Ingleborough

[made in Scotland]

Today I had to drop my daughter off at work near Kendal at 7.00am. All week I'd been seeing weather forecasts promising a sunny weekend so decided to walk up Ingleborough for a change instead of heading into the Lakes. Parked between Chapel-le-Dale and Ribblehead; I was the first car there so there was a bit of uncertainty as to how to start today's car parking off sensibly - It's not always obvious to me!

Ingleborough from start of footpath near Chapel-le-Dale.

View across to Whernside from the start of the walk.

Whernside and a nice Yorkshire dry stone wall.

Ingleborough again with the edges of the limestone pavement in front. The path takes you through between two areas of pavement but I nipped up to the edge to have a better look at it.

Looking at Ingleborough with the edge of a limestone pavement in front.

Limestone pavement - I believe these are all listed and protected now.

Limestone Pavement

There's loads of this. (I think it's the Hart's Tongue Fern mentioned on the info board.)

Close up of Limestone Pavement and fern.

The info board also pointed out Braithwaite Wife Hole beside the path. This must be it - I didn't venture down into it.

Braithwaite Wife Hole

The walking is really a case of following the path which is really clear and has had a lot of work done to it. Ingleborough looking very green at the moment and a beautiful day.

Ingleborough in the sun.

Ribblehead Viaduct. 400m long with 24 arches.

Ribblehead Viaduct - well known feature of Settle to Carlisle line.

There is quite a bit of heather around here but I was still surprised to see this grouse. There were about a dozen of these along the path. I've never really seen their feet before as they're usually hiding in the heather.

Grouse - amazing feet!

The next little section is short but steep and it's a bit rocky at the top.

Steeper than it looks to get up to the ridge.

Then the last section to the top ...

Top in sight ahead.

The flat top is part stony and part grassy, with a trig point, shelter and two huge cairns. Views to all sides normally - but - what happened today - the clouds rolled in around us so the views were all pretty hazy or cloudy. Even Whernside was cloudy on top having been clear all the way up. In the opposite direction I could just see the top of Pendle Hill peeking out above the clouds. Just one example below - Pen-y-ghent about to get engulfed in clouds.

From top of Ingleborough - Pen-y-ghent disappearing in the cloud.

I wandered around for half an hour on the top and had a look at the remains of the hut circles which apparently are now thought to be Celtic and looked at the views on all sides; on a clear day, according to the toposcope, you can see some Snowdonia hills from here. It only took me about 2hrs to walk up here and that was pretty slowly. I've been up from the Ingleton side before and I believe the walk from Clapham is often said to be the best way, going past Gaping Gill. I would like to do the 3 peaks all in one day sometime .... but I'm not sure about all the walking in between. Maybe Whernside and Ingleborough from Ribblehead then drive to Horton and go up Pen-y-ghent from there?

[colgregg]

You had a good day, it seems. Ingleborough is one of Yorkshire's finest.

[mrssanta]

oh no you have to do them from Horton and clock in and out at the Cafe, then if you do them in 12 hours you can join the three peaks of Yorkshire club and get a badge!

[colgregg]

When doing all three as part of the 3 peaks It's only the section between Horton Scar lane and Ribblehead (4.5 miles approx) which wouldn't form part of a natural route to and from the summits and is probably the biggest drag. Part of this section was pretty boggy until recently but i believe a new path has been created. There is only a short mile or so from Bruntscar after Whernside to where you started your walk which is on tarmac so easy going for the 15 mins it would take. The last 4 miles to Horton will be a breeze, all downhill, feeling pretty chuffed that you've completed a great walk out.

[made in Scotland]

oh no you have to do them from Horton and clock in and out at the Cafe, then if you do them in 12 hours you can join the three peaks of Yorkshire club and get a badge!

Yes - I read somewhere about the clocking out and back at the cafe. Think they might have all packed up and gone home by the time I finish! I was just thinking I'll have to live without the badge! ..... Then I read this...

When doing all three as part of the 3 peaks It's only the section between Horton Scar lane and Ribblehead (4.5 miles approx) which wouldn't form part of a natural route to and from the summits and is probably the biggest drag. Part of this section was pretty boggy until recently but i believe a new path has been created. There is only a short mile or so from Bruntscar after Whernside to where you started your walk which is on tarmac so easy going for the 15 mins it would take. The last 4 miles to Horton will be a breeze, all downhill, feeling pretty chuffed that you've completed a great walk out.

.... which makes it sound sort of do-able. The 4.5 miles section that you mention is the bit that puts me off, and had also heard it's boggy but a new path sounds tempting. Your last sentence gets full marks for positive thinking! I would indeed be pretty chuffed.

[peak_hiker]

love Ingleborough, have climbed it many times now in the past couple of years but it really was challenging the last time i did it, it was a few days after heavy snow and the first bit was just like an ice wall, was actually quite scary

this vid i took doesn't really do it justice as its taken from the end of the first bit of climb and you can't see the steepness or how bad it was to climb