Walks in the North: Embsay Reservoir

Last week we got a gorgeous blue sky evening so we headed out to Embsay Reservoir for a walk with the dogs. It’s the first time we’ve done this circular and the road to the car park looks and feels like you’re heading into the back of beyond, but we stuck with it and after some narrow twists and turns we found where to park up. The nearest town is Skipton, making it an easy destination for a day trip if you’re based in West or North Yorkshire.

Embsay Reservoir is known for its beautiful surroundings, including the rolling hills and the open moorland typical of the Yorkshire Dales. There are several walking trails around the reservoir, suitable for all levels of hikers and the paths are well maintained. One of the popular walks is the circular route around the reservoir, which offers stunning views of the water and the surrounding countryside, and this is the one we did - its pretty easy going and I’d say about a mile in length.

We let our dogs off lead in areas that had no livestock. There are a lot of birds around here - we heard Curlews, Cuckoos and saw Swifts - but they are in the outlying fields behind fairly high walls, so unless your dog is a big fan of chasing wildlife and can scale walls, it’s pretty safe - but as always, keep an eye on them at all times. There are also loads of signs reminding you not to swim in the reservoir - and some about the blue green algae that appears in warm weather making it wise to keep your dogs out of the water if possible. We were cautious but did let them have a paddle in the shallows where we could see the condition of the water to make sure it was clean. We did see other dog walkers throwing sticks for their pets and letting them swim all the way in - but I wouldn’t personally recommend it (it’s personal choice obviously!)

Also in the area - if you’re bringing kids in particular - the nearby Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway offers a nostalgic journey through the Yorkshire countryside. The railway runs from Embsay station, close to the reservoir, to the historic Bolton Abbey - also a firm favourite with families in this neck of the woods.

All in it was a beautiful evening - weather, location and the dogs who were really good. It’s a route we will definitely return to as we’re in this area quite often. There are lots of picnic benches dotted about so next time we’ll bring some snap. You can find out more about Embsay Reservoir here.