Whernside & Ingleborough – Tearooms, Stunning Views, a Famous Railway Line & Two Very Large Hills!

In the spring of 2019 it was time to tackle Whernside and Ingleborough – an important part of our preparation for the main event: The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge! The big day was fast approaching, and we really needed to get to grips with what we’d let ourselves in for! We had already acquainted ourselves with Pen-y-Ghent, but these two peaks were unfamiliar. And so it was we set off on another practice walk – a hike starting at the iconic Ribblehead Viaduct and finishing in the picturesque village of Horton-in-Ribblesdale.

First of all the practicalities – there is plenty of parking on the road by the viaduct, and there are a couple of places to eat and drink in the vicinty. For those who enjoy a nice warm drink before a long hike, there is a lovely little tearoom at Ribblehead Station. One of the stops on the world famous Settle to Carlisle railway, this historic building is home to the Ribblehead Coffee Shop & Visitor Centre.  Idyllic views of the surrounding area can be admired from the station including a dramatic vista of Ingleborough.

After a lovely cup of tea (or coffee in my husband’s case), and a slice of fruit cake, we set of on our walk. Whernside is the highest point in North Yorkshire and the ascent certainly presents a bit of a challenge! Nevertheless, it is manageable for most people. Initially you follow a path which is parallel with the impressive Ribblehead Viaduct. Eventually you cross the railway, and the line disappears into a dark tunnel. The path towards Whernside starts to become a little steeper, but in the main it’s a drawn out, gradual climb uphill. The slow ascent seems at times interminable, but eventually you are rewarded when you reach the summit. Walking along the ridge was a great feeling, and the views of the surrounding area were most definitely worth the hard slog. They were quite spectacular!

After a short rest and a cup of coffee from a flask it was time to make the descent. To be honest this was almost as difficult as the climb – it was somewhat steep and walking poles certainly came in very useful!

The imposing peak of Ingleborough can be seen as you come down off Whernside – a little daunting to say the least! The rocky path leads to a tarmac one which takes you past the Philpin Cafe (located in the old farm buildings) which provides welcome refreshments in the summer months for tired walkers!

The path arrives at a road where you make a left turn. Following a short spell on the road, it’s a right turn at the pub and here the trek up to Ingleborough begins! Initially, the climb is fairly gentle, although still quite tiring. However, you eventually reach the section where it becomes very steep – not great for weary legs! This part of the walk proved a real struggle, but after a final push we made it on to the Ingleborough plateau. After a brief rest on the summit we started the last section of the walk – this being a four mile descent back to Horton-in-Ribblesdale!

Obviously, we finished the walk in a different location to where we began, but this was easy to rectify. We simply got the train back to Ribblehead!

Jane@TopHolidaySpots