It’s summertime and Yorkshire’s splendid landscape is open for business ‒ that might mean taking the plunge on a paddleboard, a social trek or a gentle ramble with painterly views. Be inspired to do it your way
Nature provides the perfect outdoor gym where you can exercise and socialise while enjoying the fresh air and breathtaking Yorkshire scenery.
If you want to make the most of the summer weather but still get your steps in, why not swap the treadmill for the Yorkshire Dales and ditch the exercise bike for canal cycle paths? Or be inspired to stroll with a work of art as your guidebook.
There are guidebooks, collectives and communities across the county encouraging you to set your own pace – whether that’s for a hike and paddle board, wild swim and mountain bike or find inner peace with outdoor yoga sessions.
Whether you want a gentle walk with other ramblers or want to test your nerve with mountain biking, there’s something for you.
Getting outside to explore the Yorkshire countryside or coast offers a chance to boost your endorphins at the same time as exercising the body – it’s a win-win for mind and body.
Julie’s gorgeous sketches for her walking book. supplied The art of walking
If you want to get together with friends and family for a scenic walk but are stuck for ideas of where to go, look no further than a new book called ‘Not Just Where to Walk, but When, in Yorkshire’. Written by North Yorkshire artisan designer, Julie Dodsworth, it features 24 walks showcasing the diverse beauty of the county from the Dales to the coast.
Julie si a keen walker and certainly practices the art of being in te moment as she she walks, sketches and then plots her routes then translates them into stunning, detailed watercolour walking guides.
Her book takes you through the year with a series of curated walks with two recommended routes each month focused on seeing the different parts of the county at their best times.
For July, Julie takes the walker to Roseberry Topping, affectionately known as the Yorkshire Matterhorn, and Aysgarth and West Burton where the delightful Aysgarth Falls never fail to cast a magical atmosphere.
Throughout the year the book highlights Swaledale, Studley Roger, the waterfalls of Dent, Goathland and Grosmont as well as a city walk in York. Winter walks taking in the atmospheric ruins of Fountains Abbey and the enchanting gorge at How Stean.
Stride into spring by taking in the daffodils at Farndale and the bluebells at Bolton Abbey.
Autumn at its best in ‘mini Lake District’ Bewerley, the magical waterfalls of Dent and secret passageways at Burnsall and Hebden.
Pick up a copy and see where it takes you.
Yorkie Talkies Outdoors offers guided group walks, challenge events, navigation courses, adventure holidays and paddle boarding sessions. The York-based company was established seven years ago by Emma Shipley who is a qualified mountain, lowland and paddlesport leader.
She says: ‘I absolutely love leading people outdoors and it is a privilege to show people our beautiful countryside. Seeing people building their confidence, increasing their fitness and ultimately changing their lives through taking part in our walks and events is my reason for doing what I do.’
Throughout July, Yorkie Talkies Outdoors has a whole host of walks, water sessions and challenges to take part in.
Morning and evening walks are available ranging from five miles to 40 miles covering areas such as Sutton Bank, Castle Howard, Bolton Abbey and the Terrington Howardian Hills.
Emma adds: ‘We are a team of seven and we are all trained via Mountain Training UK and the water team are Paddle Sport Leaders governed by Paddle UK. Paddle boarding has really become popular and we saw 500 people come to our sessions last season.
‘It is so rewarding to see people come along and enjoy being outside with other people. I would say around 90 per cent of people come along on their own and there are real friendships made. People come from all walks of life but they all have one thing in common – they want to be outside in nature.’
All the walks and challenges can be found at yorkietalkies.co.uk
For women wanting to join like-minded females for exercise and adventure, Ilkley-based Pretty Gritty organises retreats and events. Pretty Gritty is a coaching and outdoor experience company founded by two adventure enthusiasts, Emma Stoney and Katie Fitzgerald-Gill. Since 2020 they have been running retreats both in Yorkshire and Cumbria where women can get together to sea swim, hike and loosen up with yoga classes under the open skies.
Emma and Katie are both triathlon coaches and having led classes in running, cycling and swimming, they now focus on offering well-being retreats and experiences for women of all ages.
Emma says: ‘We are passionate about encouraging women to get outside and have adventures. Since we started the retreats and our annual Pretty Gritty Energetic by Nature Festival, we have seen so many women come along and enjoy being in nature and pushing themselves and gaining confidence in their ability.
We see women of all ages take part from 20 years to 70 and it is such a supportive community – no-one is judgemental, rather women encourage each other in what is a lovely environment. We have a Facebook group which has more than 6,000 members and we now get people travelling from all over the country to come to our retreats’.
One of the upcoming retreats is a North Yorkshire Mountain Bike Adventure and intrepid cyclists will go off-road on a mixture of tracks, moorland and woodland. There will be easy sections with some more challenging parts. Emma says: ‘We love leading the groups out on the biking retreat and getting more confident as the time goes on. We had two women come along on e-bikes which was wonderful.
‘We love to see friendships blossom and I know many people who have met at the retreats keep in touch with each other. We hope that everyone motivates each other to do well in their chosen activities so we can all celebrate our stories and our wins.’
Details of all Pretty Gritty events can be found at prettygritty.co.uk
So why not put on your walking boots or saddle up for a ride? Grab a friend or join a welcoming community where you live and embrace the outdoors. You could find yourself up and down Dale, cycling the coastal route or paddle boarding like a pro. Whatever the weather and whatever the view, it will feel like a breath of fresh air.
