By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies (needed to provide our website’s features) and our Terms of Use.
This video shows a circular walk to the summit of Pendle Hill from from the Nick of Pendle through Pendleton Moor, Apronfull Hill and Ogden Clough before returning via Pendle Moor, with wonderful panoramas across the Ribble Valley and beyond. The entire walk has been filmed in 4K, allowing walkers to see the entire route, including where to park, eat, and drink.
Today's walk is Pendle Hill from the Nick of Pendle, just outside Sabden, a village in the Ribble Valley in Lancashire. Before we start, let's have a look at where we will be walking today. We initially head out climbing over Pendleton Moor, which soon affords views behind of Clitheroe and across the Ribble Valley, with Fairsnape Fell and Longridge Fell amongst the hills on the horizon.
We continue climbing and soon pull in alongside Ogden Clough. From here, we continue to climb gently through Ogden Clough, and then along the flagged section of path over Barley Moor to reach the Trig point on the top of Pendle Hill.
There is a wonderful panorama from the summit of Pendle Hill over the Ribble Valley towards the Trough of Bowland and out to Blackpool in the West and around over the East Lancashire Valley. Down below, you can see the Ogden Clough and Black Moss reservoirs, and then around to the Yorkshire Three Peaks and the Yorkshire Dales.
On the return leg, we stride out over a wide grassy path to the northwestern side of Pendle Hill, which again affords wonderful views out over the Ribble Valley and beyond.
We continue on past the weather shelter and Scout Cairn to walk alongside this wall, before then descending down through the bracken to reach Howcroft Brook in Ashendean Clough.
We end the walk by passing Pendle Ski Slope and the Wellsprings. Stay watching until the end to see where else you can eat and drink after the walk.
Back at the start, there were a few rough laybys on each side of the Nick of Pendle, and further parking is available a little further down the road on each side of the hill, heading towards Sabden and past the Wellsprings on the other side. If you use any of these, you will have a little further to walk back up to the start.
We leave the road from Sabden just before it crests the hill on the Nick of Pendle. From here, we head up the wide grassy path away from the road, which very quickly becomes stony underfoot. As the path flattens, we can see the path to be taken stretching out before us over Pendleton Moor.
Just walk along the wide track as it slowly rises. Even with this small amount of height gain, there are good views behind of Clitheroe and across the Ribble Valley, with Fairsnape Fell and Longridge Fell amongst the hills visible on the horizon.
Just continue climbing up the track. With a little bit more height, again, if you look behind now, the panorama has expanded, and in the foreground, you can see the Wellsprings and Pendle ski slope, which we will visit towards the end of the walk.
Keep on heading up the wide track. As you pass over Apronfull Hill, as part of local folklore, Apronfull Hill is supposed to be where the devil filled his apron full of stones and then threw them in the direction of Clitheroe Castle. He got angered as most missed, and in his anger, dropped a pile of stones from his apron here at this spot. If you look over to the left, on the other side of the clough, you can see Mearley Moor that we will walk along and off, towards the end of today's walk.
Looking down the other way from the track, you can see Sabden and Churn Clough reservoir down below. For now, just continue climbing up the wide track.
The path that we are following here, from the Nick of Pendle to just past the summit of Pendle Hill, forms part of the Ribble Valley Jubilee Trail. The Ribble Valley Jubilee Trail is a stunning 65-mile circular walk that meanders through the picturesque rolling hills and breathtaking uplands of the Ribble Valley in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
After a while, we reach a stone waymarker showing Mearley Moor to the left and the summit straight on. We just go straight on here, following the summit sign. We will walk over Mearley Moor on the return leg of this walk.
Back to the Ribble Valley Jubilee Trail. It was created in 2022 to commemorate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. The trail begins in Whalley and is divided into seven manageable sections. Along the way, you will pass charming villages such as Downham, Slaidburn and Hurst Green, as well as scenic spots like Stocks Reservoir and Pendle Hill.
If you enjoy these videos, please click the like button and subscribe to our channel to see more of our walks. It's free to do so, and your likes and comments really do help promote our walks.
The path starts to flatten as it approaches Ogden Clough. At a cairn looking down Ogden Clough over to the right, you can see some of the trees of Fell Wood, which are above the Ogden Clough reservoirs. Just continue on along the path.
After a while, the path joins a path coming in from below to our right. This is the path from Barley that passes by the Ogden Clough reservoirs and then heads up Ogden Clough. It's the path we used on our Pendle Hill via Ogden Clough walk from Barley.
We then follow this narrower path as it gently climbs for just under half a mile, with the stream running through Ogden Clough below us to the right.
The route of today's Pendle Hill Walk from the Nick of Pendle is set out on an Ordnance Survey map along with a free GPX download for your mobile or GPS device on our walks4all.com website, the link for which is down in the description below.
The path pulls in close to the stream by a stone waymarker signed summit to the right. We cross over the stream here and then head on up through the metal gate opposite.
Once through the gate, head away from it, up the initially rocky path that then soon becomes flagged underfoot. We follow this flagged path now for just over half a mile to just before the Trig point on the summit of Pendle Hill. Stopping from time to time just to take in the view.
When the flagged path ends, it becomes stony underfoot for the final 50 yards or so to the Trig point on the summit of Pendle Hill. Pendle Hill is famous, amongst other things, for its association with witches and George Fox. To learn more about both of these and Pendle itself, check out our ultimate guide to Pendle Hill, the link for which is down in the description below.
The guide includes five different walks up Pendle Hill and the Pendle Sculpture Trail Walk. There is a wonderful panorama from the summit of Pendle Hill. Looking back down the path we walked up, you can see over the Ribble Valley, the Trough of Bowland and Blackpool out in the West and then around of the East Lancashire Valley.
Further around, over the Trig point here, you can see the Yorkshire Three Peaks, the Yorkshire Dales and then around to the Southern Lakeland Fells.
If you wander towards the edge, you get a good view down of the Black Moss reservoirs and the Pendle Sculpture Trail in the trees just behind it, Barley, and then around to Lower Ogden Reservoir to the right.
Back at the Trig point, from the direction you originally approached it from Ogden Clough, we turn left here to head away from the Trig point down the wide stony track for about 300m to reach the wall, which is visible ahead. There are some sheltered seats here within the wall if you want to break, next to which is a plaque by George Fox.
Upon reaching the wall, we pass through this metal kissing gate just to the left of the wooden gate. A few yards away from the wall is a stone marker showing Downham straight on and Nick of Pendle to the left. We head left here following the Nick of Pendle sign, and head along the wide grassy path for about three-quarters of a mile.
Going back to George Fox. Pendle Hill holds a unique place in the history of the Quaker movement, due to its association with George Fox, the founder of the Religious Society of Friends, more commonly known as the Quakers. In 1652, George Fox had a profound and spiritually transformative experience whilst on the slopes of Pendle Hill. This experience would ultimately shape the course of his life, the Quaker Faith and the Quaker movement.
After about three-quarters of a mile, the path pulls into a wall. Again, there are wonderful views here from the wall out towards Blackpool, Longridge Fell, Walker Fell, Fairsnape Fell, with Clitheroe in the foreground and then around to the Lower Lakeland Fells and the Yorkshire Dales.
Pass through the metal kissing gate, then head away from the wall the short distance to reach the weather shelter. There are some stone seats inside for a break, if you want to shelter from the wind.
To continue, walk on in the same direction for about 500m along the wide grassy path towards the Scout Cairn, which is now visible ahead.
You can see a path approaching the cairn from the right. This is the path we use on our Pendle from Downham walk to climb Pendle Hill. This cairn is marked on the map as a pile of stones, but due to all the Scout-related plaques embedded in it is known locally as the Scout Cairn. Looking back, you can see the weather shelter on the horizon.
To continue, keep on in the same direction past the Scout Cairn, and then after a short distance, the path becomes stony underfoot and more defined as it works its way across Pendle Moor.
After a few hundred metres, just after the path returns to being grassy underfoot, there's a split in the path. Take the right-hand fork here. If you did take the left one by mistake, you should be able to correct your error soon afterwards, as the wall we will walk alongside should be visible ahead, and you can just head back over to that wall.
Pass over a tumbled-down wall. Then we keep straight on in the same direction to head along the left-hand side of the wall that stretches out ahead. This next section can be a little boggy at times, so it is a walk where walking boots are recommended. For our walking boot recommendations and what hiking kit to take on your walk, check out the link in the description below.
After about 500m, the wall turns 90 degrees to the right. We will continue straight on here in the same direction as we were walking alongside the wall. Just before starting the descent, if you look behind, you can see a memorial cairn on the wall corner. Head away from the wall where the narrow grassy path soon starts to descend.
After about 300m, the path starts to descend more steeply. Then, the path splits as it swings around to the right. Where this path splits, we take the path that heads off more steeply downhill to the left, initially just keeping to the right of the bracken.
If you look ahead, you can pick out the onward path on the far side of the brook as it heads diagonally away from it. It's better to get your bearings and pick out this now, as it isn't clear once you have dropped down into the brook.
The path makes its way through bracken as it heads steeply down towards Howcroft Brook and Ashendean Clough below. If you look across, you can see the path that we're going to take from the brook heading up and then heading to the right.
Looking to the right, you can see two more paths heading away from the brook. If you take either of these paths, you need to head left after the initial climb to join up with the top green path. Head down to the water. Cross over the water, and then find your chosen path.
If you look back, you can see the path you've just descended down off Mearley Moor into Ashendean Clough. Head away from the brook, and then follow the path as it swings around to the right, to head diagonally up.
As the path starts to flatten and you can see further ahead, if you look around to your right, you can see one of the other paths joining us if you took one of the right-hand paths over the water.
Continue walking along this sketchy path, which does get much easier to follow. After about 300m, the path reaches a layby on Clitheroe Road where you can see the Wellsprings over to the left. Take the left-hand path to keep just above the road for a short distance, before dropping down to it at a footpath sign.
Upon reaching the road, turn left to walk along the grass verge, and then cross over to pass by the Pendle Dry Ski slope. Opposite the ski slope is a footpath sign. This is the footpath that leads away from the road that we will return to shortly. The Pendle Ski Club is member-owned and run by volunteers, and it's also where Dave Ryding learnt his craft. In addition to competing in the Olympics and many other world downhill races, in January 2022, he took his and Great Britain's first-ever World Cup win, winning the slalom in Kitzbühel in Austria.
As we've almost finished today's walk, just head on past the ski slope to the Wellsprings. The Wellsprings is a restaurant, bar and café that also offers accommodation with views across the Ribble Valley. The restaurant serves Spanish and Mexican food and has a selection of wines, beers and sangria. If the weather is okay, there's plenty of outside seating with wonderful views.
Sometimes, you just need to savour the view. If you're planning to have something to eat and drink, check the opening times on the website, as they don't open every day of the week. Upon leaving the Wellsprings, the layby where we started the walk is about 400m to the right up the road. But as I like to keep off the roads wherever possible, we can extend the walk by about one hundred metres by using an off-road grassy path.
To do that, we need to return to the footpath sign that we passed just before the Wellsprings. If you did want more food and drink choices after the walk, there are a couple of pubs and cafes in Sabden just over the hill. Or if you were to head down this road on the Wellsprings side, either by foot or by car, the village of Pendleton is about one mile away, where you will find the Swan with Two Necks.
The Swan with Two Necks is an award-winning CAMRA pub that serves food and drink. There are fires inside for the colder days, and some seating out front and in the beer garden and around the back that affords views through to Pendle Hill.
Amongst their many awards, they were voted Lancashire Pub of the Year 2023. They do have a great range of ales, so it would have been remiss of me not to try one. Back at the footpath sign opposite the Wellsprings. Follow the path away from the road as it heads uphill with the road down below to the right of us.
Take time to have one last look around the Ribble Valley and beyond. After about 400m of walking from the road, the path meets the outbound track. Turn right upon meeting it and follow it back down to the laybys on the road.
Before we end today's walk, we've put together a short fly-through using the Ordnance Survey app to give the walk and the area a little more perspective. We left the laybys at the Nick of Pendle to head along the wide track, climbing Pendleton Moor and Apronfull Hill.
We continued climbing until the path became a little less steep as it pulled into Ogden Clough. We then followed Ogden Clough until we crossed the water to start heading up the flagged section of path up to the summit of Pendle Hill. Upon reaching the Trig Point at the top of Pendle Hill, you turn left to follow the wide gravel track down to the wall. We passed through the wall and turned left, following the Nick of Pendle sign along the wide grassy path.
We then passed through the wall to pass by the weather shelter and then on to the Scout Cairn. After the Scout Cairn, we continued on, walking across Pendle Moor, before picking up and walking alongside the wall.
We then dropped down steeply to Howcroft Brook in Ashendean Clough, before climbing on the other side to reach Clitheroe Road and the Wellsprings. From there, it was just a short walk back up to the start.
That ends our walk for today.
In the transcript of the video, when any mention is made of the 'description below', it refers to the description shown beneath the video on YouTube. If you wish to access any of that information, click 'watch on YouTube' on the video above, and the description will be there, on YouTube, just below the video.
