastic views across the dales.

Looking across the river towards a stone walled house nestled within the trees on the other side, along the Burnsall to Grassington walk.

Looking across the river and falls, surround by rocks, and the village of Linton on the other side half way through the Burnsall to Grassington walk. The sky is grey.

How far is the river walk from Burnsall to Grassington?

The walk along the River Wharf from Burnsall to Grassington is 3.5 miles. The full circular route is 7 miles.

Read more: If you would like to see another part of the River Whafe, then check out this walk to Bolton Abbey.

What to expect on the river walk from Burnsall to Grassington

The first half of the walk takes you from Burnsall to Grassington along the River Wharfe. It’s an easy walk, on mostly level ground. The terrain is a mix of path, dirt, grass, some tree roots, and rocks.

A winding path on the left side of the river along the Burnsall to Grassington walk. There is a steep bank covered in green moss on the left side of the trail.

A dirt trail covered in rocks, surround by small moss covered boulders, with the river to the right. There are thin trunked, leafless trees along the sides of the trail.

A well maintained neat path snaking along the left side of the river on the walk out from Burnsall towards grassington. There is a green grass hill on the other side of the river.

There is a river crossing where you have the the choice between stepping stones or a wobbly suspension bridge. Then further along there are more stepping stones, which you can bypass if the water level is too high (I bypassed them).

Looking down the middle of the Hebden suspension bridge, on the walk between Burnsall and Grassington.

Then you will reach Linton Falls, which I was pleasantly impressed with. They were nice and powerful, with a backdrop of the stone houses of the village of Linton.

Looking across the river to the Linton Falls, on the walk into Grassington from Burnsall. There are brown coloured stone houses on the other side and a few big leafless trees.

You will then walk uphill to reach the lovely market town of Grassington, where you can shop for trinkets, and stop in one of the little cafes for some cake.

A stone and flint building with a trinket shop underneath in Grassington.

Looking down the Main Street lined with stone and flint buildings in Grassington, with lots of people walking down the street.

This route along the river was quite busy with other walkers. It’s quite a popular one, and I was there on a weekend, so I wasn’t surprised.

What to expect on the walk back from Grassington to Burnsall

At this point you can choose to walk back to Burnsall along the river, or continue further uphill to walk through the fields.

I highly recommend going up through the fields. I think I actually preferred this section of the walk. There were much less people, and the views were stunning.

Looking across a stone wall to the fields and hills in the distance on the walk back to Burnsall from Grassington. There is a small stone shed in the distance in the field.

Looking down across a large grass field, surrounded by a stone wall on the walk back to Burnsall from Grassington. The sky is dark.

A stone shed in a field of dead grass, with a hill behind.

It is a bit more rugged, and less pram friendly. It’s also quite muddy in places. There are also lots and lots of mini gates.

a very small gate in a stone wall on the walk back to Burnsall from Grassington.

Parking at Burnsall

Burnsall has two main car parks, both pay and display. It’s a very small village, so you will see them when you arrive. At the time of writing, one of them is closed. For free parking, you can park just before Burnsall Bridge.

I was quite pleased with myself for discovering the free parking spaces. As I was on my way into Burnsall, heading towards Burnsall car park, and saw some cars parked before going over the bridge, so nabbed a space.

An archway bridge on the left running across the river Wye, with stone buildings of Burnsall on the other side. — I parked here where I’m standing

Logistics

Start/Finish: Burnsall, Yorkshire
How to get there: Burnsall is located on the southern end of the Yorkshire Dales. By public transport you can get the number 74A, 874 to Burnsall and Grassington. See the route timetable here. Or the 875, and 876 buses go to Grassington from York and Leeds. You can find that timetable here.
Distance: 7 miles
Time: 2h 30min
Difficulty: Easy
Terrain: Grass, dirt, path, mud, some tree roots, rocks, stepping stones/suspension bridge, stone wall steps.
Dog friendly: One stile with a doggy door on the walk back to Burnsall from Grassington. A few stone steps over the walls. Any livestock I saw was separated by fence or across the river. There were a bunch of dog walkers about.
Time of year: I walked this in winter
Amenities: A couple of tearooms and one pub in Burnsall. In Grassington there is slightly more. Tea rooms/cafes/a toffee shop/farm shop/pubs and the National Trust Visitors Centre. Both Burnsall and Grassington have car parks.

Tips for the walk from Burnsall to Grassington

If you are planning to do the full circular, wear hiking boots. It’s quite muddy up the top.
If you just want to walk between Burnsall and Grassington along the river Wharfe, trainers will be fine.
Stop for some cake at the Corner House Cafe in Grassington, then after the walk back to Burnsall, stop for some pub grub at the Red Lion Inn, which dates back to the 16th century.
Linton Falls will be in full force in the rainier seasons, however, this also means the stepping stones might not be passable (not an issue for the walk as you can bypass them).

Map for the circular walk from Burnsall to Grassington

You can find my more detailed Burnsall to Grassington route map on AllTrails

More walks near Burnsall and Grassington will be listed at the end

A guide to the circular walk from Burnsall to Grassington

If you have parked on the other side of Burnsall Bridge, then walk across it to the Red Lion on the other side. If you are in the main car park, then just head towards the Red Lion. You will see it.

A stone building covered in dead Ivy with 'Red Lion Hotel' sign written in red, in Burnsall. There are wooden picnic benches outside it.

Now walk onto the path next to the river, past the Red Lion and away you go.

For this first part of the walk out of Burnsall towards Grassington, the trail mixes up between path, grass, some dirt, and rocks. Sometimes under the trees, sometimes out in the open.

A dirt path on the left side of the river, with leafless trees next to the path and a stone house ahead to the left up a small hill.

Looking along the river, with a small white rock cliff on the other side.

A trail on the left snaking alongside the river on the right, with a small green grass hill on the other side, with some leafless trees dotted about.

A dirt path leading under the woodland trees, with a couple of people walking ahead.

The view across the other side of the river is quite pretty with some little cliffs, and grassy hills. You will also find a well placed bench with a river history information board.

Hebden suspension bridge and the stepping stones

About a third of the way along the walk between Burnsall and Grassington, you will reach the Hebden Bridge and stepping stones.

Stepping stones running across the fast flowing river.

I do like a good set of stepping stones, however, I was feeling quite tired* and wasn’t feeling as nimble, so opted for the bridge…..

*You see, I had been woken up at 2:30am by a crying toddler, and couldn’t get back to sleep.

Where there are stepping stones and fun bridges, there are usually children. I had to wait for some kids to stop running up and down the bridge. Complicated by the fact that one of them had fallen over and was screaming.

After yesterdays walk (also involving stepping stones), and the crying toddler last night, my tolerance for children was now at critical level.

Once it was my turn, the bridge was fun to cross. It’s quite small, and a bit wobbly.

Like stepping stones and waterfalls? This route at the Aysgarth Falls has some powerful waterfalls, and takes you over some really cool, big stepping stones.

Walk to the next stepping stones

Once over the bridge (or stepping stones), turn left and keep walking along the river. This section of the walk is on even ground, much more level than the previous section, with some nice small bumpy hills on the other side of the river.

A dirt trail running through the grass on the right, with a calm river on the left. There river back is lined with leafless trees.

A narrow path with a hill covered in dead grass on the right, and the river on the left.

You will then walk away from the river briefly, on a path through the fields, to reach another set of stepping stones. The path actually leads you to a gate in a stone wall, but if you walk slightly left, you will see the stepping stones.

A gravel path snaking through a large grass field, with a group of people walking on it ahead.

Stepping stones partially submerged by the river.

These ones were definitely not passable. I knew this meant the Linton Falls might be good today. So I was pleased.

If bypassing the stepping stones, go through the gate and turn left.

Walk to Linton falls

Follow this path, under some trees, then alongside the stones walls, and at a bend on the path you should see the trail signpost, pointing left into the field. Follow it.

A trail leading through the bushes and trees. There are some people walking along it ahead.

A stone wall along the left side of the road, with a wooden trail signpost pointing into the grass field on the other side. There are people walking this way towards the stone wall.

This path will now take you through a series of fields, and through a mini gate in the stone wall to reach Linton.

A path leading down and across the grass field towards a stone wall on the other side, and stone houses of Linton on the other side.

Looking across the river towards a stain house partially hidden by leafless trees on the walk towards Grasisngton from Burnsall.

A small wooden gate in a stone wall, with a row of stone hoses visible ahead in the distance.

A stone wall with a gap on the other side of the grass field with a mass of stone buildings ahead on the other side.

If the Linton falls are on display, then you will hear them before you see them….

Linton Falls

Once you squeeze through a gap in the stone wall, you can get a great view of them from the bridge.

Stoner steps leading up through a stone wall. There is a wooden trail signpost on the left side.

Looking along there river Wye to the Linton Falls when walking across the bridge.

Walk to Grassington

From here, there are two ways to walk to Grassington. One follows the river for a little longer, the other goes up the path. The path looked interesting, so I decided to try that way.

A narrow stone path lined with a stone wall on the walk up to Grassington from the Linton Falls. There is a stone walled building on the right side of the wall.

I quite enjoyed this bit, uphill on a narrow rugged stone paved path, lined with stone walls.

A narrow stone paved path lined with stone walls leading towards a budding in the other end on the walk into Grassington from the Linton Falls and Burnsall.

Keep going all the way up, then when you reach the road, turn left. Keep going along the road to reach the junction, where you turn right onto Main Street.

Looking along Main Street in Grassington, lined with stone building shops. There are lots of people walking along it.

I didn’t know anything about Grassington before I got here, so was delighted when I saw this street.

It’s a very picturesque quintessentially British town, with cobbled road, independent shops, hanging fairy lights, and little tea rooms.

A road leading uphill, with stone walled houses on the left side and ahead.

Walk back to Burnsall from Grassington

If you decide to do the circular walk back to Burnsall from Grassington, then you need to head to the top of Main Street. At the other end you should see a building with a clock. Turn right here, then take the left road uphill onto Low Lane.

A road fork with a stone house in the junction. The left road leads uphill, and the road sign says 'Low Lane'. — Low Lane

(If when walking up Main Street, you took the right fork up the Square, you won’t reach the clock, but instead, at the end take a left, and a short way along, Low Lane will be on a hairpin bend to the right).

Walk uphill a bit more, past the houses, then take the left onto High Lane, alongside the stone wall.

A gravel path leading uphill, lined with stone walls and a house ahead on the other side of the stone wall on the walk out of Grassington towards Burnsall.

Keep going up, up, and up some more.

The fields and the views

As you get to the top, the views are really something. My photos don’t do it justice at all.

Looking down along the gravel path, towards stone houses, and hills visible in the distance. There is a tall stone wall on the left and a short one on the right.

A stone wall with a field to the right, and hills in the distance on the walk back to Burnsall from Grassington. There are a few sheep grazing in the field on the other side.

From here, it’s mostly straight line walking for some time. A bit along the stone walls then through some fields, with ruins dotted about in the distance.

Looking across the large grass field towards a hill ahead with a few stone budding ruins on the walk between Burnsall and Grassington.

When you reach the signpost (photo below), follow it straight, off the big track. Then further down the hill, look out for the next signpost pointing you a bit more to the left.

A wooden trail signpost on th right, pointing ahead across a large green grass field. There is a shed ahead in the distance in the field.

A stone wall on the left side of a field, with a dirt trail running alongside it. There is a wooden trail signpost on the left, pointing along the dirt trail.

Keep following this trail, then the next signpost is the one that could be confusing. It seems to point towards a metal gate. But what you want is actually the stone wall steps a little to the left of the gate.

A stone wall on the right, with a dirt track running alongside it. There is a wooden trail signpost next to the wall, pointing ahead.

Stone steps in a stone wall. — These are the steps you go up

You will then walk through a series of fields with mini gates in stones walls to reach the Grassington Park Estate Meadows.

A field with a stone wall to the right and across it ahead. There is a small wooden gate in the stone wall ahead and a couple of people walking through it.

A gravel path through the woodland trees, with a wire fence on the left side.

Here it’s a little bit of woodland, then across the road into an open field. A little further along, where the trail splits, take the stone paved one to reach the next woods and a mini gap in the stone wall.

A stone paved path running through the middle of a field with dead grass, towards trees on the other side.

A stone paved trail on the left and a dirt trail on the right, running across a field of dead grass, towards trees on the other side. — Take this left path here

Standing under the dark woodland, looking towards a stone wall with a small gap, and out to the open where the the sun is shining, but the clouds are grey in the distance.

Walk down the hill to Hebden

At this point I noticed the sky was looking quite dark. I monitored the cloud movement and realised they were heading towards me. Rain was imminent. So I hurried along.

Again, it’s pretty much straight line walking through the fields and more stone walls with mini gates, then one final bit of dirt track to reach Hebden.

Small wooden gate in the stone wall on the circular walk back to Burnsall from Grassington. The sky is dark.

Two houses with back and white strips grazing in a field of dead grass, on the circular walk between Burnsall and Grassington. The sky is dark.

A dirt track lined with stone walls. There is a big leafless tree on the rights and the rooftops of houses ahead in the distance.

Once you reach the main road, turn right where it says ‘The Clarenden Hotel’ and follow the road past some more houses, then take a left at the church.

Looking across the road towards a car path, and the sign saying 'the Clarendon Hotel'. — Turn right there

A road lined with stone walls and some stone buildings on the left. — The church is a bit further along here

At the end of the road past the church, you will see a green metal type of gate. Go through this to reach the little river stream below.

Looking down the road, towards some parked cars, with some people getting things out of the boot of their red car.

A narrow stone trail leading g downhill through the grass, towards a stone cottage at the bottom of the hill. There are a couple of big leafless trees in the field.

A stream on the left and the path on the right, with a grass and moss bank in between. There are a few leafless trees and bushes dotted about.

Walk along the river stream

I knew the end of the Burnsall Grassington walk was near, and usually at this point when out hiking, I find the trail becomes less exciting. But not this time.

This bit of the walk is very pretty, alongside the stream, past a few stone houses, and across a wooden bridge with a water feature.

A large grass pathway in a dip in the hills, leading towards a wooden gate in a stone wall. There are lots of leafless trees dotted about.

A small water fall on the left, with a wooden bridge running across the river on the right, leading from one field to another.

A stone paved path leading towards a green grass hill.

Choose your way back to Burnsall

When you reach the signpost (photo below), you have one of three options to get back to Burnsall.

A thin trail running along the side of a hill, with a wooden trail signpost pointing in multiple directions.

The longer route that goes uphill a bit more, the medium length route back down along the River Whye, or the most direct route along the road.

I was now feeling very tired and a little grumpy. The walk wasn’t difficult. It was the lack of sleep. The 1h30min drive to get here. Those children. Also the fact that I could feel the rain coming. So I chose the road.

Only, the road turned out to not be as easy as I’d hoped. There was more uphill than I had anticipated, plus, wearing hiking boots made it a bit tougher under foot.

If I was to go back, I would instead head down to the river. If I wasn’t so tired, I would take the longer uphill route.

But as I took the road, I will show you what it’s like. It was a nice road at least, with only one car passing by. If however, you would like to try one of the other options:

To take the longer scenic route: Take the trail up on the left at the signpost, there are some more junctions coming up, but if you look on my AllTrails route for Burnsell to Grassington, you will see the trail you need to walk along.

To take the river route back to Burnsall: Follow this same trail as me, then when you reach the road, turn right, then a short way along, you should find a trail on the left, which will lead you down to the Hebden Suspension Bridge and stepping stones.

Walk back to Burnsall along the road

From this signpost, continue straight, through some pretty woodland, and when you reach the main road, turn left.

A path lined with wooden railings underneath the lush woods, near the end of the Burnsall to Grassington circular walk..

It’s about 1/2 a mile of road walking, largely uphill to start. As I said, it is a very nice road, so it’s not a bad route to take. I just suspect the other options are a bit nicer.

Ac outcry road lined with stone walls, and a stone walled house ahead on the left, on the walk back to Burnsall from Grassington. The sky is blue with white clouds. — The sky was looking more friendly now

A winding country road lined with sone walls and a big tree on the left. the sky is blue.

Further along, you will start to get a view down to Burnsall below on the right, and a short way after, keep an eye out for the trail signpost on the right through the stone wall.

A road on the left, and a wall on the right, with a wooden trail signpost pointing to ab gap in the wall.

The final stretch of the Burnsall to Grassington circular walk

From here you will be walking down along the side of a hill. Some bits easy, but in parts the trail is on a full slant and I suspect if the mud is wet, you will have to try really hard not to slip down the hill.

Looking down into the valley to the village of Burnsall on the otters side of the river, near the end of the circular walk back from Grassington.

a thin gravel type path running along the side of a hill.

A narrow dirt trail running along side side of a grass hill, with a few big leafless trees lining it.

Now just keep on going down. At the bottom there is a ladder, but if you have come with a dog, I feel like there might be other ways out of here. I saw some other trails about, so have a little look around. You will soon end up back at the Burnsall Bridge and parking.

A few minutes after I got back to the car, it started raining. I guess taking the road back wasn’t such a bad idea.

More walks near Burnsall and Grassington

If you like views, then a bit further south, you have Simon’s Seat. These are some of the best views I have seen since moving out here. The kind that made me stop breathing for a moment. It does involve a solid uphill climb, but then it’s all downhill after that.

Now, for the absolute best views, you should go to Swaledale. It’s in the very north of the Yorkshire Dales. The first walk I tried up there was along the river from Muker. This is the route that made me fall in love with the place…as well as the drive in. The drive to get there is stunning. There next walk I did was through Gunnerside Gill. That one was even better. I will be getting a guide up for that soon.

Not too far away, you have the very well known Malham Cove. This route has two waterfalls, a massive cliff, and impressive deep gorge. Notice I said ‘very well known’. It’s by far the busiest walk I have been on out here…and I did it on a weekday.

For a real tough one with very very impressive views, you might like Pen-y-Ghent. It’s one of the peaks of the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge.

The Bolton Abbey walk is another wonderful one along the river Wharfe. On this one you will see the impressive Strid.

For more waterfalls, you could try the walk to Hardraw Force, or Aysgath Falls. These are both very easy walks, and quite family friendly.

If you head west, you could try this caves and waterfall walk from Settle. I didn’t enjoy the waterfall as much on this one, but the rest of the walk was nice.

For walking routes all over the Yorkshire Dales, you can see all the ones I recommend here.

Pin it for later: A circular walk from Burnsall to Grassington

Burnsall to Grassington walk guide in the Yorkshire Dales.