29th July 2024 - The source of the Ribble and Cam Fell
Walk Details
Distance walked: 15.8 miles
Total ascent: 1858 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 8 hrs
Route description: Selside-Low Birkwith-High Birkwith-Pennine Bridleway-Ribble Way-Nether Lodge-Ribble Way-Gearstones Lodge-Ribble Way-Winshaw-Ribble Way-Newby Head Gate-Ribble Way-High Wold-Pennine Bridleway-Cold Keld Gate-Pennine Way-Old Ing-Pennine Bridleway-High Birkwith-Low Birkwith-Selside
I've got the day off work, and with another day of good summer weather forecast I decided to head to Selside in Ribblesdale to do a route that I came up with last summer, but didn't get round to doing. I didn't work out how long it was, but from judging the distance it took me across the map I knew that it would be up in the mid-teens of miles and that I'd need the long hours of a summer day and good weather for attempting it. A good part of it would be fairly easy going though, on good footpaths, bridleways and tracks. The walk would let me explore more of upper Ribblesdale, using the trails of the Ribble Way, Pennine Bridleway, Pennine Way, and included the source of the River Ribble. It turned out to be the ideal day for it. I set off from Selside with blue skies, sunny spells, and fair weather clouds. It stayed that way apart from late in the afternoon while on the Pennine Way back to Selside, when some cloud came over that was thick enough to squeeze out some drops of rain.
After parking my car on the track just off Selside Shaw Old Lane in Selside I walked down the road into Selside, and turned left to take a footpath along a track under the Settle to Carlisle railway. I kept on the footpath from the end of the track and followed it down to cross a footbridge over the River Ribble, then over another footbridge across Coppy Gill, and up through fields to Low Birkwith. From Low Birkwith I took the footpath up to High Birkwith, where I briefly followed the Pennine Bridleway towards Old Ing. I soon reached the Ribble Way, which I took north to Nether Lodge, across moorland to the deserted hamlet of Thorns, then across Thorns Gill and up to Gearstones Lodge on the B6255. I kept on the Ribble Way as I walked east along the road, then took it up the track opposite Far Gearstones Farm to Shepherd's Cottage and the tiny hamlet of Winshaw, and north along the eastern slopes of Blea Moor (I stopped along here to take lunch), to reach the road down into Dentdale at Newby Head Gate. After walking up the road to its junction with the B6255 I took the track opposite (now both the Ribble Way and Pennine Bridleway), and followed it up Gayle Moor. As the track reached a gate in a wall I left it to go up to the source of the River Ribble on the limestone scar of High Wold. Once back on the track I followed it east (now just the Pennine Bridleway) to Cold Keld Gate, then made my way along the Pennine Way (and Pennine Bridleway) down Cam High Road to Cam End, from where I took the Pennine Way south to Old Ing. At Old Ing the Pennine Way parted company with the Pennine Bridleway, which I took down the track to High Birkwith, and from there I retraced my steps back to Selside.
Total ascent: 1858 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 8 hrs
Route description: Selside-Low Birkwith-High Birkwith-Pennine Bridleway-Ribble Way-Nether Lodge-Ribble Way-Gearstones Lodge-Ribble Way-Winshaw-Ribble Way-Newby Head Gate-Ribble Way-High Wold-Pennine Bridleway-Cold Keld Gate-Pennine Way-Old Ing-Pennine Bridleway-High Birkwith-Low Birkwith-Selside
I've got the day off work, and with another day of good summer weather forecast I decided to head to Selside in Ribblesdale to do a route that I came up with last summer, but didn't get round to doing. I didn't work out how long it was, but from judging the distance it took me across the map I knew that it would be up in the mid-teens of miles and that I'd need the long hours of a summer day and good weather for attempting it. A good part of it would be fairly easy going though, on good footpaths, bridleways and tracks. The walk would let me explore more of upper Ribblesdale, using the trails of the Ribble Way, Pennine Bridleway, Pennine Way, and included the source of the River Ribble. It turned out to be the ideal day for it. I set off from Selside with blue skies, sunny spells, and fair weather clouds. It stayed that way apart from late in the afternoon while on the Pennine Way back to Selside, when some cloud came over that was thick enough to squeeze out some drops of rain.
After parking my car on the track just off Selside Shaw Old Lane in Selside I walked down the road into Selside, and turned left to take a footpath along a track under the Settle to Carlisle railway. I kept on the footpath from the end of the track and followed it down to cross a footbridge over the River Ribble, then over another footbridge across Coppy Gill, and up through fields to Low Birkwith. From Low Birkwith I took the footpath up to High Birkwith, where I briefly followed the Pennine Bridleway towards Old Ing. I soon reached the Ribble Way, which I took north to Nether Lodge, across moorland to the deserted hamlet of Thorns, then across Thorns Gill and up to Gearstones Lodge on the B6255. I kept on the Ribble Way as I walked east along the road, then took it up the track opposite Far Gearstones Farm to Shepherd's Cottage and the tiny hamlet of Winshaw, and north along the eastern slopes of Blea Moor (I stopped along here to take lunch), to reach the road down into Dentdale at Newby Head Gate. After walking up the road to its junction with the B6255 I took the track opposite (now both the Ribble Way and Pennine Bridleway), and followed it up Gayle Moor. As the track reached a gate in a wall I left it to go up to the source of the River Ribble on the limestone scar of High Wold. Once back on the track I followed it east (now just the Pennine Bridleway) to Cold Keld Gate, then made my way along the Pennine Way (and Pennine Bridleway) down Cam High Road to Cam End, from where I took the Pennine Way south to Old Ing. At Old Ing the Pennine Way parted company with the Pennine Bridleway, which I took down the track to High Birkwith, and from there I retraced my steps back to Selside.
Route map
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.
Before I set off, I shot of Penyghent across Ribblesdale from above Selside
Making my way through Selside
Onto the footpath towards the River Ribble
Looking back to Selside
Crossing the River Ribble
Once across the Ribble there's another footbridge over Coppy Gill, and then I follow the footpath up to Low Birkwith..
Looking back to Low Birkwith as I head up to High Birkwith
To my left, a view up Ribblesdale to Whernside
At High Birkwith
From High Birkwith I take the Ribble Way to Nether Lodge
At Nether Lodge and the footbridge over Ling Gill Beck
From Nether Lodge I follow the Ribble Way northwest across an undulating landscape of low hills
Looking back to Penyghent in the distance
Whernside, and I can make out the Ribblehead Viaduct on the left
Park Fell to my left
Heading down to the ruins of the long deserted hamlet of Thorns..
Park Fell behind Thorns
Making my way down to cross Thorns Gill below Far Gearstones Farm..
After crossing Thorns Gill I head up to Gearstones Lodge
Ingleborough in the distance from Blea Moor Road beside Far Gearstones Farm
Opposite the entrance to Far Gearstones Farm I take the Ribble Way up to the tiny settlement of Winshaw
Looking down Ribblesdale from above Winshaw
I follow the Ribble Way north along the side of Blea Moor
Looking back to Ingleborough..
..and to Penyghent in the distance from above High Gayle Farm
After passing High Gayle Farm the Ribble Way joins the bridleway of Black Rake Road and heads for Newby Head Gate...
Looking across to Gayle Moor
Wold Fell ahead as I approach Newby Head Gate
Onto the road at Newby Head Gate, and in this direction it's down into Dentdale
I'm going the other way, to the junction with the Ribblehead to Hawes road
On the Ribble Way above the road junction. The Pennine Bridleway has joined the Ribble Way for this final stretch to its start.
Following the Ribble Way up onto Gayle Moor
Looking back to Wold Fell on the other side of the Ribblehead to Hawes road
Heading uphill and the track joins the side of Long Gill
Looking back to Ingleborough, Blea Moor, and Whernside
Nearing the source of the Ribble, the hillside up on the right
A look back down the track from beside Jam Sike, the highest tributary of the Ribble
The source of the River Ribble on High Wold
After that short detour to the source of the Ribble I'm back on the Pennine Bridleway. Looking north across Snaizeholme Fell to Great Shunner Fell in the distance on the other side of Wensleydale.
Following the Pennine Bridleway east to Cold Keld Gate..
At Cold Keld Gate I join the Pennine Way on Cam High Road and head southwest
To my left, a view down to Oughtershaw and Langstrothdale
Looking south across Cam Woodlands and Birkwith Moor to Penyghent
Heading down Cam Fell on the Pennine Way
The Dales Way joins the Pennine Way, having come up the hillside from Cam Houses
The Pennine Way and Dales Way soon part company. I'm turning left to head south on the Pennine Way.
Making my way south on the Pennine Way, and across Ling Gill Bridge..
The wooded ravine of Ling Gill
Passing Dry Lathe, with a view across freshly mown fields to Simon Fell and Park Fell on the other side of Ribblesdale..
Calf Holes
At Old Ing the Pennine Way and Pennine Bridleway part company, and I take the Pennine Bridleway down to High Birkwith..
Following the footpath from High Birkwith down to Low Birkwith
From Low Birkwith I take the footpath towards the River Ribble
Crossing the River Ribble
Once across the Ribble I take the footpath along the track back to Selside
The sun returns and illuminates the surrounding countryside in late afternoon sunshine..
Back in Selside
A last shot of Penyghent in the distance from above Selside