Pen-y-ghent walk

Pen-y-ghent dominates Horton-in-Ribblesdale, rising dramatically above the rooftops. The long climb to its summit is superb, especially the final pull up its southern edge with short scrambles up rocky paths and vertigo-inducing views!

From this vantage point 2,273ft above sea level there is a breath-taking vista of mountains and dales with Littondale to the east and Pen-y-ghent's sister mountains of Ingleborough (724m) and Whernside (736m) to the west. The name of this mountain is derived from the old Celtic words meaning the 'hill of the winds'' - very apt indeed! From its summit, a fine walk then ensues along a wide boggy ridge of moorland up onto Plover Hill. This broad mass of peat hags and bog pools rises to over 680-metres at the head of Littondale.

The views are of distant hills including the Lakeland fells, Howgill Fells, Upper Wharfedale and Upper Littondale. A path leads gently down to reach an abrupt escarpment of outcrops on its northern edge with wonderful views across Foxup Beck at the very head of Littondale, while the distinctive flat-top mountain of Ingleborough can be seen on the horizon to the west. An old green lane known as Foxup Road is joined near the bottom of this valley, which is then followed all the way back to Horton. This old grassy track has been in constant use for centuries as a trading route between Littondale and Ribblesdale.

At Swarth Gill Gate the track crosses the watershed between Ribblesdale and Littondale where a small section of boggy ground is all that separates rainwater from flowing eastwards into the North Sea or westwards into the Irish Sea. On Horton Moor, the track passes Hull Pot, an immense cavity in the earth some 60ft deep by 300ft wide.

Hull Pot Beck flows into this chasm through a cave near the boulder strewn floor, however, after heavy rain this stream thunders over the lip of the pothole over a waterfall - this great hole in the ground has been known to fill up completely after very heavy rain!

Directions

When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.

1 From the car park at Horton-in-Ribblesdale, turn right along the main road passing the Pen-y-Ghent Caf and follow the road bending left around St Oswald's Church towards Settle then, immediately after the churchyard on your left, take the turning to the left just before Horton Bridge across Horton Beck (Dead End sign). Follow this road up alongside the stream on your right then, as you approach the end of the lane, cross the footbridge to the right after which turn left along the lane passing the school and on out of the village. Continue along the lane with the wooded stream on your left at first then winding up to reach the hamlet of Brackenbottom.

2 Approaching Brackenbottom turn left through the gate before the farm buildings (signpost: Pen-y-ghent) and walk to a stile beside a metal gate. Cross stile then turn left and head alongside wall on left. A clear path leads across the hillside (with the wall on your left all the way), over a succession of wall stiles then across the low limestone 'ridges' of Brackenbottom Scar (some scrambling required) then up a clear stone path to reach a double ladder stile over a wall on the southern 'shoulder' of Pen-y-ghent with the rock outcrops of its summit to your left.

3 Cross this stile and turn sharp left towards the mountain. The clear stone-pitched path now climbs steeply up with a short scramble on to a small flat 'ridge' before another steep climb (pitched stone path) with more scrambling across rocks to reach the summit plateau. A clear path leads straight on rising gently to reach the summit trig point and stone-built wind shelter.

4 Cross the wall-stile beside the wind shelter then turn immediately right alongside the wall on your right (signpost 'Foxup Road') and follow this straight on across the summit ridge. After a short distance, the wall bends to the left down a short but steep 'step' before levelling out - continue straight on across the wide ridge (still with the wall on your right) to reach a ladder stile over a wall across your path.

Cross the ladder stile and continue straight on alongside the wall then follow it as it bends sharply round to the right and begins to rise up across boggy ground (peat hags) to reach a ladder stile in a wall corner (signpost) on the rounded summit plateau of Plover Hill.

5 Cross the stile and turn immediately left (signpost 'Foxup Road') alongside the short section of wall on your left at first (which very quickly turns away) then head straight on along the wide grassy path across the summit plateau for a short distance before the path drops down and bears slightly right to join the wall on your right at the top of a rocky escarpment. Follow the narrow path slanting steeply down to the left across this escarpment (take care - steep drops) then over a wall at the foot of the escarpment after which follow the grassy path gently dropping down keeping fairly close to the wall on your right to reach the rough grassy track of Foxup Road across your path at a gate in the wall on your right.

6 Turn left along this rough grassy track (signpost 'Horton-in-Ribblesdale') and follow it on through a gate in a wall then continue on along the grassy track, with the flanks of Plover Hill rising steeply to your left. The grassy track soon becomes a clearer wide stony path, which you follow straight on to reach a small stone footbridge across over Swarth Gill Sike where the path joins a stone wall on your left (this is known as Swarth Gill Gate). Follow the clear stony path straight on alongside the wall on your left and through another gate across your path after about half a mile after which the path becomes a rough grassy track again. Carry straight on along this grassy track alongside the wall on your left for a further half a mile then, where the wall turns sharp left heading up the flanks of Pen-y-ghent, carry straight on along the wide grassy track over the eroded path of the Thee Peaks Walk then straight on gently dropping down. The path soon becomes much clearer which you follow bearing to the right down alongside a small stream. This stream soon disappears down a pothole, however. Continue on along the clear path to reach a ladder stile over a wall just before the large pothole of Hull Pot. Cross the ladder stile then follow the grassy path to the left (keep away from the edge of Hull Pot) and follow this on to reach a gate at the top of the walled stony track of Horton Scar Lane (signpost 'Horton').

7 Head through the gate and follow the walled stony track of Horton Scar Lane for just under two miles as it gradually drops down back towards Horton-in-Ribblesdale. As you approach the village, the track divides - follow the right-hand track down to reach the main road where you turn right back to the Car Park.

Mark Reid's new book, Walking Weekends: Yorkshire Dales includes walks from 15 dales villages. Published later this month, it costs £8.95.

Fact file

Location: Horton lies along the B6479 north of Settle

Distance: 8 miles

Time: Four hours

Start: Horton-in-Ribblesdale

Map: OS Explorer Map OL2 Yorkshire Dales Southern & Western Areas

Parking: Large car park at Horton

Refreshments: Pubs and caf at Horton-in-Ribblesdale

Lavatories: None en-route.

Terrain: Clear paths to the summit of Pen-y-ghent, however, the final climb is steep and involves some scrambling over rocks and steep drops to the side of the path. The summit plateau is exposed to the elements. The walk across the wide ridge to Plover Hill is boggy in places, and the descent to join Foxup Road includes a short, but steep, path down across rocky outcrops. The remainder of this walk follows clear grassy /stony tracks.

Difficulty: Strenuous walk to the summit of Pen-y-ghent (694 metres), with steep, rocky paths in places. Do not attempt this walk in bad weather. Take a compass and OS map. Avoid edge of Hull Pot (pot hole). Limestone is slippery when wet.

Click here to view a map of the walk

Updated: 16:28 Friday, September 02, 2005