Walks To And From The Station Inn Ribblehead (And The Surrounding Area) To Contents

The following includes a selection of walks often making use of the Leeds/Settle to Carlisle Railway service and all finishing at the Station Inn, Ribblehead. The Railway provides excellent opportunities for linear walks even for car owners who can travel one or two stops by train.

The Station Inn welcomes walkers and provides an excellent finishing point. It is only a short walk up to the platform for the train home. For car drivers, either park at Horton or Ribblehead as appropriate for walks marked*. Map reading is essential to complete these walks (see later)

Also the station has been restored as an excellent visitor centre operated by the Settle & Carlisle Railway Trust and run by Mike and Rosey Neal.

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Link to map of Ribblehead

Contents:-

 

*   all of these walks are possible from Ribblehead either directly or using the train

Ribblehead Sta 30 Dec 00.jpg (29732 bytes)

  • Ribblehead Viaduct / Ribblehead Station in Winter


Information: Equipment: All walks have significant exposure even in Summer. Full equipment including boots, waterproofs, map and compass would be advisable


Maps: Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure 2 -Yorkshire Dales- Southern and Western Areas 1:25,000

 

Ribblehead (3) 20 July 02.jpg (34795 bytes)Ribblehead (4) 20 July 02.jpg (31631 bytes)

  • Looking towards Ingleborough from Ribblehead Station in summer/Ribblehead Station late Summer evening


Travel Information: www.northernrail.org- Leeds-Settle-Carlisle timetable - National Rail enquiries tel 08457 484950

Train services (Mon -Sat) - Normal departure to Ribblehead - Leeds 0849 Shipley 0902 (Feb 2008) arrive Ribblehead at 1006. The usual return trains are 1549 and 1737 from Ribblehead (towards Leeds).

The interchangeability of tickets between Carlisle and Morecambe lines i.e. travel out on Morecambe line to Bentham and return from Ribblehead was resolved with the previous operator to the effect that Settle and Giggleswick tickets are interchangeable whilst between Clapham/Bentham and Horton/Ribblehead there will be a £2 supplement payable on the return journey. As far as I am aware this should still apply although in practice conductors are unlikely to charge it. See timetable for Sunday services which have vastly improved on the Settle -Carlisle services.  However the Lancaster line service frequency still leaves something to desired.

Also, it is important to realise that the operator will not always point out the cheaper versions journey prices. For instance, by booking a return ticket to Keighley (within the Metro area) taking advantage of Metro off peak fares on weekends and then Keighley to Ribblehead this can result in a significant saving. These can be checked out beforehand using the internet on sites such as http://www.nationalrail.co.uk.

  • Ingleborough seen from Whernside

Dalesbus Unfortuntely the 807 from Skipton to Richmond via Ribblehead would appear to have been discontinued in 2007 however details of other useful services are located at http://www.dalesbus.org/

Another useful bus service runs from Dent Station to Dent on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. This is operated by Apollo 8 [Sat] and Woofs of Sedbergh [Wed] subsidised by Cumbria CC. This is an excellent low cost service [about 75p to Dent] and continues on to Sedbergh and Kendal. The bus times at the time of writing [Feb 08] are 1020 depart Dent Sta and 1515 depart Dent on the return

Cumbria bus times can be located through http://www.travelcumbria.org.uk

Other travel information-   A useful link for travel services in the Dales- www.traveldales.org.uk -This includes all bus and train services. For the Dent Sta - Dent bus see the separate note

Ribblehead Quarry Walk - a very short walk around the English Nature site. Whilst I have not described it here the English Nature website contains an informative guide http://www.english-nature.org.uk. This walk takes in some limestone scenery, flora [in May/June] and the Viking Farmstead just above the quarry. This comprises three buildings on slightly elevated ground just above the limestone karst and a short distance from the drystone wall. The site is close to the footpath gate at the rear of the quarry. A further description and simulated tour through the buildings can be found at a BBC History site which is well worth a visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings/launch_vt_viking_farm.shtml

  • Showing the remains of one of the smaller Viking buildings


Station Inn - ring 01524 241 274- Usually open all day from 11.00 most days- but advisable to check - see website also. The pub is currently run by Allan Shutt and Jo Jagger and has an excellent bar menu plus a range of Copper Dragon beer brewed in Skipton

 

Ribblehead Station Visitor Centre - the station has been fully restored as a visitor centre by the Settle & Carlisle Railway Trust and run by Mike and Rosey Neal. The centre is normally open every day except Monday (open BH Mondays) - Tel 01524 242584. The visitor centre is also the weather station [see below] a function which the stationmaster undertook for the air ministry in the past.

 

Settle Carlisle Partnership a useful website run by the Settle Carlisle Development Company and the Friends of The Settle Carlisle with links to other sites.

Weather The weather forecast and current weather conditions (including cloud level) can be obtained from the following useful sites

Metcheck the forecast and current conditions for the Whernside range of hills

www.ribblehead.org Ribblehead weather station

Important note:- Whilst the author has taken every care in assembling the information on this site, no responsibility can be accepted for any error or omission herein. If in any doubt walkers should consult the relevant OS map.

 

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