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Yorkshire
Ingleborough from Ingleton
Distance: 6 miles (9.6 km)
park in the tourist information car park in the centre
of Ingleton
Leaving Ingleton on the B6255 road to Hawes, take the
track (Fell Lane) off to the right (just short of the
roadside parking) immediately after a large house where
the land on the right opens up onto Storr’s Common.
Here, at the junction of the B6255 and the track, there
is: a faded wooden bridleway sign to Ingleborough; a
brown tourist information sign pointing back into
Ingleton and a blue Craven District Council sign for
Storr’s Common. Head up the track initially walled on
its right-hand side as it leads out onto Storr’s Common.
After a few minutes walking, the track, which briefly
departed from the wall, enters between a further two
walls, and is enclosed by these as the track slowly
climbs affording views over to the left of Whernside and
back to Ingleton behind. After about one and a quarter
miles, the track passes through a gate and out onto the
open fell
A few yards through the gate along the track there is a
bench dedicated to Mrs Leigh's darling husband on which
is engraved "Ye death cannot our hearts divide or make
thee less my own twere sweeter sleeping at thy side than
watching here alone". Shortly after the bench, the
footpath splits away from the track which heads into
Crina Bottom Farm. The very well defined, now grassy
path, continues ahead keeping to the right of the farm.
Behind the farm can clearly be seen limestone outcrops,
a very familiar site in this area, behind and under
which are vast areas of shake and pot holes. The path
continues its steady climb and at its junction with a
small stream a couple of entrances to pot holes can be
seen.
The path soon afterwards becomes rockier underfoot and
starts to climb more steeply. Whernside again comes into
view over on the left when the path briefly flattens
before rising again this time much more steeply.
The path then follows some man made steps before briefly
flattening and continuing on up more man made steps. The
path then leads onto the plateau on the top of
Ingleborough. A line of cairns can then be followed for
the final few yards to the triangulation point. The
panoramic view from the top of Ingleborough is stunning.
From the Lakeland hills out to Morecambe Bay, and round
to Whernside, Penyghent and down to Pendle Hill. This
route from Ingleton is also the one followed by the
annual Ingleborough Fell Race.
Follow the reverse route back down the man made steps
and then down the steep slope, but this time as the path
starts to flatten, a short one hundred yard diversion
can be made to look at Quaking Pot. Return to the main
path, and follow this back to the lane, pass through the
gate and follow the lane back to Storr’s Common. Cross
the common and return to either the roadside parking or
continue on back into Ingleton to the tourist
information car park.
Ingleton Waterfalls Walk
Distance: 4¼ miles (6.8 km)
The walk starts from the car park outside the Tourist
Information Office and Ingleton Library. This is the
site of the old Ingleton railway station. Whilst the
steam trains
themselves have long since gone, the early part of the
walk is in the shadow of the large Victorian railway
viaduct, a long standing reminder of a bygone era.
Follow the green signs for the village centre out of the
car park in the direction of the viaduct. Upon reaching
the road out of the car park, turn right and go
immediately under the railway bridge. Follow this road
for about one hundred yards past Bank Hall Close, then
take the first left heading downhill following the large
brown sign for "Waterfalls Walk". At the bottom of this
short street, follow the road around to the left
crossing over the River Doe by the guest house. Continue
along the road over the River Twiss (the Rivers Twiss
and Doe merge a few yards further downstream to form the
River Greta), and then turn right into road leading past
a black and white café heading for the start of the
Ingleton Nature Trail. This right turn is signed
Ingleton Waterfalls Walk.
A hut a hundred yards down this lane is where you pay to
go around the walk. The walk is nearly all on private
land and the fee charged is to maintain the paths around
the walk. Currently the charge is £3 for adults. Just
past the hut there is another car park where you could
also park to start the walk from instead of in the
village centre. It costs £6 per car, but this includes
all the occupants, thereby making it cheaper if you have
a large number of occupants in the car.
The path to the falls leaves the far end of the car park
and is well signed. After a couple of hundred yards just
prior to the first kissing gate, there is a map showing
the layout of the falls ahead. Go through the kissing
gate and continue ahead along the well defined path. The
path keeps to the side of the river and slowly starts to
climb, before going through a metal gate. In Autumn when
leaves are on the path and when wet or in icy winter,
the path can be very slippery in places. The path
continues alongside the river up the tree-lined Swilla
Glen. After about three-quarters of a mile, the river is
crossed by a footbridge and the path continues up the
right-hand bank.
Continuing on the path, a viewpoint is quickly reached
looking across at Pecca Falls. The path carries on
towards these falls and again crosses back across the
river directly in front of the falls. Turn right
immediately over the footbridge and follow the path up
the side of the falls. As height is gained, more and
more impressive falls appear in the steep sided gorge.
At the top of these falls the path turns right through a
wooden gate. Continue ahead past a green hut selling
refreshments (open most of the year) and follow the
green "Waterfalls Walk" sign stating "Thornley Force 1/3
mile, Beezley". The path now enters more open
countryside as compared to the tree-lined earlier part
of the walk. After a few more minutes Thornton Force (as
opposed to Thornley on the sign) is clearly visible
ahead. This waterfall is very impressive, even from a
distance, but this time is one single fall of 15 metres
as compared to the various falls that made up Pecca.
The path goes along the left-hand side of the falls and
climbs up alongside it, before continuing on to meet yet
another footbridge. Go over the footbridge across the
field and up to the gate in the wall. Go through the
gate and turn right into the walled lane, following the
green "Waterfalls Walk" sign "Beezley". Continue along
the lane, through a kissing-gate and continue along the
lane. Go through another gate and drop down in front of
two farmhouses. Where the road bends around to the
right, go straight ahead through another gate following
the green "Waterfalls Walk" sign, all the while keeping
all farm buildings (Twistleton Hall) on your right.
Continue ahead for another 30 yards and go through
another gate and follow the path out into the field
keeping to the left of the wall, again following the
green "Waterfalls Walk" sign. The path leaves the wall
and straight ahead the car park and entrance at Ingleton
caves can be seen on the opposite hillside.
The path bends around to the left and straight ahead
Ingleborough can now be seen in the distance. The path
winds its way down across the field to a lane. Cross the
lane and continue straight ahead down towards the river
in the bottom. The road here is again signed Ingleton
Waterfalls "Beezley". The road passes through a small
caravan site and heads for Beezley Farm. The track bends
around to the right, following the same "Waterfalls
Walk" sign. The path goes through a few farm buildings
for about twenty yards, before turning left heading back
down towards the river. Go through another metal gates
then through a wooden kissing gate another forty yards
on.
Immediately through this gate, the Beezley Falls are
visible. Continue down the man-made steps, and follow
the path around to Rival Falls and Snow Falls. The path
around all these falls is very easy to follow, although
great care needs to be taken, as it can become very
slippery.
Continuing around the next bend, the water is very wide
and seemingly slow moving where it can be seen to
converge at the mouth of the top of the steep sided
gorge. Just after the start of the gorge, there is a
footbridge that can be walked down to, which is an
excellent viewpoint back up the gorge. Return to the
main path and carry on downwards.
The path continues down past Snow Falls, then onwards to
another footbridge where the river is again crossed. The
path bends around and after a couple of hundred yards
almost meets the water. Here the path veers off to the
left away from the water into the trees. Continue along
this path through the trees past a small stone building,
where the path emerges from the trees.
Continue on down to and through a kissing gate and along
the path. Ingleton is now visible directly in front. The
path widens upon reaching a disused quarry, then narrows
on passing through a metal gate. This leads onto a road
which is followed back into the village centre. On
reaching the one-way system, turn right into the road
against the one-way traffic and follow the road around
to the left with the railway viaduct again visible
ahead. Follow the road past the Three Horseshoes Public
House, under the railway bridge, and turn left back into
the car park.
Circular from Clapham
National Park Centre car park in Clapham
Distance: 5½ miles (8.8 km)
Turn right out of the National Park car park. Follow the
road round in front of the church and over the bridge.
Turn right at the T-junction and follow the road up the
hill following the sign for Ingleborough Cave as the
road bends around to the left. For a slight variation to
the walk, the first signpost (a white and brown one
signed "cave, lake, woods and trail") that you reach
after about another twenty yards can be followed to
Ingleborough Cave. This follows the Ingleborough Estate
Nature Trail through woodland and an entrance fee of
currently 40p for adults and 20p for children is
charged. If this route is chosen, follow the very well
marked route up to Ingleborough Cave and rejoin the walk
at this point.
Continue along the road for about forty yards, past the
nature trail turn and take a right up the track signed "Ingleborough
/ Gaping Gill and Ingleborough Cave". At the start of
the track there is a white sign stating "No road", but
this is the public footpath. The track starts to climb
slowly up the hill becoming a tarmac road after about
two hundred yards, and is flanked for most of the time
by walls on both sides. As the lane begins to level,
limestone outcrops can be seen over on the right-hand
side. There is an excellent panoramic view of the
surrounding area from a wooden gate just before the
track returns to gravel and stones.
Progressing further up the lane, climb over the four
steps to the left of a gate across the lane and continue
onwards heading for another gate and climb the stile to
the right of this one. The lane now affords excellent
views to the right, where the limestone outcrops and
pavements synonymous with this area can be seen. Behind
in the distance can be seen the very distinctive nose of
Pendle Hill (famous for it’s witches) which is over in
Lancashire. In the trees below to the right is the
nature trail path described earlier in this walk. Also
over to the right, the lane along which the walk returns
can be seen running parallel to the skyline. Continue on
straight-ahead to the farmhouse, entering the farmyard
through the first gate, then twenty yards further go
over the stile to the right-hand side of the second
gate. Over this stile turn almost immediately right at
the sign for "Ingleborough Cave" and start descending
down the grassy hillside following a well-trodden
footpath. Continue on this until the path is met from
the right by the gravel track emerging from the exit of
the nature trail. Turn left onto this track and follow
the path up to the stone house by the bridge at the
entrance to the caves.
A diversion can be taken here if you wish to take a tour
around the caves. The tours leave hourly finishing at
five o’clock at night in the summer. Current admission
prices are £4 adults and £2 for children, which includes
a fifty minute guided tour. Crossing the bridge, climb
the wooden stile a further twenty yards up the lane and
then continue onwards on the gravel track. The track
starts to bend and climb up the hill. Go over the stile
to the right of the next gate and again continue onwards
up into the steep sided limestone gorge of Trow Gill.
Follow the path through the gorge and exit at the top
where the gap is only a few feet wide. The path towards
the top of the gorge becomes a little tricky in places
with large boulders under feet to be negotiated. On
exiting the gorge follow the well-trodden footpath which
follows the right-hand side of a wall until a double
stile is reached on the left-hand side. Whilst walking
up this path, Little Ingleborough and Ingleborough
itself can be seen directly in front.
The path home goes off directly to the right away from
the stile, but a worthwhile ten-minute diversion to
Gaping Gill can be taken by climbing over this double
stile. Once over the stile follow the well-defined
footpath heading in the direction of Little Ingleborough
(straight ahead). After about two hundred yards the path
forks, the left-hand branch takes you up Ingleborough
and the right-hand fork crosses open moorland for
another two hundred yards to the wire fence around the
top of Gaping Gill.
Each year in spring bank holiday week and at the August
bank holiday, two potholing clubs run winches from the
top of the hole lowering people to the bottom of the
floodlit cavern, from where they can walk out back to
above ground. They charge £8 for this service. At Gaping
Gill, Fell Beck disappears down a shaft descending from
moor level to a floor of a large chamber 110 metres (350
feet) below. This is twice the drop of Niagara Falls.
The chamber at the bottom is the largest in the United
Kingdom. It is 150 metres by 100 feet long by 40 metres
high. It is big enough to hold the Knave of York
Minster. Bradford Pothole Club run the spring-bank
winch, not as a commercial venture, but to generate
funds for the club and to give financial support to the
local cave and fell rescue teams. The winch is capable
of taking safely twenty-five people per hour. Retrace
your footsteps back the four hundred yards to the double
stile.
Once over the stile take the footpath that goes off
diagonally right away from the wall along a grassy
footpath. The footpath crosses open moorland and keeps
generally parallel to the gorge, which is now on your
right. The path climbs gently for about two hundred
metres, but once over the brow descends keeping roughly
in the same direction. As soon as the path goes over the
brow of the hill, the very distinctive shape of
Penyghent can be seen to the left, and from this spot
excellent panoramic views can be had all around. On the
descent, looking ahead slightly to the right on the
opposite hillside can be seen the entrance to the walled
lane (long lane) at the junction of two walls. Follow
the grassy path down into the dip and then up diagonally
to the right up a very well defined grass track to the
junction of the walls. Go through the gate in the walls,
then through another one ten yards further on. The lane
descends steeply for about fifty yards before almost
leveling to a gentle slope. This lane continues
unobstructed apart from one gate for almost one and a
half miles where at a T-junction turn right. Along this
stretch of lane, the path taken at the start of the
journey can be seen off to the right, and Ingleborough
Caves can be seen down below.
At this T-junction, follow the sign "B/W Clapham ¼ mile"
to the right and keep to the walled lane down the hill.
The lane passes underneath two old disused railway
bridges and a further one hundred yards on meets a road
by the church. Turn left and follow the road for about
two hundred yards back to the car park
Circular from Richmond
market square in Richmond
4 miles (6.4 km)
The walk starts at the Obelisk in the Market Place. The
obelisk, built in 1771, marked the location of
Richmond's water supply. Walk downhill past the Holy
Trinity Church to the right hand bottom corner of the
square, and turn right along Millgate. This winds
steeply down to a small car park by the river below,
with Richmond Castle up to the right. Enter the car park
and take the riverside path from the far corner of it
heading back around to the left, stopping to admire the
waterfall created partly by the weir just above it. Pass
immediately through a concreted picnic area and continue
heading downstream on the riverside path. As the bridge
approaches ahead, head to the left hand side of the
grassy area and on to the tarmac path which leads out on
to the road which crosses the bridge.
As the road is reached, go straight across down a lane (Lombards
Wynd) to the right of the church, then turn almost
immediately right down the lane, which initially heads
down hill, then rises, and after a few yards there is a
green sign for "Easby Abbey ¾ mile". The track soon
becomes unmetalled and begins to climb slowly, affording
excellent views back through the trees to the castle
behind and to the right. At the drummer boy plaque the
track splits. According to legend the stone marks the
spot where the Richmond drummer boy reached in the
tunnel supposed to lead from Richmond market place to
Easby Abbey. The plaque marks the spot where the sound
of the drumming ceased and was never heard again.
Ignore the tracks ahead and take the right hand path to
the right track stating "private property", and head
along the right hand side of the fence a few yards to
the left of the River Swale. Follow this path for just
under half a mile where the path leaves the riverbank by
way of some steps leading upwards to meet another path.
Turn right along this path and after a few yards pass
through a kissing gate into a field. Here the path
splits, take the right hand fork keeping close to the
wire fence and head for
Abbey Mill ahead. Upon reaching the mill, where the
fence meets the wall in the corner of the field, pass
through the kissing gate, then through a metal gate and
continue ahead down the conifer lined track. A little
further down this track there is Easby Abbey on the left
hand side.
The Abbey of Saint Agatha Easby was founded in 1152 by
Roald, constable of Richmond Castle. Easby is the house
of the Premonstratensian order founded by St Norbert of
Premontre, Laon, France in 1120. The inhabitants were
canons rather than monks and were known as the white
monks. They undertook preaching and pastoral work in the
region, but followed a code of austerity similar to that
of the Cistercian monks. Other Premonstratensian houses
included Eccleston (County Durham) and Shap (Cumbria).
Next to the Abbey is the parish church of Saint Agatha,
Easby. The road here can be followed around to the left
to pass the ruins of the original church built in 700AD,
and on for a further one hundred yards to obtain a view
of the Abbey in the foreground with Richmond Castle on
the horizon. Return back down past the church ruins and
down the left hand side of a small car park to continue
along the riverside path following the public bridleway
sign.
Continue along the gravelled track for a further five
hundred yards to where the path splits. Take the higher
left hand path, and follow the path around and over the
bridge to the right. The path now enters out on to the
line of a disused railway. This was part of the old
Darlington to Richmond railway line. Follow this disused
railway line for about a mile, at one point crossing a
road to continue ahead, until the path passes out in to
a large grassy picnic area just short of the old railway
station. This station now has been converted into a
fitness centre and a swimming pool. As the track ends,
continue along the paved area down under a small bridge
which limits traffic to nine feet in height. As the
swimming pool car park is entered, turn right down some
steps and follow the path down the side of the swimming
pool itself. As the path reaches the river, turn left
and follow the path along and down through two kissing
gates under the bridge over the river. After passing
under the bridge, the path veers off slightly left and
up hill, and pulls in along side a fence. After a
hundred yards pass through a further kissing gate and
continue straight ahead, ignoring any paths that branch
off to the right heading down in to the woods below.
Keep ahead and pass through a further kissing gate now
heading slightly up hill to the left of the trees
surrounding the riverbank. About fifty yards further on,
the path passes through another kissing gate and enters
in to the woods following a yellow waymark arrow
pointing downwards.
Head down along the man made steps through the woods,
pulling in close by the river just upstream of the
waterfall. Continue along the riverside path. Up to the
right there are excellent views up to the Castle perched
high up on the rocks seemingly impenetrable. The path
then passes out in to a field, which is Richmond Town
Football Club. Keep to the right hand side of the field
and head to the right of the changing rooms ahead and
out on to the road. Turn right on to the road and right
again over the bridge.
About thirty yards over the bridge as the road bends
around to the left, turn right up Bridge Street. As the
road bends around to the left, turn right through the no
entry signs in to Cornforth Hill. Head up this steep
cobbled street and pass through a surviving section of
the medieval wall around Richmond. Continue on up the
cobbled path around to the left, then turn right and
follow the road around in to the market place.
Whitby Circular
Distance: 5¼ miles (8.4 km)
Start the walk on the bridge over the River Esk. Leave
the bridge in an easterly direction towards the Abbey
high up on the hill ahead following the road initially
past the Dolphin public house, then around to the right.
Follow along the road with the river to the right, and
shortly after the car park turn left climbing the steps
up Boulby Bank. Follow the cobbled steps up between the
houses, keeping to the right hand path after a further
one hundred yards, and continue on out on to the road.
Turn right along the road, heading away from the sea
behind, with the River Esk down below to the right.
Keep on the road past St Hilda's Business Centre and go
straight across at the T-junction following the sign for
Folly Gardens, initially on a metalled road, then after
about twenty yards, head along the narrow flagged path
directly ahead which keeps to the left hand side of a
fence for about two hundred yards before entering out on
to a road. Turn right along this road and shortly
afterwards pass through the middle of a few houses and
then through a farm. As the road bends around sharply to
the left in the middle of the farm, continue in a
straight line ahead by passing through a wooden kissing
gate attached to the side of a barn.
Follow this path alongside the wall to the right for a
few hundred yards, then continue ahead alongside a small
hedge until the path eventually enters out on to a road.
Turn right along the road for about half a mile heading
towards the small cluster of houses on the horizon
ahead, ignoring the turn on the left for the caravan
site. Behind there are views back towards the Abbey. As
the road starts to rise, turn left by a telegraph pole
where there is also a green sign for a public bridleway
and a white sign for Whitby Lighthouse. There are also
the names of various other buildings down this lane
carved in to a stone by the turning: Brook House;
Haggitt House; High House and Ling Hill.
Follow this lane in the direction of the sea towards the
farm buildings about one hundred and fifty yards ahead.
Keep on this road which bends around to the right by a
slurry tower and continues on past the right hand side
of the houses about a further one hundred yards ahead.
Keep on this road past these houses, initially flanked
on both sides by grassy banks before flattening out.
After a further third of a mile the road, shortly after
assign another few cottages, bends sharply left and
heads downwards in the direction of the sea.
Ahead now is a building with a very large foghorn on it.
Pass this and just before the entrance to the
lighthouse, turn left over a stone stile to join the
coastal path, which is part of the Cleveland Way. This
coastal path is now followed for about two miles all the
way to the remains of the Abbey. The path initially goes
around the right hand side of the building with the
foghorn on it.
The path keeps very close to the cliff edge for most of
this return journey and excellent costal and cliff views
are afforded for most of this return leg. It is wise
though to keep to the path as there are sheer drops off
the cliff top in many places. Parts of the path can
become very muddy after prolonged wet weather. The path
passes over two wooden stiles and continues ahead
towards the campsite now directly ahead. Go over the
stile just before the caravan site and turn right along
the road through the site, passing the reception
buildings. Continue ahead keeping to the right of all
the caravans and after a few more yards the coastal path
becomes visible ahead. The path leaves the metalled road
following a brown sign for "Footpath to Whitby".
Continue now on this gravelled path in the direction of
the Abbey and turn left just
before reaching the radio mast and follow the path the
short distance out on to the road. Turn right and follow
the road around to the turning area in front of the
Abbey.
A detour can be made here to visit the Abbey itself,
which is administered by English Heritage (www.english-heritage.org.uk).
Successive generations have been drawn to the headland
location as a place of settlement, religious devotion
and literary inspiration. Archaeology has revealed
evidence of prehistoric and Anglo Saxon settlements. It
has been the burial place of kings and a training ground
for saints. Founded by St Hild, the Abbey made history
in 664 when the Synod of Celtic and Roman Christians
reached an agreement on the date of Easter. It became
the focal point in the landscape in the 17th century
when the prominent Cholmley family bought the ruins and
surrounding land after the dissolution of the
monasteries and built a mansion alongside. There is a
small charge for entering the Abbey.
In the right hand corner of the turning area, take the
path down which leads through the edge of the churchyard
and then down the 199 steps to the cobbled street below.
The cobbled street bends around to the left and after a
further one hundred yards enters out on to a road. Turn
right on to the road and follow it for the few yards
back to the starting bridge. |
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