14th September 2020 - Plover Hill and Penyghent
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.4 miles
Total ascent: 1965 ft ascent
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Helwith Bridge-Ribble Way-Horton in Ribblesdale-Pennine Way-Hull Pot-Horton Moor-Foxup Moor-Plover Hill-Penyghent-Pennine Way-Long Lane-Helwith Bridge
I'm off work this week and if it wasn't for COVID-19 I would gone away and stayed somewhere. However, all the measures that are in place because of it do nothing for my problems with anxiety, so I decided against it. Fortunately there is some fine weather forecast for a few of the days I'm off, so I've got some walks planned for them. Today sees me in Ribblesdale for a walk up Plover Hill and Penyghent. I decided to start from Helwith Bridge instead of the more obvious Horton to make a longer walk, and so that I was starting from somewhere quiet, which Horton probably wouldn't be. I enjoyed a beautiful early autumn day with wall-to-wall blue skies and warm sunshine for this walk, with great views from the moors.
From where I parked at Helwith Bridge I joined the trail of the Ribble Way and followed it north to Horton-in-Ribblesdale. I then walked through Horton and onto the Pennine Way, which took me north up onto Horton Moor, where I left it behind for the bridleway across Foxup Moor to Foxup (with a short detour to Hull Pot). When I reached Foxup Moor I left the bridleway for the path up onto Plover Hill, and after taking in the view I then made my way south to Penyghent. From the summit of Penyghent I followed the Pennine Way south and down to where it joins the track of Long Lane, which I walked down to the B6479 in Ribblesdale. A short walk to Helwith Bridge took me back to where I was parked.
Total ascent: 1965 ft ascent
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Helwith Bridge-Ribble Way-Horton in Ribblesdale-Pennine Way-Hull Pot-Horton Moor-Foxup Moor-Plover Hill-Penyghent-Pennine Way-Long Lane-Helwith Bridge
I'm off work this week and if it wasn't for COVID-19 I would gone away and stayed somewhere. However, all the measures that are in place because of it do nothing for my problems with anxiety, so I decided against it. Fortunately there is some fine weather forecast for a few of the days I'm off, so I've got some walks planned for them. Today sees me in Ribblesdale for a walk up Plover Hill and Penyghent. I decided to start from Helwith Bridge instead of the more obvious Horton to make a longer walk, and so that I was starting from somewhere quiet, which Horton probably wouldn't be. I enjoyed a beautiful early autumn day with wall-to-wall blue skies and warm sunshine for this walk, with great views from the moors.
From where I parked at Helwith Bridge I joined the trail of the Ribble Way and followed it north to Horton-in-Ribblesdale. I then walked through Horton and onto the Pennine Way, which took me north up onto Horton Moor, where I left it behind for the bridleway across Foxup Moor to Foxup (with a short detour to Hull Pot). When I reached Foxup Moor I left the bridleway for the path up onto Plover Hill, and after taking in the view I then made my way south to Penyghent. From the summit of Penyghent I followed the Pennine Way south and down to where it joins the track of Long Lane, which I walked down to the B6479 in Ribblesdale. A short walk to Helwith Bridge took me back to where I was parked.
Route map
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The River Ribble as I set off from Helwith Bridge
Looking across to Moughton Nab
Great views of Ribblesdale, Penyghent and the River Ribble as I follow the Ribble Way north to Horton.........
The bridge over the River Ribble at Horton, with The Crown pub on the other side
Ingleborough and Whernside come into view as I leave Horton by the Pennine Way up Horton Scar
Heading up the Pennine Way
Looking back down towards Ribblesdale
Before taking the bridleway to Foxup, I couldn't not visit Hull Pot and its view of Penyghent..
Crossing Horton Moor on the bridleway to Foxup
Views across the surrounding moorland to Ingleborough and Whernside..
Looking north to Cosh Knott
A couple more photos of Ingleborough and Whernside from the bridleway to Foxup..
Time to leave the bridleway and head uphill
Ingleborough and Whernside on the other side of Ribblesdale as I climb Plover Hill..
..and Horse Head Moor at the top of Littondale comes into view
Whernside, the Howgills, Baugh Fell, Great Knoutberry Hill and Dodd Fell Hill in the distance as I reach the top of the climb
Looking down into Littondale from the top of Plover Hill, with Buckden Pike and Great Whernside in the distance
Fountains Fell on the left and Penyghent on the right, and I can make out Pendle Hill in the distance
Ingleborough and Whernside from the summit cairn
Back on the other side of the summit wall and looking north to the Howgills, Baugh Fell, Great Knoutberry Hill, Wild Boar Fell, Dodd Fell Hill, Great Shunner Fell and Lovely Seat
Heading from Plover Hill to Penyghent
Ingleborough on the other side of Ribblesdale
The ladder stile across this wall makes a good foreground for a photo
As does this rash of gritstone boulders for the view across Ribblesdale..
Looking back to Plover Hill as I make my way up Penyghent
Approaching the summit and someone is getting a bird's eye view
On the summit of Penyghent and the paraglider drifts away to the south
With good visibility there's a great all round view to take in today. Starting with Ingleborough and Whernside on the other side of Ribblesdale.
Looking northwest to Whernside, the Howgills, Baugh Fell, Great Knoutberry and Dodd Fell Hill
and north to Great Knoutberry Hill, Dodd Fell Hill and Plover Hill
The tops of Buckden Pike and Great Whernside in the distance beyond the nearby moors
Looking south down Ribblesdale to a distant Pendle Hill
For the moment I have the summit to myself
Back for one more circuit of the summit
The view down Ribblesdale as I head south off the summit
The head of Littondale, Darnbrook Fell and Fountains Fell
I get a great view of Penyghent as I follow the Pennine Way to the south...
and from the track of Long Lane
On the track of Long Lane down to Helwith Bridge
Ingleborough and Whernside from Dub Cote Scar
as well as Penyghent
Penyghent from Long Lane
Helwith Bridge in sight as I head down into Ribblesdale
A beautiful end to the afternoon in Ribblesdale
A last glimpse of a distant Penyghent from Long Lane..
..before the final descent to Helwith Bridge