24th March 2024 - Whernside
Walk Details
Distance walked: 12.0 miles
Total ascent: 2305 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern and Western areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Dent-Flinter Gill-Green Lane-High Moss-Kingsdale to Deepdale road-Whernside-Whernside Tarns-Dales High Way-Dyke Hall Lane-Mill Bridge-Dales Way-Church Bridge-Dent
For my walk this weekend I decided to head to the village of Dent in the Yorkshire Dales to do a route that would take me to the summit of Whernside. My last visit to this one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks was only five months ago, but by this route it was 2022, which I think is my favourite way of getting there. Starting from Dent means a walk that's long enough for a full day, it gives you the opportunity of taking in Dentdale and Deepdale using some great tracks and bridleways, plus there's the added bonus of visiting Whernside Tarns and the cairns that sit on the northern shoulder of the fell, which have a great view of Dentdale. It was a lovely spring day with lots of blue skies and sunshine, and with excellent visibility I enjoyed some fantastic long distance views.
From the car park in Dent I crossed the road and walked up the lane opposite to its top and onto the bridleway up Flinter Gill. When this reached a junction of bridleways I turned left and took the track of Green Lane signposted for High Moss. I followed this east and then south across the hillside above Deepdale to where it meets the Deepdale to Kingsdale Road. After a short walk down the road towards Kingsdale I crossed a stile on the left by a fence to pick up the path to the top of Whernside, where I stopped for lunch. Break over, I continued by taking the path north along the summit ridge to the point where it starts to descend towards Ribblehead. This was my cue to leave it and cross the stile on my left and head for Whernside Tarns. I made my way around the tarns and then went to the cairns on the edge of fell overlooking Deepdale and Dentdale. They have a great view. Having taken it in I made my way down by a line of grouse butts and a wall to reach the trail of the Dales High Way. I followed this west down to Dyke Hall Lane in Dentdale and after walking down this road I reached Mill Bridge. From here the trail of the Dales Way took me west to Church Bridge over the River Dee, where I was left with a short walk up into the village.
Total ascent: 2305 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern and Western areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Dent-Flinter Gill-Green Lane-High Moss-Kingsdale to Deepdale road-Whernside-Whernside Tarns-Dales High Way-Dyke Hall Lane-Mill Bridge-Dales Way-Church Bridge-Dent
For my walk this weekend I decided to head to the village of Dent in the Yorkshire Dales to do a route that would take me to the summit of Whernside. My last visit to this one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks was only five months ago, but by this route it was 2022, which I think is my favourite way of getting there. Starting from Dent means a walk that's long enough for a full day, it gives you the opportunity of taking in Dentdale and Deepdale using some great tracks and bridleways, plus there's the added bonus of visiting Whernside Tarns and the cairns that sit on the northern shoulder of the fell, which have a great view of Dentdale. It was a lovely spring day with lots of blue skies and sunshine, and with excellent visibility I enjoyed some fantastic long distance views.
From the car park in Dent I crossed the road and walked up the lane opposite to its top and onto the bridleway up Flinter Gill. When this reached a junction of bridleways I turned left and took the track of Green Lane signposted for High Moss. I followed this east and then south across the hillside above Deepdale to where it meets the Deepdale to Kingsdale Road. After a short walk down the road towards Kingsdale I crossed a stile on the left by a fence to pick up the path to the top of Whernside, where I stopped for lunch. Break over, I continued by taking the path north along the summit ridge to the point where it starts to descend towards Ribblehead. This was my cue to leave it and cross the stile on my left and head for Whernside Tarns. I made my way around the tarns and then went to the cairns on the edge of fell overlooking Deepdale and Dentdale. They have a great view. Having taken it in I made my way down by a line of grouse butts and a wall to reach the trail of the Dales High Way. I followed this west down to Dyke Hall Lane in Dentdale and after walking down this road I reached Mill Bridge. From here the trail of the Dales Way took me west to Church Bridge over the River Dee, where I was left with a short walk up into the village.
Route map
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It's a fine spring morning in Dent
Leaving Dent by walking up Dragon Croft..
..and then the bridleway by Flinter Gill
Looking down into Flinter Gill
A short descent gives me a view of the beck tumbling down the bed of the gill
Looking across Dentdale to the Howgills as I join the track of Green Lane
and west along Green Lane to Middleton Fell
Great views of Dentdale and its surrounding fells as I walk east along the track of Green Lane......
Aye Gill Pike, Dentdale and Great Knoutberry Hill from the top of the Nun House Outrake bridleway
I take a right turn for the bridleway to High Moss
Great Knoutberry Hill behind the northern shoulder of Whernside
A last look back to the Howgills before they disappear from view for a while
Heading south along the bridleway with Green Hill in front of me
Looking across the top of Deepdale to Whernside
The top of Ingleborough comes into view as the bridleway turns east to cross Foul Moss
Whernside ahead as the bridleway crosses Foul Moss
Looking south across Foul Moss with Ingleborough on the left
and back along the bridleway to the eastern slopes of Green Hill
Following the bridleway down to High Moss and the Kingsdale to Deepdale road..
Looking north along the road to Deepdale
I have a brief walk south down the road towards Kingsdale to access my route up Whernside
I leave the road and start the ascent of Whernside
A couple of stops to take in the view. Great Coum, Deepdale, the Howgills, Dentdale and Aye Gill Pike..
..and, Kingsdale with Gragareth on its right and the Forest of Bowland in the distance
On the final climb to the summit
There's a great view behind me as I gain height. Some of the Lake District fells can now be seen in the distance between Great Coum and the Howgills.
Taking in the view from the summit of Whernside, starting with Ingleborough
Looking south to the Forest of Bowland, with Gragareth on the right on the other side of Kingsdale
Having crossed to the other side of the summit wall, looking southeast to Plover Hill, Penyghent, Ribblesdale, and the Ribblehead Viaduct.
Great Shunner Fell, Great Knoutberry Hill, Lovely Seat, Wold Fell, and Dodd Fell Hill to the northeast
Looking south along Whernside's summit ridge
Heading north along Whernside's summit ridge with Greensett Tarn below..
To my left, distant Lake District fells, Dentdale, and the Howgills
Leaving the path to Little Dale and Ribblehead I cross the moor to Whernside Tarns...
Looking back to the summit of Whernside
By the largest of the Whernside Tarns, with the Lake District fells and the Howgills in the background
Just to the northwest of Whernside Tarns and on the edge of the fell, the first of a couple of cairns provides a fantastic view of Deepdale, Dentdale and the Howgills
Taking in the view down Dentdale from the second and lower cairn, which I think is better than the other one, with Middleton Fell on the left, the Howgills and Aye Gill Pike on the right, and the Lake District fells in the distance
Great Coum on the other side of Deepdale
Looking northeast through the low point in the moorland between Aye Gill Pike and Great Knoutberry Hill to Mallerstang Edge and Great Shunner Fell in the distance
Heading north down to the track of the Craven Way
On my way back to Dentdale with lovely views of the valley..
Approaching Mill Bridge, where I'll join the Dales Way
On the Dales Way by Deepdale Beck
Deepdale Beck joins the River Dee
Following the Dales Way west by the River Dee
The roofs of Dent are in sight
Looking back up Dentdale to the northern slopes of Whernside
Church Bridge and the River Dee
Back in Dent