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Ingleborough

Ingleborough


Postby poppiesrara » Mon Aug 29, 2011 11:49 pm

Hewitts included on this walk: Ingleborough, Simon Fell

Date walked: 29/08/2011

Time taken: 3.75

Distance: 17.5 km

Ascent: 690m

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Quite possibly, another report from a hill everyone else has already climbed! But – having found the one area not quite sharing the customarily awful August bank holiday forecast – an easy walk up one of Yorkshire’s ‘Big Three’ on an interesting route.

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I hadn’t realised that 9.00 was an exceptionally early start, but it was certainly surprising to see an empty carpark and quiet footpaths on such a popular hill on a holiday – the locals are obviously late starters, as there was barely room to move in Clapham by lunchtime… This route started with a very pleasant mile or so along the nature trail through the Ingleborough Hall estate - I’ve seen the ‘toll’ for this get some real stick elsewhere, but it’s a nice wooded walk past the lake and falls on a very well-kept path. (And it’s only 60p, for goodness sake! About a mouthful of beer these days…). The path narrows through Clapdale into the short but beautiful narrow ravine of Trow Gill and onto the open moor. Disappointingly though, Gaping Gill was full of the detritus of its ‘open-to-the-public’ day, and any view of its depths blocked by winches and assorted safety measures.
1 The Lake north of Clapham.jpg
The Lake north of Clapham

2 Encombe Bridge on The Lake.jpg
Encombe Bridge on The Lake

3 Clapdale.jpg
Clapdale

4 Trow Gill.jpg
Trow Gill

5 First view of Ingleborough.jpg
First view of Ingleborough

6 A rather 'spoilt' view of Gaping Gill.jpg
A rather 'spoilt' view of Gaping GIll

From here, the path up to and over Little Ingleborough to the main top is steep but, on a very well (and – it appears – expensively) made path of gravel and broad stone steps, easy and quick going. Ingleborough has some quite steep limestone escarpments, but the summit area itself is very broad and flat – it’s worth wandering around the edges for the best views of the surrounding dales and hills, with the limestone crops and Whernside to the west catching the eye especially, and – as for most of the morning – the distinctive silhouette of Pen y Ghent to the east prominent.
7 Path up Little Ingleborough.jpg
Path up Little Ingleborough

8 Back to Little Ingleborough.jpg
Back to Little Ingleborough

9 Ingleborough escarpments.jpg
Ingleborough escarpments

10 Limestone on Twiselton Scars from Ingleborough.jpg
Limestone on Twiselton Scars from Ingleborough

11 View south from Ingleborough over Grey Scars.jpg
View south from Ingleborough over Grey Scars

12 Whernside & Winterscales from Ingleborough.jpg
Whernside & Winterscales from Ingleborough

Hewitt-‘baggers’ will follow this with the little neighbouring lump of Simon Fell, and – after a clear stepped path down from the main summit – the wet grassy track that takes you there is rather a comedown. The hill itself is pretty nondescript, but it does offer some quite different prospects of Ingleborough, and also of the smaller hills to the north-east. After squeezing between the barbed-wire and the wall, the grassy ride across the ridge to Lord’s Seat is deceptively easy – the descent back to the main Ingleborough-Horton track thereafter being a horribly tricky zigzag between some very spongy and deep bogs. The route to and from Simon Fell is a reminder that – before the path-builders worked their wonders – climbing Ingleborough might not always have been the easy pleasure it is now…
13 Park Fell & Simon Fell.jpg
Park Fell & Simon Fell

14 Great Coum & Whernside.jpg
Great Coum & Whernside

15 Ingleborough from Simon Fell.jpg
Ingleborough from Simon Fell

16 Dodd Fell Hill & Yockenthwaite Moor on horizon from Simon Fell.jpg
Dodd Fell Hill & Yockenthwaite Moor on horizon from Simon Fell

17 Ingleborough.jpg
Ingleborough

18 Colourful bogs, descending Simon Fell.jpg
Colourful bogs, descending Simon Fell

It’s a comfortable stroll from there gradually back down to Clapham, cutting off the main path to follow a clear grassy track over the limestone ‘pavements’ south to join the Long Lane bridleway. Quite uneventful going from here, but pleasant views over the earlier route through Clapdale and of Thwaites Scar above to the left, before dropping down through the unusual dark path-tunnels back to the start.
19 Pen y Ghent.jpg
Pen y Ghent

20 Pen y Ghent in close-up.jpg
Pen y Ghent in close-up

21 Walled fields, head of Clapdale.jpg
Walled fields, head of Clapdale

22 Thwaite Scars above Long Lane.jpg
Thwaite Scars above Long Lane

23 Clapdale Scars from Long Lane.jpg
Clapdale Scars from Long Lane

24 Robin Proctor's Scar.jpg
Robin Proctor's Scar
Last edited by poppiesrara on Sat Oct 20, 2012 10:34 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Ingleborough

Postby ChrisW » Tue Aug 30, 2011 11:57 am

What a cracking walk, but then I would say that being a yorkshireman myself :wink: beautiful pics of an area I am starting to miss more than I realised. Surprised to see so few shots with other people wandering about as this used to be a real crowd puller....maybe the playstation is winning the war on life :?

Really enjoyed this P, thanks for sharing :D
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Re: Ingleborough

Postby icemandan » Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:11 pm

Excellent report and good photos. Was the bosun's chair down Gaping Gill operating? They often do it on a Bank Holiday.I'm no caver but it's an unfulfilled ambition. Ingleborough is a fantastic viewpoint though for the defenders of the hillfort it must have been miserable in winter (someone must have had to fetch water from somewhere as well). There is a skinflints route which avoids Clapdale but I think you'd have to be pretty mean spirited to miss it out for the sake of 60p. The tunnels at Clapham are interesting.They were dug so that the Lord of the Manor didn't have to watch peasants crossing his lawn.
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Re: Ingleborough

Postby ndhudson » Fri Sep 02, 2011 4:21 pm

Aside from the annoying reminder of modern civilization in the pic of Gaping Gill, that was great!
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Re: Ingleborough

Postby Peter Syme » Sun Sep 04, 2011 3:54 pm

Great photos and brought back lots of memories. I used to go up every 2 weeks between 84 and 86 rain, snow or shine when I lived in the area then straight back to the cavers cafe in the village for a steaming brew. Must revisit sometime soon, such a easy detour off the M6
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Re: Ingleborough

Postby colgregg » Wed Oct 05, 2011 10:20 am

ndhudson wrote:Aside from the annoying reminder of modern civilization in the pic of Gaping Gill, that was great!

It's not a permanent feature. They set this up a couple of times a year to allow the public (those brave enough) access to the pothole. All money made goes to the funds of the caving clubs (Bradford pothole club and Craven pothole club). It's something I've been aiming to do for years but have never got round to it yet, I always seem to say "next year". I'm told it's a memorable experience.
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Re: Ingleborough

Postby ndhudson » Fri Oct 07, 2011 7:09 pm

colgregg wrote:It's not a permanent feature. They set this up a couple of times a year to allow the public (those brave enough) access to the pothole. All money made goes to the funds of the caving clubs (Bradford pothole club and Craven pothole club). It's something I've been aiming to do for years but have never got round to it yet, I always seem to say "next year". I'm told it's a memorable experience.


Well that's cool! I looked it up...sounds like a totally new way to see the hills, from the inside out! Go for it, Colgregg...I would love to see that trip report! :thumbup:
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Re: Ingleborough

Postby garyhortop » Tue Oct 11, 2011 6:26 pm

As mentioned the bosun's chair isn't a permanent feature and does go towards funding the cave rescue service as well. For those feeling brave the trip is well worth the effort as Gaping Ghyll main chamber is huge (apparently York Minster or St Pauls Cathedral would fit into it - so I was told!). As a former potholer I have also been fortunate enough to get to the main chamber via Bar Pot and Disappointment Pot - both amazing trips if you can find a friendly pothole club to take you! Reminisence over this is after all a walking site!! Great pictures and looks like a fantastic walk!
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