Clapham to Ribblehead via Ingleborough
Walk 10 - By train: Clapham to Ribblehead via Ingleborough (723m) - 10 miles - 4.5 hours. This is really a variation on Walk 2 starting from Clapham railway station (Morecambe line). Back to Ribblehead
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Souther Scales Fell
From the station follow the road to Clapham village, crossing main road en-route. At the top of the village turn left and then right to enter the Reginald Farrar Trail (small toll). Follow track through estate and past lake eventually to arrive at the public entrance to Ingleborough Cave (admission fee).
The path now enters Trow Gill, a canyon like limestone formation. On leaving the ravine the path enters open country, passing Gaping Gill on right and starts to ascend Little Ingleborough, a shoulder of the main hill utilising a surfaced path. The top of Ingleborough will shortly be reached.
From the summit start
to follow path downhill towards Hill Inn for a short while but
at gate turn right (across small stream). Follow high level grassy path
across Souther Scales Fell and then onwards to Park Fell (2½miles).
The path then descends very steeply down a grassy slope to reach a stile.
After crossing the stile bear diagonally left eventually to meet a wall
at left hand side of field. Follow the wall downhill for 300m or so until
a stile is reached. Climb over the stile and take a bearing just to the
right of Ribblehead station [this is now Access area and so there is no
defined footpath] crossing large pasture and then limestone karst to reach
drystone wall and a new gate. The gate was recently installed to give
access to the Viking settlement [actually in the limestone karst]. Pass
through the gate into now disused Ribblehead Quarry. Take care not to
get to close to the quarry edge end keep to the path with quarry on left
passing though another gate eventually to reach the floor of the quarry.
The quarry is now a nature reserve and the path to the way out is clearly
way-,marked passing through the old workings. From the nature reserve
gates and information board follow the track down to the main road turning
right to pass under the railway bridge with the Station Inn immediately
beyond.
NB This walk can only be undertaken commencing from stations between
Leeds and Skipton plus Hellifield and uses the Morecambe line on the outward
journey returning from Ribblehead on the Carlisle line