Walking Britain Yorkshire Dales Walk
Pen-y-ghent via Brackenbottom
Maps | |||
| Ordnance Survey Explorer OL2 | Sheet Map | 1:25k | BUY |
| Anquet OS Explorer OL2 | Digital Map | 1:25k | BUY |
| Ordnance Survey Landranger 98 | Sheet Map | 1:50k | BUY |
| Anquet OS Landranger 98 | Digital Map | 1:50k | BUY |
It is recommended you take a map. The preferred scale is 1:25k. | |||
Walk Route Description
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Pen-y-ghent is the lowest mountain of the Yorkshire "Big Three". Its distinctive shape, caused by its geology, means it is probably the most easily recognised of the trio. Rising above the village of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, the summit is crossed by the Pennine Way and offers some fine views across the North Yorkshire countryside and into neighbouring Lancashire. The village of Horton has refreshments (cafe and pubs) and there are toilets at the main car park. This route to the summit is probably less used than the other via Brackenbottom.
Click thumbnails for larger images.
The start of this Yorkshire Dale walk is the pay and display car park (grid ref. SD807726) on the northern outskirts of the village adjacent to the River Ribble. Exit the car park and walk south through the village. Go past the solid looking parish church and turn left off the main road down a lane. A few hundred metres along this lane go right across the footbridge over the stream and turn left up the lane towards Brackenbottom. The lane climbs gently offering improving views of the countryside.
Just before Brackenbottom, take the signed path (Grid ref. SD816722) on your left to Pen-y-ghent. The path climbs in great steps alongside a wall over limestone. As you get higher, the geology changes to gritstone. You reach a cross wall and the Pennine Way (Grid ref. SD836727). Cross the stile and turn left. The path climbs more steeply now with a couple of sections requiring a little use of hands as you ascend the prow of Pen-y-ghent. Soon the gradient eases and you are on the summit plateau with the summit marked with a concrete trig column.
To descend, cross the wall and follow the Pennine Way northwest. This path descends steadily across the western flank of the mountain. Where the main path turns sharp left (Grid ref. SD838742), continue ahead on a less defined path that heads for Horton Moor. This section can be a little wet after rain and is the route used by the Three Peak Challenge. The path descends to cross a beck on a plank to reach the main valley path from Foxup.
Turn left along this main path and after a few hundred metres cross the stile on your right to visit impressive Hull Pot. This is particularly impressive when Hull Pot Beck is in spate. From here continue south to regain the main path. Rejoining the main path to and from Pen-y-ghent (Grid ref. SD823743) continue down the walled lane into Horton in Ribblesdale. Reaching the main road, turn right and the car park is a short way along on the left.
Other walks nearby
Walk 1121 Pen-y-ghent & Plover Hill from Horton in Ribblesdale - moderate - 9.0 miles/14.6 km
Walk 1500 Pen-y-ghent via Horton Scar - moderate - 6.8 miles/11 km
Walk 3433 Pen-y-ghent, Whernside & Ingleborough from Horton - very hard - 24.5 miles/39.8 km
Walk 3392 Darnbrook Fell & Fountains Fell - moderate - 6.4 miles/10.4 km
Walk 1251 The Norber Erratics & Sulber Gate - moderate - 8.0 miles/13 km
Walk 2620 Sulber Gate & Crummack Dale from Austwick - moderate - 9.5 miles/15.4 km
Walk 2649 Attermire Scar & Malham Tarn from Stainforth - mod/hard - 16.5 miles/26.8 km
Walk 1248 Trow Gill, Ingleborough & Long Scar from Clapham - moderate - 9.5 miles/15.4 km
Walk 2796 Gaping Gill, Ingleborough & Norber From Clapham - moderate - 13.0 miles/21.1 km
Walk 3599 Clapham, Oxenber Woods, Feizor & Settle - easy/mod - 7.5 miles/12.2 km
Recommended Books & eBooks
Pennine Way Map Booklet
Map of the 270 miles (435km) Pennine Way National Trail, between Edale in the Peak District and Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders. This booklet is included with the Cicerone guidebook to the trail, and shows the full route on Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps. This popular long-distance route typically takes three weeks to complete.
More information
Trail and Fell Running in the Yorkshire Dales
Guidebook to 40 of the best trail and fell runs in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Ranging from 5 to 24 miles, the graded runs start from bases such as Ribblehead, Dent, Sedbergh, Malham and Grassington and take in the region's diverse delights, from castles and waterfalls to iconic mountains such as Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen Y Ghent.
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Navigation
This pocket handbook to navigation will help you master the necessary map and compass skills for mountain walking. Chapters include map scales, symbols and contours, grid references, map reading, bearings, route planning and night and bad-weather navigation, as well as navigating with a GPS.
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