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One of the 'Yorkshire Three Peaks'. See the wonderful panoramic views from the summit of Pen-y-ghent before returning via Hull Pot.
Today's walk is a circular over Pen-y-ghent from Horton-in-Ribblesdale in the Yorkshire Dales.
From the pay and display car park, you can see the distinctive outline of Pen-y-ghent on the horizon.
Before we set off, though, let's have a look at where we are walking today. We leave Horton at Brackenbottom and climb beside the wall on the Yorkshire Three Peaks path, and then eventually just through a gate at a wall junction, we meet the Pennine Way path that is then followed up to the summit of Pen-y-ghent.
Pen-y-ghent is the lowest of what is known as the 'Yorkshire Three Peaks' at 694 meters high. The other two are Ingleborough and Whernside, which is the highest.
From the summit of Pen-y-ghent, you can see across to Fountains Fell and then around to Pendle Hill as a distant outline on the horizon.
Further around over the wall, you can see the distinctive flat-topped Ingleborough, and then around to the right of that is the Ribblehead Viaduct and Whernside beyond it.
The initial part of the descent continues along the Pennine Way, but rather than heading straight back into Horton, we take a short detour to look at Hull Pot, reputed to be the largest natural hole in England.
The return to Horton is then along the walled Horton Scar Lane. Stay watching until the end, though, so you can see where to eat and drink after the walk.
Returning to the car park, there is an information sign on the outside wall of the toilets about Horton-in-Ribblesdale, which was mentioned as far back as the Domesday Book.
For those of you whose histories are a distant memory, the Domesday is Britain's earliest public record, commissioned by William I in 1085. A guide to who owned what land and what it was used for.
After taking in where we're going to be walking today, we start today's walk by exiting the car park and then turning right along the road.
You soon pass by the Pen-y-ghent Cafe, which unfortunately has been closed for a few years now. You used to be able to clock out and back in there when doing the Yorkshire Three Peaks using their antique clocking-in machine.
It also used to act as a safety feature, as they then know who hadn't returned and who may still be out on the hills, as you left your details on the clock card.
Continue on along the pavement, away from the car park and the cafe.
Over to the right, if you want to stop in Horton, is Holme Farm campsite. Walk on and cross the road, and then as the road bends around to the left, Pen-y-ghent can be seen on the horizon behind St Oswald's church, parts of which date back to the 12th century.
A couple of noteworthy features here are a Norman doorway and a tub font with herringbone decoration. If you look across the road, you can see the Golden Lion Hotel, which we will come back to and revisit at the end of the video.
If the main car park is full where we started the walk, the Golden Lion Hotel does offer some all-day parking as well. For now, just continue walking along the pavement, crossing a road junction, and then over a stream. Turn left along the road with the stream now over to your left-hand side.
The road passes by the old primary school. With no leaves on the trees, you can see the picturesque gurgling stream and can listen to the birdsong in the woods. Continue walking along the road.
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Upon reaching the buildings at Brackenbottom, turn left through the gate just before them.
Then follow the sign for Pen-y-ghent summit, one and three-quarters miles. A few yards further on, pass through the gate in the wall and then turn left to start to climb the newly laid steps.
Even with a small amount of height gain, the panorama behind quickly expands with Ingleborough visible on the horizon. Keep on climbing beside the wall. The gate in the wall is soon reached, next to which there is a plaque asking for donations towards the Three Peaks paths.
It costs £35 for a metre to look after the paths in this area, so please consider donating. If you want to donate, we've included a link to their website in the description below. Pass through the gate, and then continue walking alongside the wall.
Pass through the next gate. If you stop to look around now, whilst Pen-y-ghent and Plover Hill are visible ahead, if you look around to the left, you can see through to the summit of Whernside and then the flat-topped Ingleborough.
Behind us is the path we just walked up, and behind that, the quarry. Then, as you follow the horizon around, you can see the distinctive shape of Pendle Hill in the distance. Continue on now walking along the wide gravel path by the side of the wall.
The path just leaves the wall from time to time to work and meander its way through various limestone outcrops.
If you have any thoughts about or comments on this walk, or if you find there are any issues with any footpaths used, please share that in the comments below and also let us know which is your favourite of the Yorkshire Three Peaks.
Pass through this next gate and then continue on along the gravel path. On our website, the route of today's Pen-y-ghent walk is set out on an Ordnance Survey map along with a GPS download for your phone or GPS device, the link to which is down in the description below.
The familiar shape of Pen-y-ghent is much nearer now and much more imposing with the two steeper climbs, both now visible. Looking behind now, the panorama has expanded further, with more of Whernside and Ingleborough being visible.
As mentioned, the three of them make up what is known as the 'Yorkshire Three Peaks' with the walk around them being approximately 24 miles and just over 1500 meters of climbing.
Pen-y-ghent is the shortest at 694 metres, Ingleborough is 724 metres, and Whernside is the highest at 736 metres. We will be adding the Yorkshire Three Peaks walk to our walk4all website and YouTube channel later in 2023.
Through this next gate, directly across is Fountains Fell. The path we join here is the Pennine Way Path, which you can see coming in from the right.
The Pennine Way is a 268-mile walk from Edale in the Derbyshire Peak District to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders. It might not look it, but it was actually quite a breezy day up here today. We now follow this Pennine Way sign as we start the first of two steeper climbs.
The first one is initially up the steps. Once the steps end, the main path keeps to the right on the border of the grass and the stone, before heading back across to the left, where you need to pick your way across the stone.
You may need to use your hands briefly on this section. Straight on here, you are looking in the direction of Halton Gill and Foxup, then around to the right is a large mass of Fountains Fell, the name being derived from the Cistercian monks of Fountains Abbey, who used it for grazing sheep in the 13th century.
Back to the climb, head up left across the stone under the crag above, where you will very quickly reach a plateau. If you look straight on, you can actually see some people climbing the next set of steps.
Keep on walking along the path, and then start to climb the next set of steps. Take time to look around at the ever-expanding vista, and looking back now, you can see the path we've just walked up.
This last bit of the steeper section may involve a little bit of hands again to climb some of the rocks. You can see here some water on the rocks. I do find the easier walking this way around Pen-y-ghent rather than the reverse clockwise route, as coming down these rocks can be very slippery, especially when wet, icy or snow on the ground.
Some people do prefer to go the other way, so clockwise in order to get a steadier climb. These flags are followed up to the summit. The onward route is over the wall, but for now, take time to explore Pen-y-ghent's summit and its panoramic views.
It is acceptable to write Pen-y-ghent with or without the hyphens on either side of the 'y'. Its derivation, though, is a little ambiguous. Pen from Cumbric, and as in today's Welsh language, means top or head. 'Y' is taken from the definitive article 'the'.
Ghent is the uncertain part. It could mean edge or border if taken from a derivative of gint, but also may mean heathen. So possibly 'hill on the border' or 'top of the edge'.
Traditionally, in the past, it has been translated as 'hill of the winds'. Attached to the trig point on Pen-y-ghent is a QR code to access Pen-y-ghent's toposcope, an augmented reality view showing the names of the surrounding hills.
Unfortunately, I couldn't get it to work whilst I was there. On windy days like this, the two seats built into both sides of the wall provide protection from the wind. Pass through the gap in the wall.
We will head directly away from the wall here following the Pennine Way 'Yorkshire Three Peaks' sign. If you want to extend this Pen-y-ghent circular walk, you can turn right here to head over Plover Hill and then drop down onto the 'Pennine Journey' path on Foxup Moor, turning left onto that, to head back along to Hull Pot that we shall visit shortly.
From experience, though, the path along to Plover can be boggy. Behind in the wall, you can see the other seat shelter. To start the descent, head directly away from the wall to pick up the flagged steps. Head down the steps.
Directly ahead, you are looking at Ingleborough and Whernside, although the visibility isn't great today. When the flags end, the path swings around to the right. Just ahead at the signpost, you can see our path bending around to the left.
The Three Peaks Route now follows that path, but previously you headed diagonally down from here across Horton Moor, through Black Dub Moss and Red Moss, before picking up Pennine Way, both of which were generally very boggy.
Over to the left, you can clearly see the path that we're going to be walking back down. The signpost we follow shows Pennine Way, Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Yorkshire Three Peaks.
Looking over to the right, the small black circle in the grass is Hull Pot that we shall visit shortly, and then looking around behind you, you can see the side of Pen-y-ghent that you just walked off.
If you are new to hiking or just want ideas for walking gear to wear and take on the walk, check out our kit list recommendations down in the description below. Pass through this next gate and walk straight on. Again, just continue on through this next gate.
The Pennine Way path back to Horton that we will follow is enclosed in the walls off to the left down Horton Scar Lane. Over to the right is a short diversion that we are going to follow to have a look at Hull Pot.
Straight on here is the Three Peaks path that heads over to pick up the Pennine Way as it leaves Horton again. Over to the left is our path home down Horton Scar Lane.
So if you don't want to take the short diversion, head down there now. But for now, we will head away from the wall following the Foxup sign. In a couple of hundred metres, you arrive at Hull Pot. Be very careful around Hull Pot as there are sheer drops that are unfenced. So keep dogs and children well away.
Hull Pot itself is reputed to be the largest natural hole in England and is 91 metres long, 18 metres wide and 18 metres deep. In dry conditions, Hull Pot beck on the other side, disappears before reaching the top and appears as a waterfall as you can see in the Pot itself.
After periods of rain, the water can head along the top and form a waterfall over the side of the pot itself. In periods of extreme rain, as we had on the 10th of January 2023, this can happen. It is very rare, but even Hull Pot can be filled with water. That's the equivalent of filling almost 200,000 baths.
This footage was filmed by local fellow runner Brian Stallwood. If you want to check out any of Brian's other photos, videos and drone footage in the area his contact details are in the description below.
From Hull Pot, we retrace your steps back to the wall. Looking to the left, we can see the path we walked down from Pen-y-ghent. Head through the gate to follow the Pennine Way sign to Horton-in-Ribblesdale down the enclosed walled track, just stopping from time to time to take in the wonderful Yorkshire Dales landscape and scenery.
Over to the left, the full length of Pen-y-ghent and Plover Hill can now be seen. Pass through the gate. These dry stone walls are a characteristic feature of the Yorkshire Dales, and there are thought to be over 5,000 miles of them in the Yorkshire Dales alone, dating back over hundreds of years.
Pass through this next gate. I've always liked this view back to Pen-y-ghent as it's effectively framed by the moss-covered walls, the tree above and the track below.
At one point, just outside Horton, the path splits. We take the right-hand fork here to then pass through the wooden gate. We soon arrive back at the road in Horton. Turn right here.
Cross the road and head back along towards the car park. Before finishing today's walk, let's have a look at where we can eat and drink after the walk.
There is the Crown. To get there, we continue along the road and then head over the bridge to reach the Crown. I believe the Crown is still open, but as you can see from the sign, the business is currently up for sale.
It serves food and drinks, but on reading some online reports, I've not been in for a while, I'm not sure whether it's dog friendly, so it's probably best to check first.
The other pub we passed at the start of the walk is the Golden Lion Hotel. Again, this serves food, drink and has accommodation. I believe dogs are allowed in the bar and in the taproom.
Everyone will have their own favourites, but my preference nearby, if you have a car, are Middle Studfold Farm tearoom and Helwith Bridge Inn, both within two miles heading along the Settle road.
Middle Studfold serves homemade food, sandwiches, all-day breakfasts, toasties and cakes, along with a range of alcohol, teas and coffees. Just further on, just off the road to Settle is the Hellwith Bridge Inn.
They serve good food and also have 8 real ales on the bar, many brewed locally. It is on the side of the River Ribble and has the Settle to Carlisle railway line running right past it. It's also dog-friendly.
Just before ending today's walk, we've put together a short fly-through created using the Ordnance Survey app, the link for which is in the description below, to show you where you've been and give the area a little more perspective.
We turned right out of the car park and headed along to the Golden Lion and St Oswald's church.
We then turned left off the main road to head along the road up to Brackenbottom. Just before reaching the buildings, we turned left and then left again to head uphill alongside the wall.
At the wall junction with Fountains Fell ahead, we turned left to climb more steeply up the Pennine Way path, reaching the trig point on the summit of Pen-y-ghent just after the flagged section.
After crossing the wall, we headed away from it downhill, and at the signpost, we turned left to continue down the Pennine Way.
At the path junction, we turned right for the short detour to Hull Pot. We then retraced our steps back to the wall. This time, we passed through the gate to enter Horton Scar Lane and then followed that back down into Horton-in-Ribblesdale itself.
On meeting the main road, we turned right, then headed back to the car park. That ends our walk for today.
