Ingleborough from Ribblehead
Comment(3 votes)
End: Horton in Ribblesdale station, OS Grid: SD804726 Elevation Profile (x: waypoint number, y: metres)
Gain (+/- 10%): 646m (2119ft)
Total (+/- 10%): 1362m (4469ft)
Loss (+/- 10%): 716m (2350ft)
Max. Elevation: 720m (2362ft)
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OL2 - Yorkshire Dales: S & W areas
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Waypoints
Is there a better station from which to start a car-free walk than Ribblehead? Take the path from the station to Gauber Road and turn right. After about 600m, take the footpath heading back under the railway line. You can also reach Ribblehead by Dalesbus: www.dalesbus.org
Pass through the rocky ground and onto the northern end of Ingleborough. Follow the path running next to the wall.
The first mini summit of the day is Park Fell. Keep heading along the ridge.
This is the second of the three summits on Ingleborough, reaching 650m. There are good views on the eastern side into Ribblesdale. Carry on along the ridge to Ingleborough.
The summit! And the second highest point in the Yorkshire Dales. From the top, there is a direct route into Ribblesdale, but instead head south towards Little Ingleborough.
The path drops off this spur and splits into two. Take the path heading southeast.
This detour takes you to the entrance of Gaping Gill - a massive underground cavern 105m deep. From the surface, you can peer into the crater and hear the Fell Beck crashing to the floor below. On the Whitsun and August Bank Holidays, local caving clubs run winch trips into the cavern.
From Gaping Gill, follow Fell Beck back up the hill and join the footpath to Horton in Ribblesdale. There's no clear path, so use the beck to help navigate.
The path heads through the rocky ground of Sulber Nick towards Horton in Ribblesdale. There are lots of shake holes around here, marking the entrance to more underground caves.
The walk finishes in pretty Horton in Ribblesdale, on the same trainline as Ribblehead. If you have time before your train home, head for the Crown Hotel, which is popular with walkers.
In my opinion the best way to approach or descend Ingleborough is via Park/Simon Fell either along the 'lip' or the summits. This route is as good as any. Once reaching Horton visit The Crown (lounge) and despair at the times of the previous winners of the 3 Peaks Race!! If you travel from West Yorkshire and use the Settle to Carlisle line a lot, join the Friends of the S C & buy a Gold Card. Get's you 33% of all tickets and fabulous discounts in the winter (e.g. Nov 2010 to Feb 2011 £6 day return to anywhere on the line)