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With my last three walks being in Wales, I decided to head North. So on Bank holiday Monday I made the 150 mile journey to the Yorkshire Dales to bag Ingleborough and Simon Fell.
Thank you to Chris G for the GPX file.
My starting point was the small village of Clapham just off the A65. There is a small amount of road parking in the village. However, there is a large car park at the visitors centre.(£2.50 up to 2 hours, £4.50 over 2 hours). There are also toilet facilities on site.
The forecast for the day, said light showers in the afternoon.
- Clapham Church
Leaving the car park at 10.10, I headed North past the church following the signs for Ingleborough cave. As you enter the private grounds of Ingleborough Hall, you pass through a log cabin to pay a small fee of £1 for using the track. You are given a receipt, keep this safe if you intend to return the same way. Otherwise you will be paying another £1 to get out.
The track is broad and firm, it follows the beck through the forest, past the large lake and a disused stone chapel. After around 1 1/4 miles you reach Ingleborough Cave. Shortly afterwards the track turns into a path.
- Old Chapel
- stone bridge
- Ingleborough Cave
A short distance after the bridge you reach Trow Gill, taking the narrow exit up the steep path to exit the ravine. This path is rocky in places.
- Trow Gill
The path meets the wall and is crossed at a stile, Ingleborough comes into sight.
The part fenced area of Gaping Gill soon comes into view. Venturing down to take a couple of pictures, a few walkers where making up a tent and a family enjoying an early lunch. Fell Beck was virtually dry.
- Gaping Gill
- Fell Beck
- Ingleborough from Gaping Gill
Leaving Gaping Gill, I made my way back to the path which consisted of flagstones and gravel and lead up to Little Ingleborough. Here the path continues North with you climbing steadily past a line of sink holes to the summit which is marked by a trig point.
- Little Ingleborough
- View from Ingleborough summit
Heading East from the trig point a main path descends to a wall with a gate stile. The wall has a barbed wire top. You need to go through the stile and keep the wall on your right to reach the summit of Simon Fell. The summit about half a mile from this stile is a little grassy mound marked with small stones.
- Simon Fell looking towards Ingleborough
Looking over the wall in a southerly direction is a wall heading south. This wall was to be my handrail back towards Trow Gill. You can also follow part of this wall to Lords Seat.
A faint path takes you down towards Brunt Riggs and the Allotment. Keeping the wall on my left I quickly descended, with Gaping Gill coming into sight. I continued down the improved path and through a large metal gate. After a 100 yards or so a ladder stile crossed the stone wall, this path led down the hill to another gate. This was the man path. Turning right would take you towards Trow Gill. I went left, taking me towards Ingleborough Cave.
I was shortly back at the cabin. After showing my receipt from earlier, I left the private grounds and was soon back at my car, enjoying lunch and a brew.