Friday Walk - [Alternative Walk] Pendle Hill (Whalley to Clitheroe): Easy route up and across the solitary Pendle Hill facing the Yorkshire Dales, descent across moor and through pastures then follow the meandering Ribble River [Settle Trip]

Length: 23.0 km (14.3 mi) [shorter walks possible, see below] 

Ascent /Descent: 574/554m 

Net Walking Time: 5 ½ hours 

Toughness: 7 out of 10

 

Take the 08.57 Clitheroe bus (Line 11) from Settle, Market Place, arrives Clitheroe Interchange at 10.13. Walk up to the train platform seconds away and take the 10.22 train, arrives Whalley 10.28. 

Return buses to Settle from Clitheroe Interchange (Stand 10): 16.20, 18.20.

 

This is a relatively easy route up and across the solitary Pendle Hill facing the Yorkshire Dales, considering its 557m above sea level height and 395m prominence over the surrounding ground and very steep scarp.

The start of the route passes many interesting and listed buildings in the former Abbey Precinct and the town centre of Whalley before briefly picking up a path along the (Lancashire) Calder River. It then joins the first stage of the Ribble Valley Jubilee Trail Long-Distance Path up and over Pendle Hill and down to Downham, initially steeply up along a golf course and a pasture, then more gently along an old drove road to Nick ‘O Pendle, a famously steep pass cutting through Pendle.

Good tracks lead gently up the ridge to the top of Pendle, first over some minor grassy tops, then along the dramatic Ogden Clough and lastly along engineered paths across the top plateau to the summit, with some dramatic views (in good weather only) to the Yorkshire Dales, the Bowland Fells and to the Sea at Blackpool.

From the summit at the scarp, good tracks and paths descend onto Downham Moor and further into a lush green valley and along minor streams into Downham, a very small but immaculately old-looking village with several lunch or tea options. The route then descends gently to Chatburn and into the Ribble Valley to follow the scenically meandering Ribble River for several kilometres to a former quarry, now nature reserve, on the outskirts of Clitheroe, then up along a road to train station and bus interchange.

 

Walk Options: 

Finish in Downham (Bus Lines 66/66S/67 to Clitheroe Interchange, at 14.49, 16.09, 17.49 [this bus connects to the number 11 bus with just 5 minutes to spare]), from stop St. Leonard’s Church, i.e. just before The Assheton Arms: cuts 7.5 km and 50m ascent. 

Finish in Chatburn (Bus Line 11 to Giggleswick/Settle at 16.09 from stop Mount Pleasant, or – from stop Post Office – Bus Lines C3/66/67/280 frequently to Clitheroe, or Bus Line 280 to Skipton at 16.22 and 17.22. All this is close to the two pubs and cuts 5.4 km and 40m ascent. Note: the pubs and bus stops in Chatburn are passed on an optional route, and this continues to lead back onto the main route further along at no extra distance.

 

Lunch: Picnic. 

Tea: Plenty of options, all within a few minutes’ walk to the train station. Check the webpage or pdf for details.

 

For walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here . T=swc.428