A hard walk (mountain (above 600m)) in national park Yorkshire Dales in Lancashire, England, about 33.20km (20.63 mi) long with an estimated walking time of about 13:30h (1 overnight stay). It is unsuitable for families with children, prams & pushchairs, wheelchairs.
The classic 3 Peaks full day, 25 mile walk.
Starting point here is Ribblehead as it has more than the 12 hour 'Challenge' time available 6 days a week from both the Leeds & Carlisle ends of the railway line.
Very busy on weekends in the late spring/summer/early autumn periods so go mid-week if you want a quieter experience.
This truncated version of the guide available via www.3Peaks.co.uk
Exit the railway station via the access road and upon reaching the B6255 turn right briefly. Cross the cattle grid and go left along a wide track waymarked to Whernside.
Simply follow the track with the railway line on your left for about 1.5 miles to reach the aqueduct. Cross and head diagonally left to reach a gate, pass through, climb the hill to a stile on the left.
From the summit continue along the track with wall on your right for just under a mile and follow the track as it veers sharp left to descend steeply along a stepped section, thereafter less steep to Bruntscar.
Turn left & 200 yards beyond the Old Hill Inn turn right onto the bridleway & follow through fields towards the limestone escarpments at Southerscales Scars. The track veers left to pass Braithwaite Wife Hole.
Continue following the track to pass through a gate onto the flagged path that rises Humphrey Bottom to reach the foot of the Ingleborough 'staircase'.
The path ascends the 'staircase' along a twisting zig-zagging route to eventually pass through a gate, veers to the right and continues uphill to reach the summit plateau just beyond Swine Tail.
On a clear day the route to the trig point is very obvious but in mist care must be taken to reach the trig point, take good note of your route to the pillar as you will return to this point.
From the trigpoint (or nearby windbreak shelter) return to the plateau access point and Swine Tail. Take the path that heads to the right towards Simon Fell Breast.
After about a mile cross a wall and continue descending along the obvious path to pass the ruins of an old shooting hut, ford a stream, pass through a gate and arrive at Nick Pot.
Shortly after the gate ignore a track that veers off to the right & continue to follow the wall on the left into the limestone crags at Sulber Pot. Enter a narrow section between wall & limestone.
Pass through a gate into an open field and continue in the same direction to reach cross tracks at Allan's Post. Continue ahead, generally between limestone crags to reach a gate and pass through.
Once through the gate continue ahead to pass a waymarker post, then pass through a gap in a wall soon after which the track veers right to shortly reach a gate with an adjacent information board.
Go through the gate and continue downhill along the obvious path, through another gate and passing Beecroft Hall on your right. Passing through a further gate leads to Horton railway station.
Cross the railway line, exit the station access road & carry on ahead towards the village. Take the footbridge over the river Ribble, pass the toilets then the Pen y Ghent Cafe.
Continue along the road & just before the church turn left along the waymarked tarmac footpath to reach a road. Turn left for 100 yards then cross a footbridge over a stream & turn left onto the road.
Immediately before the buildings on the left at Brackenbottom go left & follow the waymarked route that follows the wall on the left over Brackenbottom Scar to reach the foot of the 'nose' of Pen y Ghent.
Turn left & follow the route directly up, then veer right until you think the path runs out then head left (follow the worn steps) to reach a short plateau then follow the stepping uphill & take the flagging to the trig.
From Tarn Bar carry on directly ahead up Whitber Hill along the 2013 surfaced route (not shown as a RoW on the 2014 OS map but the path is indicated by ............ dots)
Descend Whitber Hill and cross Sell Gill Beck over the footbridge. Follow the route across Sell Gill Hill to reach the Pennine Way just SW of Jackdaw Hill and turn right.
Follow the Pennine Way to a little west of Long Mires & go over a (3 Peaks) waymarked stile on the left up then down the small hill (again the 2014 OS map shows the route as ......... (dots)) then pass through a gap stile.
Turn left briefly then take the path that ascends the descends the small hill on the right to reach a step stile adjacent a wide gate. Go over and follow the wall on the left to reach God's Bridge.
Go through a gate & turn left following the track to Nether Lodge. Take the footbridge over the stream then once through the gate ahead turn left & follow the wall to reach the waymarker post.
Turn right for 1.25 miles to reach the B6255 Blea Moor Road then turn left for 300 yards then finally turn right into the Station Inn and celebrate your achievement.
About 1.55 km (~0.96 miles) from
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