This Yorkshire Three Peaks Walk from Horton in Ribblesdale takes in Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough in a 24.6-mile walk, which includes 1,610 metres of climbing.
Today's walk is the Yorkshire Three Peaks walk from Horton in Ribblesdale in the Yorkshire Dales, taking in Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough on a 24 and a half mile walk with about 1,600 metres of climbing. Before we start going around the walk in full, let's have a quick look at what you'll be seeing on today's Yorkshire Three Peaks walk. We leave Horton in Ribblesdale by Brackenbottom and then head up along the path by the wall that passes over Brackenbottom Scar.
We then meet and turn left along the Pennine Way, which then climbs much more steeply, initially up some manmade steps. After a brief respite and up a short, second, steep climb, we head along the flagged path up to the summit of Pen-y-ghent. Pen-y-ghent, at 694 metres in height, is the lowest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks.
From the stile behind the trig point, you can see onwards to Whernside and the Ribblehead Viaduct and then panning left, you can see Ingleborough. Just to the right of the trig point, on the horizon, you can see the faint outline of Pendle Hill and then much nearer, just straight across is Fountains Fell.
We descend Pen-y-ghent following the Pennine Way in the direction of Ingleborough ahead, before leaving it to pass over Whitber Hill, and then re-joining the Pennine Way briefly as we head onwards towards Ribblehead.
We pass by the Ribblehead Viaduct and follow the Settle to Carlisle railway line, before passing over it on an aqueduct that affords a great view back towards Ingleborough. We then climb up the Dales High Way path before heading across the flagged path that pulls in beside the wall, which is then followed along to reach the summit of Whernside.
The trig point itself is just through the gap in the wall. Whernside at 736 metres is the highest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. From the trig point, looking out to the west, you can see out towards Morecambe Bay and then around to the faint outline of some of the Lakeland Fells.
Then as you pan around, the nearer hill that you can see is Gragareth.
And as you look further around, on the horizon, you see the Calf and the rest of the Howgills. On the other side of Whernside, you can see down towards the Ribblehead Viaduct, and you can see the path that we followed earlier with Pen-y-ghent on the horizon over the viaduct and then around to Ingleborough. From here, we descend down towards Chapel Le Dale and then head on towards Ingleborough.
We pass by Southerscales Scars and through areas of limestone, before reaching the flagged path that takes us on to the base of the steep incline. The short, steep climb takes us up a further 90 metres in height before relenting to a slightly less steep climb, up some steps, to reach the summit plateau on Ingleborough. Ingleborough is 724 metres in height and has a weather shelter on the summit near the trig point. Over the trig point, across the west, you can see the sea there at Morecambe Bay and then you can see around to the Lakeland Fells.
Looking further around, just to the left of the weather shelter, you can see the top of Whernside, and you can see the outline of the Howgill Fells, and then around to the right, you can see Pen-y-ghent. Being flat-topped, the views from the trig point on Ingleborough aren't always the best. So, better views can sometimes be had by wandering its edges. Here on the path up and path back down, you get a great view down to the Ribblehead Viaduct and around to Whernside.
From the summit, we descend initially across Simon Fell Breast and then along the gravel and flagged path through Sulber. This whole section of path affords great views ahead towards Pen-y-ghent.
From here, it's just a matter of crossing the final few fields and then passing through Horton in Ribblesdale train station to arrive back at the start.
We start the walk from the pay-and-display car park in Horton. Other parking is available nearby. See the description below for a link to a Three Peaks guide we've put together, which includes tips for before, during, and after the walk, parking information, where to eat and drink, training advice, and much more.
If you need them, there are some toilets in this car park. Let's start the walk with Pen-y-ghent ahead, our first target for today's walk. We turn right out of the car park and then just head along the pavement alongside the road. After a short distance on the right, we pass by the Pen-y-ghent Café, which doubled as the tourist information.
This used to provide a clocking in and out machine along with a safety service. Unfortunately, the café closed in 2018. I spent many an hour in there in the past warming up with a coffee after a cold, wet walk. Just continue on now along the pavement. On the right, we pass by Holme Farm Campsite. So, if you wanted somewhere to stop very close to the start, before or after the walk, maybe check out this campsite. Carefully, cross over the road and follow the pavement around St Oswald's church, parts of which date back to the 12th century.
A couple of noteworthy features here are a Norman doorway and a tub font with a herringbone decoration. On the opposite side of the road is the Golden Lion Hotel, which we'll come back to later at the end of the video when we look at where to eat and drink after the walk. As you can see from the sign, it also offers all-day parking. Cross over the road junction.
And then, as you cross over the stream, turn left to follow the road that runs initially by the stream. This road is now followed for almost a kilometre to Brackenbottom. The Yorkshire Three Peaks walk is a very demanding but rewarding walk, which takes in the summits of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough all in one circular walk. There's no set starting point, but the vast majority of walkers start at Horton in Ribblesdale, following the route that we are going around today.
Even though walking any of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside, or Ingleborough in isolation is a satisfying walk in itself, there's one thing that many people seem to like: a challenge! The Three Peaks of Yorkshire Walk provides that challenge. Just before reaching the buildings, we turn left following the Yorkshire Three Peaks Footpath sign to Pen-y-ghent summit one and three-quarter miles.
Head on a few to the next gate and then pass through this gate to turn left to start heading up the manmade steps. Traditionally, to be able to join the Yorkshire Three Peaks club, you needed to finish in under 12 hours and with reasonable levels of fitness and proper preparation, most people do manage that. We have set out some timing guidelines in our Three Peaks guide. Do not think though, that with lots of training you'll produce a record time, as each April the Three Peaks route attracts many of the country's best fell runners, who have brought the winning time down to less than 3 hours. If you stop and look behind every so often, you can now see, even with this small amount of height gain, Ingleborough on the horizon, which is the final hill to be climbed today.
For now, though, just keep on climbing beside the wall.
On reaching a crossing wall, pass through the gate. Next to the gate, there is a plaque asking for donations towards the Three Peaks path. It costs £35 for a metre to look after the paths in this area, so please consider donating. We've included a link in the description below to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Three Peaks Donations Page. Once through the gate, just continue on walking beside the wall. Pass through this next get then just keep straight on. Every so often, the path just moves away from the wall a few yards.
But if you look behind here now, you can see Whernside as well as Ingleborough on the far horizon.
Further around, you see the very faint outline of Pendle Hill.
If you enjoy these videos, please click the like button, subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell, so you know when any new walks have been uploaded. It is free to subscribe, and your likes and comments really do help our channel. Pass through this next gate with Pen-y-ghent now looking much nearer and much more imposing directly ahead.
Looking ahead now at Pen-y-ghent, you can see the two distinct climbs that we'll come on to shortly. If you want recommendations for what to wear and take on the Three Peaks walk, check out our Three Peaks Guide and our recommended kit list, links to which are in the description below.
Pass through the next gate, and we can see from the footpath sign that we're joining the Pennine Way. The Pennine Way is a 268-mile walk from Edale in the Derbyshire Peak District to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders. Just through the gate, if you look over the Pennine Way path, you can again see the faint, distinctive shape of Pendle Hill on the horizon, and then as you pan around, Fountains Fell is directly across.
The Fountains Fell name comes from when the land was used by the Cistercian monks from Fountains Abbey, 25 miles away. We will follow the Pennine Way sign now to start the first steep climb of the day.
The path is obvious to start with and keeps next to the grass border. If you look towards the gentleman ahead, you can see just before the top of this first climb, the path swings back diagonally left in front of the large crag.
You don't need to go on the grass. So at this point is where you turn diagonally left and then just head up the short distance. Some hands may be needed just over this short stretch. If you do a winter three peaks as I know from personal experience, these rocks can get very slippery when covered in ice. At the top of this first climb, you get a brief respite before climbing the steep steps that lie ahead.
If you look around here, you get a better view across to Fountains Fell, and then you can see further along over the Pennine Way path that we met and the path that you just walked up.
If you look ahead, you can see the route that the steps take up this next climb, with people on their way up them.
As with the initial first climb, there is a short section towards the top of the second climb where the path becomes a little more sketchy, and hands again may be needed. On certain bits, it's not so easy filming and climbing at the same time. But the top of the climb is soon reached, and you can see the manmade steps ahead, that soon turn into flags.
Looking around here, you can now see down both paths that you've just climbed up. Just continue on now and follow the flags all the way up to the trig point, on the summit of Pen-y-ghent. Mainly at weekends during the summer, you may bump into groups of people doing the Three Peaks walk for charity. We've tried to pull together a list of these charities, if you want to go around in an organised group. The link for which is in the description below.
Pen-y-ghent itself is the lowest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks at 694 metres high. The Ordnance Survey map shows Pen-y-ghent with hyphens, but many people and old text have it without. The name derivation is a little ambiguous. Pen is from Cumbric and as in today's Welsh language, means top or head, y is taken from the definitive article, ‘the'. ghent is the uncertain part. It could mean edge or border if taken from a derivative of gint, but also may mean heathen.
So possibly, hill on the border or top of the edge. In the past, it's also been translated as the hill of the winds. The onward route is through the gate stile in the wall behind the trig point.
From that stile you get 360 panorama.
Looking ahead, as you pan around, you see Whernside and Ribblehead Viaduct below it and then the flat top of Ingleborough. You see, there are a couple of weather shelters on the top of Pen-y-ghent if you want to stop and have a sandwich. And then the faint outline of Pendle Hill again, just to the right of the trig point on the far horizon and then around to the Fountains Fell.
Once over the wall, we follow the Pennine Way Yorkshire Three Peaks footpath sign directly away from the wall.
If you look ahead now, you can see our white onward path stretching out in front of us on the line just to the right of Ingleborough. At the bottom of the steps, the path bends around to the right. The path bends sharply around to the left at a signpost and we follow this path. The old Three Peaks route went on diagonally left here before the new path was built over Whitber Hill.
The new path is much easier to walk on and follow and misses out on Black Dub and Red Moss, where I have everlasting memories of wading through thigh-high mud on my first few Yorkshire Three peaks. So if you read anywhere, the Three Peaks route has been changed, and it was quite a few years ago now, this is the section that changed.
So we just follow the path around, following the Yorkshire Three Peaks sign for High Birkwith via Whitber. Pass through the gate across the path and just continue straight on. Pass through this next gate and just head on for a few yards to the path junction and the footpath sign. We're going to continue straight on here, which is a new path over Whitber hill.
If you look at the sign that's pointing to the left, you can see this is where we leave the Pennine Way as it heads off into Horton. So if you're unsure whether you can complete the Three Peaks, and there's a long way to go yet, you can bail here and follow the walled lane back into Horton, where you started.
Further around, you can see the path that we just came down from Pen-y-ghent, and then the path that goes directly away from the wall heads past Hull Pot. It's only 400 metres away, and Hull Pot is reputed to be the largest natural hole in England. It's 91 metres long, 18 metres wide, and 18 metres deep. If you check out our Pen-y-ghent walk, you can see what it's like after periods of extreme rainfall.
For now though, we'll just continue straight on, on the path that heads over Whitber Hill. After a while, the path pulls in by a wall.
If you look around here now, you can see the path down from Pen-y-ghent that we just walked down. Further around, you can still just about see the flat top of Ingleborough. The path passes over Whitber Hill and then goes down through a gap in the wall and over a wooden footbridge. Pass through either of the gate stiles and then follow the footpath down to the left at the bottom of the next drop.
We reach a footpath sign and rejoin the Pennine Way for a short stretch. If you do feel you can't manage the whole of the Three Peaks, there is another chance to cut it short here, as the lane to the left follows the Pennine Way back into Horton, where we started. We are going to ignore that though, and follow the Yorkshire Three Peaks footpath sign to the right to High Birkwith and follow the gravel track.
After about half a mile, pass through a gate. Over to the left, you can see towards the viaduct and Whernside beyond. For now, though, just continue straight ahead along the gravel track.
After a further about 300 metres, you meet a Yorkshire Three Peaks Footpath sign to High Birkwith by two gates on your left. We leave the Pennine Way here and pass through either of the gates. If you look behind here, this is where the old Three Peaks route rejoins us after it had passed through Red and Black Dub Moss.
Just continue straight ahead again, now following the path by the side of the wall. Upon reaching the next gate stile, pass through the stile and just continue straight ahead. Where the footpath meets the track, turn left to walk along the track. Just ahead are the trees at High Birkwith and High Birkwith Cave. Pass through the wooden gate stile.
Then again, just continue on along the track. Shortly afterwards, at a T-junction, follow the track around to the left again, following the Yorkshire Three Peaks Footpath sign. After a short distance at another path junction, we turn right here to follow the Yorkshire Three Peaks Footpath sign to Nether Lodge, one and a half miles. Pass over the stone stile built into the wall.
As we walk away from the gate following the path, as we crest the hill, we get the first real view of the Ribblehead Viaduct in front of Whernside, now directly ahead. There's a path that splits away left from the main track. Take this path, which is signed public footpath Ribblehead. Pass through this metal gate where just through to the right you can see God's bridge.
Ignore that though and we'll just carry straight on along the track, which slowly climbs the next hill. At the next footpath sign, we just keep straight on following the Ribblehead two and a half miles of sign. Shortly after the footpath sign, we pass over a wooden footbridge and then continue on to the gate just ahead. Pass through the gate, then once through the gate, just continue on along the gravelled path.
At the next footpath sign, which has been taking us around Nether Lodge, we follow the track around to the right, following the Yorkshire Three Peaks Ribblehead two and a quarter miles footpath sign. Pass over the wooden stile to the right of the gate, and again just continue straight on along the track.
At one point, the track passes over a wooden footbridge. The water under which is forming the start of the River Ribble, a 75-mile river that starts from a water source on Gayle Beck nearby and flows westwards to enter the Irish Sea at Lytham St. Annes.
There is also a footpath called the Ribble Way, which is a 72-mile route which closely follows the River Ribble from its start to its end. After having crossed the bridge continue straight on. Pass through the next gate that crosses the track, and again, just continue along the track. On reaching the buildings at Ingman Lodge, pass through the metal gate and then just continue ahead along the track that soon becomes tarmacked.
The road then meets the B6479 Horton to Ribblehead road. Pass over the cattle grid and turn right here along the road, but just before we set off if we have a look back around to the right Pen-y-ghent there now is a distant memory. The next mile of walking is along the road with a very little footpath to use, so take great care along this section.
Remember when road walking always face oncoming traffic except on a sharp bend when oncoming cars can't see you. So cross over the road for those. As the viaduct comes into view ahead, pass through the gate and just continue on alongside the road. At the T-junction at Ribblehead, we are going to cross the road and continue straight on.
Before we do, let's just have a quick look around here. Up to the left is the Station Inn and some additional parking, but more on that at the end of the video when we look at where you can eat and drink. Whilst just around to the right are two large laybys that do fill up during the day.
But, if you have two vehicles, you could leave one here and drive back to Horton to start the walk. In the car, you could then leave additional food and drink to pick up on the way around, so you don't need to carry as much. Also, in the layby on many days is the ice cream van, which has been coming here for many, many years.
It's called itself the fourth peak, and besides ice creams, it does have tea, coffee, soup and egg bacon or sausage balms, if you need that something extra to get you around. Back at the T-junction, just cross the road and then follow the path directly away from the road, following the Yorkshire Three Peaks Public Footpath sign.
Just continue along the gravel path towards the Ribblehead Viaduct. Upon meeting another gravel track, which, if you look around to the left, is coming in from the Station Inn, we turn right along this track to head towards the viaduct. The Ribblehead Viaduct or Batty Moss viaduct, as it used to be known, carries the Settle to Carlisle railway over Batty Moss. Its construction started in 1869 by over 200 men, most of whom lived in shanty towns purposely set up nearby.
Well over 100 men lost their lives whilst it was being built, many of whom are buried in the Church of St Leonard in nearby Chapel Le Dale, which has a plaque in their memory. The viaduct itself was completed in 1874 and the Settle to Carlisle railway line was opened for passengers in May 1876.
Looking over to the left here, Ingleborough is framed between a couple of the 24 stone arches that make up the viaduct, which are 32 metres above the ground at their highest point. Steam trains can also be seen passing over the viaduct, mainly in the summer months. We leave the wide track here to head along the narrow path towards the footpath sign Whernside four and a half miles.
Head straight on now to pull in beside the railway. The path runs parallel to the railway for quite a way now. Pass through this next gate, and then if you look behind you get a view of Pen-y-ghent and then around to the Ribblehead Viaduct, which is just above the path.
And then as you pan around to the right you can see Ingleborough, the flat-topped Ingleborough, which is the next destination once we've been over Whernside. Just keep straight ahead on this gravel path. After a while, we reach Blea Moor signal box, which, according to the Network Rail website, is the most remote signal box on their railways.
Besides being remote, there cannot be many signal boxes with better views in the country than this one. Again just continue straight along the path. If you have any thoughts about this walk or find there are any issues with any of the footpaths used, please share that down in the comments below. On our website, the route of today's Yorkshire Three Peaks walk is set out on an Ordnance Survey map along with a GPS download for your phone or GPS device.
The link to our Walks4all.com website is down in the description below. Head down to and pass over the footbridge over Little Dale Beck. Or if you are walking in midsummer, you may find there's no need to use the footbridge as the back has dried up. Continue again along the track which pulls in beside the aqueduct to cross over the Settle to Carlisle railway line. As you cross over the aqueduct, if you look over to your left you'll see Simon Fell, which heads up onto the flat-topped Ingleborough, whereas over to the right, the railway track disappears into Bleamoor Tunnel in Smithy Hill.
The couple of mounds that you can see just on the horizon on the top of the hill are actually air shafts that go down into the tunnel. Four air shafts were built to ventilate the Settle to Carlisle railway line as it passes through the tunnel. Once over the aqueduct, pass through the wooden gate and keep straight on. You just keep straight on following the Bridleway sign for a Dent Dale four miles.
The path climbs up some steps, where, over to the left Force Gill waterfall can be seen. It may come as a bit of a tonic, or maybe not, to know that this spot here is half distance on the walk. Pass through the wooden gate and then start the steep climb along the path and then the manmade steps up the hill. After about 500 metres, the path arrives at a wooden stile by a footpath sign. Just before reaching the stile, you'll also be glad to know we've now climbed half of the overall height of the walk.
We are going to follow the Whernside, one and three-quarter mile sign over the wooden stile, but first, with the additional height that we just gained, let's have a look around at the much-expanded vista. You can see our next target, Ingleborough and further around, Pen-y-ghent is looking now much further away on the horizon.
Across the shafts of Bleamoor Tunnel can be seen, following the line of the Settle to Carlisle Railway, passing underneath them. And then the path that continues up the hill, that we're not taking , heads over to Deepdale. For now, just head over the stile. Head away from the stile, continue climbing along the gravel path, and stop from time to time to take in the ever-expanding view.
The path runs parallel with the wall for a short section and then, after a while, becomes flagged underfoot. Just after the flags end, the path pulls in by the side of a wall. This wall is now followed all the way to the summit. Over to the left here, as more height has been gained, you can see Greensett Moss tarn down below.
After following the wall for about one kilometre, the summit is reached. The trig point indicating the summit itself on Whernside is just through the gap on the other side of the wall. Whernside is the highest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks at 736 metres high. It is a little hazy today, but often over the trig point from here you can see out to the sea at Morecambe Bay and then around along the line of the Lakeland Fells. Further around you can see the Calf and the Howgill Fells and below in the direction of Pen-y-ghent the Ribblehead Viaduct.
Finally, as we pan around, there is Ingleborough, our next target. On both sides of the wall here, there's a weather shelter which is very useful to get out of the wind. Pass back through the gap in the wall now and turn right to continue walking along the path that keeps beside the wall. Pass through either of the wood gates.
After a while, we reach the first of two shorter, steeper downhill sections before we leave the wall. Just head down this. At the top of this second slightly steeper downhill section, our path down below can now clearly be seen leaving the wall. You can pick out our white-coloured path as it weaves its way down towards Bruntscar in the direction of Ingleborough. At the bottom of this second steeper section, follow the path now as it heads away from the wall in the direction of Ingleborough.
These initial steep steps down have much improved over the years, but are still a little bit difficult to walk down. So take extra care if your legs are starting to tire. Pass through the wooden gate. If you look behind it, you can see what you've just come down.
And as you look further around again, you can see the Ribblehead Viaduct and Pen-y-ghent. Just continue ahead down this path. Pass through this next gate, and just continue heading down the path. Just before reaching the next gates and the buildings, looking around, you see the path that we just walked down coming off Whernside. Head down to and pass through the gate, and head down the track.
Now, follow it around to the right, following the sign for Three Peaks Hill Inn one-and-a-quarter-mile sign. Shortly after we've turned right, we now turn left, again following the Yorkshire Three Peaks Hill Inn one-and-a-quarter mile sign. Start heading down the road. Pass the right-hand side of the farm buildings at Bruntscar. Pass over the cattle grid or through the gate by the side of it, and just continue straight on.
Again, pass over the cattle grid, or through the gate by the side, and again, just continue straight on. I'm sure you've got the pattern by now, pass over the cattle grid or through the gate by the side of it, and just continue straight on. Then, for the final time, pass over the cattle grid or through the gate by the side of it and then continue straight on as the road now starts to rise. Over to the right now is the campsite at Philpin farm, where if you wanted somewhere to stay in the area again, you could stop here.
You don't have to start the Three Peaks walk in Horton; you could actually start it from the campsite here, or similarly, you can park at Whernside and start from there and then just do the circle. As it's a circular walk, you can start it from anywhere on the circle.
As the sign says, we're shortly about to reach some vending machines. As you reach the barn, if you look around, you see the entrance to the Philpin Farm campsite, and then on the other side of the road, there's some additional parking. If you look in the barn itself, there you'll find the Philpin Farm snack bar. You can see there the opening times of the snack bar. And also if the snack bar is shut, you can always get something out of the vending machines.
Just continue on walking on the road. Pass over the cattle right or through the gate to the side and just continue straight along the road heading towards Ingleborough. Upon reaching the B6255 Ingleton to Ribblehead road, pass over the cattle grid or through the gate and then turn left onto the road. Head up the road. We soon pass by the Old Hill Inn. Again, if this is open, you may be able to call in here for something to eat or drink. Continue on up the road until you reach a gate and a footpath sign just before the small building. Just past this, there is a small layby where you could park if there is space.
Turn right off the road, passing through the gate following the Yorkshire Three Peaks public bridleway, the Great Duke sign. Just through the gate, there is an information board welcoming you to Ingleborough and informing you about Ingleborough National Nature Reserve. Head away from the wall along the wide gravel track. Pass through the wooden gate and just continue straight ahead heading in the direction of Ingleborough.
Pass through this next gate and then if you look behind you see Whernside and the path that we came down off Whernside. Here, we just continue straight ahead on the path heading towards Ingleborough. Pass through this next gate and then just continue straight on. As the path passes through Southerscales Scar take time to have a look around at the limestone.
The limestone pavements around here have been formed by the movement of glaciers over time. The blocks of limestone themselves are called clints, and the gaps or fissures in between them are called grykes. The underlying flora around here is generally ferns in the grykes, along with any other lime-loving flowers that can take hold.
The large hole to the left of the path here is Braithwaite Wife Hole, a collapsed doline or shake hole in which there is a cave entrance. Continue on to where you soon reach a gate in the wall. Pass through the gate and head away from the wall along the flags. Stop and look around every so often as more height is gained.
You can see now back across to the Ribblehead viaduct, then back around to Whernside, which is starting to look more distant on the horizon. If watching this is making you think of doing the Three Peaks, remember to check out our free Yorkshire Three Peaks guide, the link for which is down in the description below. It includes tips for before, during and after the walk, parking, where to eat and drink, training, what to wear, what to take and much more.
We now reach the foot of almost the last climb. The steep wall in front of us does look imposing this late in the walk, with no doubt tired legs. The steps and a small zigzag make the walk up easier than it looks. At this small wall, the path zigzags heading away to the left and then coming back to the right, so it's less for a little while.
Towards the top of this climb, hands may be needed in a couple of places. We soon reach the top of this initial climb, where the path flattens and affords excellent views behind. Head on to and then pass through the next wooden gate, then start to walk up the next set of steps. Just before reaching the summit plateau of Ingleborough, we reach a stone marker. This is a very important marker. After having visited the summit of Ingleborough, we return to it as part of our home-bound leg. If you look behind this marker, besides getting the wonderful view, you can see the path that we've just come up to the marker and then to the right of that, you can see another path leading away across Simon Fell Breast.
This is the path that we're going to take when we come down to the marker. Continue on. Up the steps. Just before reaching the summit plateau, you pass to the right of this large boulder. Take note of this, as when you are coming off the summit plateau, you need to spot this and spot the path that comes back down to the left of it.
On reaching the summit plateau, you can see a couple of cairns. The path passes by the second one, keeping more or less along the edge, and then heads diagonally left across to the weather shelter and the trig point. In bad visibility, you should take a compass bearing from this point to the trig as this is the point where people are tired and more likely to make mistakes, and this is where most people get lost on the top of Ingleborough.
On a clear day like today, there's no issue with that because when you reach the second cairn, you can start to see the weather shelter up on the horizon. Ingleborough's trig point is just past the weather shelter. At 724 metres high, Ingleborough is the second highest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks behind Whernside.
Ingleborough on a clear day provides views to the Lakeland Fells to the north and as far away as the Snowdonia range to the south. From here you can see out to the sea at Morecambe Bay, and then as you look around to the right, you can see the faint outline of the Lakeland Fells, and then to the left of the weather shelter, you can see the top of Whernside.
And on the far horizon, the Howgills, and then as you look around, you can again see the top of Pen-y-ghent. And then further around, just to the left of the trig point, you can see the faint outline of Pendle Hill again on the horizon. We start the descent now by reversing the outward route. So pass by the weather shelter. The four-sided weather shelter makes sure there's somewhere to sit out of the wind.
Sometimes needed on days as windy as this. Continue on reversing the path we came up here. I'm a little left of the path, but we soon pick it up again as we reach the edge of Ingleborough's summit plateau. Wandering the edges of Ingleborough does provide some additional views.
Down below, you can see the Ribblehead viaduct and then again around Whernside. For now, though, will just continue on along the path that keeps quite close to the edge. After passing by the cairns we passed on the way up, you need to look for where the path branches off to the left to head down the left-hand side of the large boulder we passed on the way up. From the large boulder, you again get the great view down towards the Ribblehead viaduct and to Whernside.
Just continue on down now along the rough path - hands may be needed on odd sections until you reach the stone marker. As mentioned earlier, the left-hand path here is the one that we came up from the Hill Inn. This time, to get back to Horton, we will take the right-hand path that heads across Simon Fell Breast. Over to the right, now you can see Little Ingleborough and then Ingleborough that we've just walked over.
Eventually, you reach a wall stile. Just pass over this and then continue along the path in the direction of Pen-y-ghent directly ahead. At one point, you pass over some boards that keep you out of the marshy area underneath. Then, just after a short flagged section, we pass by this disused shooting hut. The shooting hut is actually mentioned and marked on the Ordnance Survey map.
The path then crosses a small stream, and straight after, passes through the wooden gate. There is a signpost at that gate showing two and three-quarters miles back to Horton in Ribblesdale. Head away from the wall. A short distance further on, where the path splits, we take the left-hand path in the direction of Pen-y-ghent, following the yellow arrow.
We then walk along between the wall and the limestone pavement, which is nearby to Sulber Pot. I have walked this path quite a few times in winter and it can get very boggy around here after heavy rain. Pass through this next gate and then just continue straight on along the path.
For most of the route back to Horton, we've got the view of Pen-y-ghent ahead. The path that we follow back now is mainly either gravel or flagged, but very easy to follow. We arrive at the three-fingered, which used to be a four-fingered signpost. Here, we just head straight across following the Horton in Ribblesdale two miles footpath sign. As you walk along through the limestone, you may notice a lot of these yellow and purple flowers.
I'm not the greatest with flora, but I think the yellow ones are the common rock rose and the purple ones are bloody cranes bill. If that's not right though, just let me know down in the comments below.
If you've enjoyed this Yorkshire Three Peaks walk, if you haven't already, please click the like button, subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell, so you know when any new walks have been uploaded. It is free to subscribe and you'll likes and comments really do help promote our channel. Just before the view disappears, we'll look around now to have a look at the path that we've just walked down and the flat-topped Ingleborough, which now looks very distant on the horizon. Pass through the next gate and just continue straight on.
At the next signpost again, just head straight on following the Yorkshire Three Peaks Horton in Ribblesdale one-mile footpath sign. The path starts ahead through bits of exposed limestone and then through a gap in a wall and then bends around to the right. The path now passes by various waymarkers and cairns. Pass through the gate by the side of the information board and then just continue straight on along the path. Upon meeting a wall, pass through the gate and again continue straight ahead. Through this next gate, and the end is almost in sight. You can see Horton now down below.
Head across this final field, and pass through the gate from where you can see Horton in Ribblesdale train station below. Once through the gate, head down the side of the fence. As the sign says - Stop, Look and Listen for any oncoming trains. If all is clear, cross taking great care. Once over the track, pass through the next gate, and then head down to the road, and then just continue straight across until we meet the road at the bottom. Upon meeting the road, just continue straight on along the pavement.
At the end of the pavement, follow the pavement around to the right to head over the wooden footbridge. The slight rise on the footbridge is the very, very last climb of the day. We're almost back in the car park. If you look over to the left from the bridge, you can see the Crown Hotel, which is one of the two pubs in Horton, along with the Golden Lion. Over the bridge, we head back into the car park.
Now you have finished the Three Peaks walk, after just over 24 miles of walking and 1,600m of climbing, you might be in need of something to eat and drink. If you have travelled and are staying in nearby Seattle, Ingleton, Hawes or elsewhere in the area, there are many great pubs and restaurants there. But if you're in need of something more local, we've set out a few places within two miles of the walk. The first place is the Crown Hotel that we saw from the bridge.
So turn left out of the car park. Just head over the bridge, and in front of you is the Crown Hotel. As of August 23, I believe the Crown Hotel is still open. But as you can see from the sign, the business is up for sale. It serves food and drink on reading some online reports, and I've not been in for a while, I'm not sure whether it's dog-friendly or not. So best checking first if you've got a dog with you.
Instead of turning left out of the car park, if you turn right, as we did at the start of the walk after walking a couple of hundred metres, you reach the Golden Lion Hotel. The Golden Lion Hotel serves food and drink and has accommodation.
I believe dogs are allowed in the bar and in the taproom. It also offers all-day parking. I've no footage of this next one, but there is also the Blindbeck tearoom in Horton, which when you exit to the train station, if you turn left the tea room is about 400 metres along the road on the right-hand side, which, according to their website, serves hot and cold refreshments and has its own car park.
It does say that dogs aren't allowed in the tea room. Everyone will have their own favourites. If I wanted something to eat or drink after the walk locally, currently I generally call in Middle Studfold tea room or the Helwith Bridge Inn, both within two miles on the road to Settle, or the Gamecock Inn about three miles away in Austwick.
I like Middle Studfold as you are off the main road and it has views. It serves homemade food, sandwiches, all-day breakfasts, toasties and cakes, along with a range of alcohols, teas and coffees. A little further on, just off the road to Settle, is the Helwith Bridge Inn. It serves food, and for me, a plus point is up to eight real ales on the bar, many brewed locally.
It's on the side of the River Ribble and has the Settle to Carlisle railway line running right past it. It's also dog-friendly. It has a bunk barn and check with them first, but I also believe it allows camper vans overnight in the car park and basic camping in the field next to the pub, if you need low-cost accommodation near the walk.
The other place I mentioned is the Game Cock Inn, just under three miles away in Austwick. It has good food with a French twist, has a range of cask ales and is dog friendly in the bar area. There is some accommodation and another beer garden around the back. It also has its own bakery with desserts and pastries to take out. You may notice the sign saying business to let.
But since I've filmed the Gamecock, I've read that Eric, the French chef and owner, is now staying for a few more years, which is good as I've always enjoyed the food there. We also passed two pubs on the way around - the Station Inn and the Old Hill Inn. I've had a few good meals in the Old Hill Inn in the past, but I believe that at the moment it is only open in the evenings, and they generally only serve food to the residents staying there.
But they do take extras from time to time if they have the staff. So I would suggest ringing them first to confirm. The Station Inn at Ribblehead is handy if you started the walk there, or if the timing is right, if you wanted to call by on the way around. The Station Inn serves food and drink, and is dog friendly, with some accommodation.
It was built at a similar time to the Ribblehead viaduct and was licensed in 1879. It also has a beer garden. To get there, if you pass by the weather forecasting stone and then turn left to head around the back through the car park. You will also notice camper vans here in the car park. I believe you can book in at the bar and stop in a camper van here in the car park. The beer garden has views of Whernside and the Ribblehead viaduct.
The last time I was in the beer garden, I enjoyed a pint of 1875, a classic pale ale by the Tirril brewery. It was a perfect accompaniment to the steak and ale pie. After the walk, there can't be many better ways to watch the sun go down over Whernside. Just before ending today's Yorkshire Three Peaks walk, we've put together a short fly-through using the Ordnance Survey app, the link for which is in the description below, to show you where you have been and give the walk a little more perspective.
We left the car park in Horton in Ribblesdale and then passed by the church before heading out towards Brackenbottom, then turning left, starting the climb up towards Pen-y-ghent. Upon meeting the Pennine Way, we turned left to start the two steep climbs up to the summit of Pen-y-ghent. We descended from Pen-y-ghent and, on a sharp left-hand turn, you can see the outline of the old Three Peaks path that went diagonally across the white track.
To the left here is a Pennine Way route into Horton. After Whitber Hill, we turned right to rejoin the Pennine Way for a short stretch. We then turned left off the Pennine Way to head towards High Birkwith. We passed over the wooden footbridge as we bypassed Nether Lodge and then we turned right on meeting the main road. At Ribblehead, we can see the Station Inn to the left and lay by to the right.
We headed straight on past the Ribblehead viaduct. After walking along the path close to the Settle to Carlisle Railway, we crossed it via an aqueduct. We then started climbing up towards Whernside, eventually just after a flag section, pulling in by the wall. That was then followed all the way along to the summit. After stopping briefly at the trig point on the summit of Whernside, we then started our descent more gently at first.
Then, as we headed away from the wall more steeply down to Bruntscar, we picked up the lane that we followed back to the main road, past Philpin Café campsite and the vending machines on the way. We turned left onto the main road past the Hill Inn, and then we turned right off the main road to start heading across towards Ingleborough.
We pass through the limestone at Southerscales and then climbed along the flagged section to reach the base of the steeper climb. After the steep climb, partway up the next climb, you can see the return path heading from the stone marker. We then head across the summit plateau to pass the weather shelter to reach the trig point.
We then reverse this part of the route back down to that stone marker. But this time we took the right on the path to head across Simon Fell Breast. We headed through the limestone and Sulber and then just continued straight on in the direction towards Pen-y-ghent. We headed over the railway line through the station and then on a short distance back to the car park. That ends our Yorkshire Three Peaks walk.