A circular walk, 9.4 Miles - 3.5 Hours.
I have been to Pen-y-ghent a few times now, but I've never done ablog for it. It's a fantastic Fell in the Yorkshire Dales, usually the first one climbed when doing the Yorkshire Three Peaks, it's 694 metres high and dominates the village of Horton in Ribbledale.
Joining me for this one is my Bro-in-law James, who hadn't travelled on a train for years, never been to Horton in Ribblesdale before or seen Pen-y-ghent - so the whole day would be an experience for him...
The weather once again was amazing for January, it had been a particularly frosty night, and so the skies were very clear and set to remain good for the entire day.
On arrival into Horton In Ribblesdale Pen-y-ghent is the first thing you look at, and it was looking particularly stunning that day...
At Horton Station, like Ribbleheadfurther up the line, you have to cross over the tracks to get to the main street leading into the centre of the village. Towards where the road bends round to the right, a small bridge crosses over the River Ribble, cutting off the corner. Bizarrely at this point a Policeman walked towards us and said ''lovely clear day for it''. I thought, you wouldn't get that in Leeds - welcome to proper Yorkshire!..
After a good three quarters of a mile we passed the Golden Lion Hotel, and the old church which stands opposite. We then followed the road around to the left, and then took the second left up Brackenbottom Lane...
Follow Brackenbottom Lane for a good half mile. When you reach a farm house, watch out for the foot path at the side of it leading steeply uphill...
The path leads steeply for about a mile and a quarter, taking in two bits of scrambling, before hitting the Pennine Way...
The previous days climb, Ingleborough...
James taking on the first bit of scrambling...
And the second up onto Gavel Rigg...
Getting a quick picture next to this great looking fell...
On to the lower slopes of Pen-y-ghent...
Continuing uphill along the pathway towards a Kissing Gate on the Pennine Way...
Go through the kissing gate, and onto the Pennine Way. Turn left here, and following the path very steeply uphill. The 'face' of Pen-y-ghent is a good test of physique; it is also - for some, a test of nerve if you haven't got a head for heights too...
Taking a breather half way up...
A good view from the summit...
The cold summit was packed with other walkers, not surprisingly on a clear day like this. So after a bit of light refreshment - we plodded on steeply downhill, here looking towards Plover Hill...
And then on across the boggy middle sections of the fell towards Plover Hill, keeping the dry stone wall on your left. Then passing through left hand gate here...
Now keep the dry stone wall to your right. Plover Hill being unknown territory to us, is seemingly a massive peat bog. And it's easy to stray from the path, thankfully after such a cold night a lot of it was frozen up, I can imagine on any other day this would be a tricky place to navigate, out came the GPS here!...
Looking back at Pen-y-ghent summit...
I think the folks that built the dry stone walls around here went a bit mad on Pen-y-ghent, and on the summit of Plover Hill didn't disappoint too. Here two back to back...
Cut left to follow the path down steeply off the summit of Plover Hill...
A slippy but well maintained path leads down the side of Plover Hill onto Foxup Moor...
I'm glad we came down this way…
Icy on the lower slopes of Plover Hill...
The path cuts left at the bottom Plover Hill, and then you need to follow the lower slopes of Pen-y-ghent via the well walked footpath...
Back onto the Pennine Way here. Continue now downhill back towards Horton In Ribblesdale...
Looking back at Pen-y-ghent...
Horton comes back into view. We took a left turn after this section of the track in order to get back to the pub...
The left turn takes you past a farm...
And back into Horton. Now for a few in the Golden Lion...
Pen-y-ghent in the evening sunshine...
If you do this walk, watch out for the bogs on Plover Hill! A good walk though, that truly takes in all of Pen-y-ghent.
Thanks for reading :0)
1 comment:
...your countryside ~ is sO! ~ way different ~ to anything i've ever experienced!... ...a quiet ponder: with these places ~ were there ever any trees or forests on them?... ...blessed be!...
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