University of Manchester Hiking Club

From UMHC Hiking Guide

Whernside as seen from Ingleborough
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Whernside as seen from Ingleborough

Contents

The Walks

Ingleton is at the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and has three moorland summits that can be climbed from here. The place is also well known for its waterfalls walk that sees some impressive gorge scenery with a few of the waterfalls that can be viewed from behind the waterfall. It has proved to be a popular destination that is visited most years.

Vast rolling moorland south of Ingleborough
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Vast rolling moorland south of Ingleborough

The two highest peaks, Ingleborough (723m) and Whernside (736m), are described in greater detail in the Horton and Ribblehead page. From Ingleton, it is an easy walk to get to Ingleborough while a walk out to Whernside proves considerably longer. The two summits can be combined to make quite a long walking day. The lower slopes surrounding the River Doe are smothered in small limestone crags and provide some interesting short scrambles.

The ridge extending south from Ingleborough
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The ridge extending south from Ingleborough
Ingleborough as seen from near Gaping Gill
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Ingleborough as seen from near Gaping Gill

A nice walk up to Ingleborough starts from the south at Clapham. On the way up, you visit Ingleborough Cave and Gaping Gill. The highest underground waterfall in Britain plunges down Gaping Gill and marks the start of a vast underground network of caves that ends up at Ingleborough Cave. Guided tours can be had of Ingleborough cave but you have to pay! The walk up passes through pleasant valleys at the bottom that finish spectacularly by passing through narrow gorges to leave you up on the moorland before the final rise to the summit.

Gaping Gill seen on the way up to Ingleborough
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Gaping Gill seen on the way up to Ingleborough
Gaping Gill (the entrance)
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Gaping Gill (the entrance)
Ingleborough cave (The exit)
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Ingleborough cave (The exit)
Pleasant valley walking up from Clapham
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Pleasant valley walking up from Clapham
Impressive gorge scenery
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Impressive gorge scenery

One other summit worth ascending is that of Crag Hill at 682m. This forms a long, broad ridge with its southern edge merging with the lowlands near Ingleton. The main summit is an 11km walk from Ingleton but it doesn't demand much ascent and is thus quite achievable. The more southerly summit of Gragreth at 627m provides a shorter option than climbing this hill.

Crag hill in the middle with the Howgill fells on the right
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Crag hill in the middle with the Howgill fells on the right

The famous waterfalls walk is worth mentioning in a bit more detail. By itself, the walk takes one to two hours depending on energy and has been provided in the past as a 'super-easy' day hike. The walk can be easily integrated into longer walks that visit Whernside or Crag Hill, for example. The organisers of the walk charge people about £1.50 at the entrance at Ingleton. If you, however, start at the back end at the foot of Whernside, then you can avoid the charge and not even be asked to pay.

Ingleton

Plenty of tea shops and pubs spoil you for choice in this village. The Craven Heifer is particularly unwelcoming to coachloads of muddy hikers, and is best avoided.

Travel

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