Yorkshire Dales Walk 2: Pen-y-ghent

Date: Monday 25th July 2011
Route: Pennine Way from Horton-in-Ribblesdale to the summit of Pen-y-ghent then back via Bracken Bottom
Distance: 5.5 miles

This isn't going to win any awards for the longest walk of the week, but there is a fair amount of climbing and descending to make this challenging enough, the first "tough" walk in the Pathfinder Guide to the Yorkshire Dales (walk 26), getting up to 694 metres.

Whilst the guidebook is full of useful info - why a hill in the Dales has a very Welsh name, for example (Celts forced out of their homes by Roman and Teutonic settlers) - this is a very straightforward, well-signposted walk and you could quite easily leave the guidebook at home.

From the car-park in Horton-in-Ribblesdale, it's a right turn, then it's easy to find the Pennine Way signposted just past the Pen-y-ghent Cafe (the checking-in place for the Three Peaks Challenge for the uber-energetic). The Pennine Way is very easy to follow, a very obvious and well-maintained path that rises slowly over the hillsides, surrounded by dry stone walls, sheep and ever-improving views (though Pen-y-ghent itself can look a bit daunting until you get closer to it).

Before the path veers off to the right and up the hillside you can make a quick detour along the path to Foxup to take a look at the Hull Pot, a giant hole in the ground that fills up with waterfalls in wet weather (no spectacular photos today, but frankly would rather have the nicer weather!).

Tracking back to the Pennine Way, the path becomes noticeably steeper (and harder-going). This is probably the most difficult part of it, however, as once you get to the edge of the escarpment and take a sharp right the ascent is less steep. All the hard work pays off when you get to the summit and suddenly you are surrounded by breathtaking views, not just behind you (where intensive quarrying takes the edge off the view slightly), but also ahead over the continuation of the Pennine Way route.

The wall at the top has a few benches and a trig point; many people seem to use the wall as a good leaning post and picnic site (those that aren't dashing off to climb the other two peaks that day!). The path continues on along the hillside and down, over a couple of rocky sections, where a bit of clambering is needed, and then leaves the Pennine Way to veer off to the right through fields, down to the main road and back to the car park. The Pen-y-ghent cafe is ideally situated for cake and pint-size mugs of tea - also Three Peaks ties, camping supplies and all manner of walking books.

Many people seem to do this walk in the other direction, but I think the guide gets it the right way round, having seen more than a few walkers struggling to clamber up the rocky sections. This is a very straightforward hill walk - up, along and down! Whilst it doesn't have as much going on as a more traditional country walk in terms of architecture or wildlife, it definitely helps to burn off those hearty holiday breakfast calories and rewards you with views that you wouldn't get on a lower level walk.