Length : 18.2 km (11.3 mi) [longer and shorter walks
possible, see below]
Ascent /Descent: 601/636m
Net Walking Time : 5 hours
Toughness : 6 out of 10
Take the 09.20 Carlisle train from Leeds City Station (Shipley 09.38, […], Settle 10.21, […]), arrives Dent at 10.47.
Return trains: 16.15, 17.43, 19.48, 21.45.
Buy a Dent return .
This fairly easy route (for a mountain walk) starts at England’s highest
operational mainline station and rises steeply along a quiet road to the 500m
above sea level. You then follow the Pennine Bridleway along the contour around
Great Knoutberry Hill before turning left up the grassy slope to its summit at
672m above sea level (a shortcut cuts out the ascent). From the top – in good
weather – you have fantastic views past Wild Boar Fell and Mallerstang into the
Vale of Eden, as well as to the Yorkshire Dales peaks and some of its valleys.
A short and easy descent leads to a grassy track that skirts around the
top of Wold Fell before dropping to a road. Turn easterly across to Dentdale
for views of Dent Head railway viaduct, one of three seen on the route. A
scenic ascent up to Blea Moor follows and you cross the moor on a good track
which follows the line of the Blea Moor Railway Tunnel beneath. This very quiet
stretch enchants with views of Whernside and Ingleborough, some meandering
streams as well as the spoil heaps associated with the build of the tunnel and
its airshafts. You then briefly share the usually busy route of the Yorkshire
Three Peaks Challenge, but soon enough turn off it for a scenic loop along a
beck and through pastures towards and under the famous Ribblehead Viaduct.
Most of the route uses good paths or tracks, with only the stretch over
the top of Great Knoutberry Hill being trackless, but even that is overly bog
and tussock-free.
Walk Options:
An out-and-back from the top of Great Knoutberry Hill along its north easterly flank (Widdale Fell) of up to 6 km each-way
enables fine views into Widdale and Wensleydale, the valley of the River Ure.
The Pennine Bridleway, a waymarked Long-Distance Path, contours the
flank of Great Knoutberry Hill about 150m below its summit, cutting that amount
of ascent and avoiding clouds or mist in inclement weather.
A more direct route near the end along the railway line cuts 1.1 km
distance but also the drama of walking underneath the famous Ribblehead Viaduct
and a scenic stretch along the Winterscales Beck.
Lunch: Picnic.
Tea: Station Inn – Ribblehead
Open all day every day. Food served all day every day. Located 200m from the end
of the walk.
For walk directions, map, height profile, photos
and gpx/kml files click here . T=swc.437
6 comments:
No trains from Leeds west to Skipton and beyond. Anyone starting from Leeds, let's meet at the station and see what can be done. Trains showing on time and running further west, ie from Settle.
Meet at 9?
Trying .. Tree damage to overhead lines between Shipley and Skipton. There is a note on-line about bus replacement going from Skipton to Shipley so presumably also the other way round
Going to Shipley on the 9.12, hoping for a bus replacement, else might do a walk from there
11.03 from Shipley to Dent showing as On Time. 13 of us here. 2 more apparently got in at Leeds. 90 mins behind any starters from Settle
14 of yesterday's walk plus 2 late arrivals into Leeds plus 6 arrivals into Settle makes 22 SWCies around, but 3 of those chose to do their own thing (Settle dwellers), so 19 on the walk.
3 of those started off the posted train from Settle, but the Leeds dwellers had to deal with a closed down line from Leeds to Skipton due to a train falling onto the overhead wires.
Long story short, we were all on the next train along (delayed by 10 mins), ie 100 mins behind the other lot. It was a wonderful day to do this walk (or any other walk, for that), with warm temperatures, the sun being out all day and a fierce wind blowing.
The forecast was for 50 mph winds on the tops, but it felt less than that (ie we had no trouble staying upright and keeping walking).
The views from the tops to all the other tops were a bit hazy but miles better than I have had on any of my recce walks (and therefore the photos on the website show). Some boggy or water-logged stretches but all-in good walking for being pretty much off the beaten track.
We concertinaed on the ascents but often reconvened, admired the railway viaducts, the Blea Moor Tunnel and the Three Peaks views.
At the Ribblehead Inn, we bumped into the other 3 as they were leaving for the 17.45, while all but 1 of us had dinner and are now on the 19.48.
Great day out. N=19, w=sunny-and-warm-with-a-strong-wind
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