Off the bike and a fantastic weather forecast, so revisited Ingleborough although this time a linear route from Ribblehead to Horton. It was a Sunday so the trains were few and far between…happily the pub was open, and the waiting room in the station was warm and dry.
Ingleborough: Hewitt, HuMP, Marilyn, Nuttall; 724 m/2,375 ft
Another walk from Dent to Ribblehead, this time on the eastern side of the train line.
Following the road up from Dent station I joined the Pennine Bridleway as it follows the contours of Great Knoutberry. Leaving the track I followed a fence up towards the trig point, from which all three peaks can be seen – visibility was good if a little hazy. Curlew were disturbed on the way up, although I don’t think it was only me as there was a large bird hovering above. As well as the trig point at the top there is a also a nice wind shelter; a section of wall with stones protruding as benches on either side.
Navigation was so easy as to verge on boring but I still almost followed the wrong fence down from the summit. The correct fence is also the Cumbria/Yorkshire border. Eventually I met the track at Aysgarth Moss which was a cross roads of bridleways; the west-east track being an old drovers road between dales. I took the north-south route around Wold Fell which is a restricted byway, although given the more stringent restrictions on the surrounding routes I’m not sure how you could make the most of it. This is a fine track and I would like to revisit it on a mountain bike. There were lots of wheatears which were curious but seemed to find rabbits’ burrows a useful shelter when I got too close.
The track meets a road for a few hundred metres before continuing around Blea Moor. I stopped for lunch at the first gate and was visited by a curious weasel – it looked at me as if I was sitting in its way. After a couple of laps of what is presumably a well-trodden route, followed by discrete surveillance from a patch of reeds the weasel disappeared. Very quick and difficult to photograph but a lovely moment.
Although following bridleways was easy it had become a little dull so I decided to change my plan and head up to the summit of Blea Moor. This involved more fence-following and lots of bog-dodging. A vehicle had been driven over here recently – probably to repair the fence judging by the old rusted sections and new posts and wire – which made tracks to follow. At the most difficult section I thought I was going to have to use the fence as a bridge but instead found a reasonably clear crossing. I saw a couple of traps and wondered if they were for the weasel…perhaps it had been threatening the grouse population. I only saw a couple of grouse, maybe after the 12th most of them have gone.
A fence junction was near the trig point of Blea Moor – there are air shafts near but out of sight, over the railway tunnel. The best way down seemed to be to follow yet another fence – one now fully in Yorkshire. A bit of bog-dodging was required, and eventually I met the path which follows the railway. This was the first time I had seen other walkers since I left Dent station.
I saw the 3.42 pm train come and go, so was happy that I had a couple of hours before the next one to spend in the Station Inn. A better back garden is hard to imagine.
9.7 miles, 1,657 ft climbed
Great Knoutberry Hill, 672 m; Marilyn, Hump, Hewitt, Nuttall,
Bleh Moor, 535 m; Hump, Dewey
Whernside from Dent station, finishing at Ribblehead, staring with a walk along the road beside the little River Dee and the Settle – Carlisle train line.
There is a very straight path directly over the Bleamoor tunnel, with several air shafts along the way.
Then up to the top of Whernside through a few snow patches.
Cloud on the top came and went. We could see Ingleborough with a permanent toupeé. The wall marks the boundary between Cumbria and North Yorkshire, the trig point is on the Cumbrian side.
After a steep but thankfully not icy descent we walked under the Ribblehead Viaduct just as the light faded and the rain started.
10.5 miles
Whernside, 763 m; Marilyn, HuMP, Hewitt, Nuttall, County Top (North Yorkshire)
A mission to find the highest point, and a bit of map and compass exercise. We were lucky with the weather, it was clear enough to see that we might actually be at the top (marginally higher than the surrounding moor; perhaps not worth it unless you are a bagger) and the rain held off until we were on the home strait.
10 miles
Kinder Scout: 636 m, Marilyn, Hewitt, County Top
While I understand the challenge of time limits (see audax) I have no desire to rush over the three peaks, certainly not until I have enjoyed them all separately. From Horton-in-Ribblesdale train station – marvellously the west platform is accessible by public footpath only – I walked south-ish to visit the mouth of Gaping Gill before heading up to the peak.
Suncream and specs required, but around the summit was fast moving low loud; cold and erie. A few small patches of snow were hanging on.
The Pen-y-ghent café appears to be closed on Tuesdays, but happily the pub was open. The trains back to Leeds were running about every 2 hours so it was good to have somewhere accommodating to wait.
Ingleborough: Hewitt, HuMP, Marilyn, Nuttall; 724 m/2,375 ft
10 miles
Start/finish Horton-in-Ribblesdale train station
Any navigation around Ilkley is buggered due to the large number of paths in existence; nose-following seemed the best plan which eventually got me to the Cow and Calf rocks.
On over paved pathways to the peak at the trig point, then after visiting some stanza stones and a cross, lunch in the shelter of a wall. For a brief moment I thought I had seen a very hardy chicken, but on later examination of the bird book it was revealed to be a red grouse. There were quite a few of them about, strutting their stuff.
There used to be a Keighley to Ilkley road, no longer passable by traffic but a few cars had stopped at the top…and some scrote had dumped building rubble in a lay-by. Which part of someone’s brain thinks that driving up to a viewpoint is the best way to offload some crap? Drive to the dump, how much more work is that?
The final stretch followed a great path through a quite different landscape down a glen alongside Bradup Beck. It would have been more peaceful without the clay pigeon shoot.
Rombald’s Moor: Marilyn, HuMP; 402 m/1319 ft
9.8 miles
Start Ilkley train station, finish Crossflats train station
Marvellous weather, clear and sunny, quite a breeze on the hills A few others on top of Caer Caradoc, some runners going up Hope Bowdler and then a chap on the top who asked if there was anywhere better to be – I agreed not.
Down to the road and then up Hazler Hill and along to Ragleth. Steep descent into Little Stretton, where I had an orange juice in the pub (I wanted to use the lav) and popped into a little shop – the village seemed a bit ‘local’.
Up via Cross Dyke to the road across the Long Mynd; exchanged a few words with a woman who seemed to be a kindred spirit. Beautiful valleys with wild camping potential. On to the summit of Pole Bank where there seemed to be some wheelchair accessible paths – great opportunity for everyone to experience the hills. From the toposcope I could identify the distant hills I had been able to see all day – the Malverns, Clee Hills, bits of the Brecon Beacons and, on the edge of visibility, where the clouds and the peaks become indistinguishable, Snowdonia.
I think I took a different path than that intended but found my way down Carding Mill Valley. It suddenly got much busier and I eventually reached a National Trust car park and cafe. Back into Church Stretton for an outside beer (first of the year) and lots of tense rugby fans.
14 miles
Caer Caradoc Hill; Marilyn, 459 m
Hope Bowdler Hill; HuMP, 426 m
Ragleth Hill; HuMP, 398 m
Long Mynd; Dewey, Marilyn, 516 m
An early start to get the best of the weather had me up Walton Hill at 10.30 am, then over to Clent Hill which is a bit more of a ‘destination’ with great views including the midlands splurge, this toposcope, some standing stones and quite a few people, dogs and horses. From Hagley station which included a visit to the 1940s-ish tea room in Moor Street, which is rather nice.
9.4 miles
Walton Hill; Marilyn, 316 m
Another visit in a different season, similar route but opposite direction. Straight up to Worcestershire Beacon in fog/low cloud.
Walking south along the top of the hills the cloud started to lift, and we stopped for lunch just before Herefordshire Beacon. After getting to the top the cloud came back down again, and we returned to the station by the lower paths.
Worcestershire Beacon: Marilyn, County top; 425 m
Herefordshire Beacon: HuMP; 338 m