17th November 2025 - Whernside
Walk Details
Distance walked: 12.2 miles
Total ascent: 1838 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Ribblehead-Gunnerfleet Farm-Ivescar-Bruntscar-Ellerbeck-Blake Bank-West Fell End-West Fell-Combe Scar-Whernside-Whernside Tarns-Dales High Way-Ribblehead
I've got the day off work, and with a forecast of some lovely autumn weather, I decided to head to Ribblehead and make my first ascent of the year of Whernside. The route that I went for was one that I've done several times before, which takes in the fell's southwest ridge and Whernside Tarns. For most of the time this is a quiet walk, which is what I'm looking for more often than not, except for when it coincides with the popular route up from Ribblehead, but with it being a week day even that was pretty quiet. The forecast of good weather proved to be accurate as I set off from Ribblehead with plenty of blue skies and sunshine, and for the rest of the day I had patchy fair weather cloud and sunny spells.
From the laybys at Ribblehead I set off by taking the track to and under the viaduct to reach Gunnerfleet Farm. Here I turned right onto the byway to Winterscales and when that came to an end I turned left onto the bridleway to Scar End. I followed this southwest past Ivescar, Broadrake, Bruntscar and Ellerbeck to reach the moorland of Blake Bank. It was at this point that I decided to find a convenient place to get up onto Whernside's southwest ridge. Once on it there was a long, gradual ascent up West Fell and Combe Scar to finally arrive on the summit of Whernside, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I continued by taking the main path back to Ribblehead as it heads north but just before it turns to the right and goes downhill I crossed a stile to gain access to the moorland where Whernside Tarns are situated. A fairly clear path heads north towards them and the cairns beyond. I then had to head north again to the right of the easternmost of a set of enclosures to the find the trail of the Dales High Way. I followed this east then south, down Little Dale, and all the way to Bleamoor Sidings before leaving it for the path back to Ribblehead.
Total ascent: 1838 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Ribblehead-Gunnerfleet Farm-Ivescar-Bruntscar-Ellerbeck-Blake Bank-West Fell End-West Fell-Combe Scar-Whernside-Whernside Tarns-Dales High Way-Ribblehead
I've got the day off work, and with a forecast of some lovely autumn weather, I decided to head to Ribblehead and make my first ascent of the year of Whernside. The route that I went for was one that I've done several times before, which takes in the fell's southwest ridge and Whernside Tarns. For most of the time this is a quiet walk, which is what I'm looking for more often than not, except for when it coincides with the popular route up from Ribblehead, but with it being a week day even that was pretty quiet. The forecast of good weather proved to be accurate as I set off from Ribblehead with plenty of blue skies and sunshine, and for the rest of the day I had patchy fair weather cloud and sunny spells.
From the laybys at Ribblehead I set off by taking the track to and under the viaduct to reach Gunnerfleet Farm. Here I turned right onto the byway to Winterscales and when that came to an end I turned left onto the bridleway to Scar End. I followed this southwest past Ivescar, Broadrake, Bruntscar and Ellerbeck to reach the moorland of Blake Bank. It was at this point that I decided to find a convenient place to get up onto Whernside's southwest ridge. Once on it there was a long, gradual ascent up West Fell and Combe Scar to finally arrive on the summit of Whernside, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I continued by taking the main path back to Ribblehead as it heads north but just before it turns to the right and goes downhill I crossed a stile to gain access to the moorland where Whernside Tarns are situated. A fairly clear path heads north towards them and the cairns beyond. I then had to head north again to the right of the easternmost of a set of enclosures to the find the trail of the Dales High Way. I followed this east then south, down Little Dale, and all the way to Bleamoor Sidings before leaving it for the path back to Ribblehead.
Route map
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The Ribblehead Viaduct and Whernside as I set off from Ribblehead
On the bridleway to Gunnerfleet Farm
Looking across the moorland to my left to Park Fell, Simon Fell, and Ingleborough
Crossing Winterscales Beck
Looking across to Simon Fell and Ingleborough
On the bridleway past Ivescar Farm
and then onwards across fields towards Broadrake
The eastern slopes of Whernside above
Looking back to the Ribblehead Viaduct
Passing Broadrake
Following the bridleway past Bruntscar
Looking back to the Ribblehead Viaduct from Bruntscar
Whernside above Ellerbeck
Past Ellerbeck and onto access land. I head up and across the hillside onto Whernside's southwest ridge..
Looking back to a distant Ribblehead Viaduct
At West Fell End on Whernside's southwest ridge. Looking down the ridge to Scar End, with the Forest of Bowland in the distance.
and across Scales Moor to Ingleborough
Time to start the long climb to Whernside's distant summit
Kingsdale Head and Great Coum on the other side of the wall
Heading up the ridge, and across the wall onto the moorland of Combe Scar..
The Howgills in the distance through the gap in the hills between Great Coum and Whernside
The summit of Whernside is now in sight
A great view across Chapel-le-Dale to Ingleborough as I reach the final climb to the summit
Looking down the summit ridge to the Forest of Bowland in the distance
The steep east face of Whernside
Ingleborough on the left as I look down the summit ridge
The trig point on Whernside
Great Coum, Dentdale, and the Howgills
The Forest of Bowland in the distance, and Gragareth on the right on the other side of Kingsdale
Ingleborough from the summit of Whernside
Having crossed to the other side of the summit wall, looking southeast to Plover Hill, Penyghent, Ribblesdale, and the Ribblehead Viaduct
Great Knoutberry Hill, Wold Fell, Dodd Fell Hill, and Blea Moor to the northeast, with Greensett Tarn below
Looking north to Baugh Fell, Wild Boar Fell, High Seat, Great Shunner Fell, and Great Knoutberry Hill
Heading north along Whernside's summit ridge
Leaving the path to Little Dale and Ribblehead I cross the moor to Whernside Tarns...
Looking back to the summit of Whernside
From Whernside Tarns I head towards the cairns on the shoulder of the moor above Deepdale
Two cairns on the shoulder of the moor above Deepdale have a fantastic view down Dentdale. The one a little lower down the hillside has the better, so I'm not going to waste any time and head straight down to it.
Looking down Dentdale, with Middleton Fell on the left, the Howgills and Aye Gill Pike on the right, and the Lake District fells in the distance..
..and across Dentdale to the Howgills, Aye Gill Pike, and Baugh Fell
Heading north down to the track of the Craven Way
On the track of the Craven Way to Little Dale
Looking back along the Craven Way
and north to Baugh Fell, Snaizwold Fell, and the moors around Garsdale Head
Great Knoutberry Hill, the Arten Gill Viaduct, and Wold Fell
As I cross the watershed into Little Dale, Penyghent, Ribblesdale, and Ingleborough come into view..
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A visit to the lower waterfall in Force Gill...
Heading back to Ribblehead..
Back at the Ribblehead Viaduct as the sun is setting