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From: Ribblehead
Parking: Lay-by at Ribblehead viaduct
Start Point: Ribblehead viaduct
Region: Yorkshire Dales
Route length: 13.9 miles (22.3km)
Time taken: 06:20
Average speed: 2.5mph
Ascent: 1028m
Descent: 1035m
2000s on this walk:
Whernside (736m), Ingleborough (723m)
Additional summits: Park Fell (563m)
Other points of interest: Ribblehead viaduct, Braithwaite Wife Hole, Southerscales Scars
I took advantage of a weekday off work in February to go for a long walk around the latter half of the three peaks challenge; a circuit from Ribblehead up Whernside and then across to Ingleborough, the two highest peaks in the Yorkshire Dales. Given the amount of snow we'd had over the weeks preceding, I was hoping for a decent smattering allowing a wintery walk without the need for any specialist equipment. You'll see later on that I was probably just on the limit. Funny how the weather at 700m differs from that lower down.
Being a walk during the last throes of winter, time was of the essence and I set off from Wakefield nice and early to get to Ribblehead at a decent time. Despite this, the morning rush hour conspired against me meaning I didn't arrive until 11:00, a bit later than anticipated. It was obvious driving along the valley past Pen-Y-Ghent that the Dales had had significantly more snow than Wakefield and it was still present on the high hills. Parking at the lay-by next to the Ribblehead viaduct, I kitted up and set off.
The viaduct is a magnificent sight as it spans the Ribble valley. Built between 1870 and 1874, the bridge is 400m long and 108m high and is currently a Grade II listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument. The path runs alongside the entire length before climbing up the 100m to meet the tracks as they head towards the Blea Moor tunnel.
The Ribblehead viaduct sitting beneath Whernside |
A close up of the famous arches |
The path as it follows the railway line towards Blea Moor |
The Victorian diversion of Force Gill |
The railway as it plunges into Blea Moor tunnel |
Gaining height, the snow quickly deepens on the path up Whernside |
Force Gill resists the frigid temperatures |
Snow drifts alongside the path |
The ridge at the top of Whernside |
The horizontal wind-blown icicles |
It was a magical spectacle |
The trig pillar on top of Whernside |
Not quite as sheltering as anticipated, time to move on..... |
The path as it descends off Whernside |
Philpin Lane - out of the snow, for now |
Ingleborough can be seen across the valley. What a sight it is |
The limestone pavement at Southerscales Scar |
Panorama of Braithwaite Wife Hole |
The wooden boards as they carry to across Humphrey Bottom |
The foot of the steep 100m climb up onto the ridge |
The path zig-zags up the side |
Snow drifts make the going tough |
The cairn guiding you to the summit had a good coating of ice |
The large Victorian summit shelter on Ingleborough |
Not the most ideal place for a brew, but, it'll do |
Proof I actually made it! |
The path above Souther Scales Fell |
There were some very deep snowdrifts |
Ingleborough and Humphrey Bottom |
The route down off Park Fell into Ribblesdale |
Colt Park |
The car cuts a lonely figure as the light fades |
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