7k Run Settle: Scenic Loop Around Cleatop Wood

Route Overview & Local Insights

This 6.7km anticlockwise loop from Settle offers a quintessential Yorkshire Dales trail running experience, blending steep steady climbs with technical variety. With 182m of ascent, you'll work your lungs early as you head south through farm fields toward the lush canopy of Cleatop Wood. The terrain underfoot transitions from soft grass to woodland trails, peaking at Hunter Bark where the route gets punchy and undulating. Runners should prepare for uneven limestone-edged paths and potentially muddy stretches, making it a fantastic session for developing ankle strength and hill climbing endurance before a fast-paced descent back into the village.

Settle is a historic market town that has long served as a gateway for adventurers exploring the Ribblesdale valley. As you navigate the trails around Hunter Bark, you are running through a landscape shaped by centuries of traditional dry-stone walling and sheep farming. The area is famous for its dramatic karst topography, and on clear days, the expansive views from the higher elevations offer glimpses of the famous Settle-Carlisle Railway line cutting through the hills. After finishing your loop, the local running community often congregates at the town's traditional pubs and cafes, which have welcomed wayfarers since the town was granted its market charter in 1249.