2nd October 2022 - Whernside
Walk Details
Distance walked: 13.3 miles
Total ascent: 1847 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: Ribblehead-Gunnerfleet Farm-Ivescar-Bruntscar-Ellerbeck-Blake Bank-Scales Moor-West Fell-Combe Scar-Whernside-Whernside Tarns-Dales High Way-Ribblehead
I decided to do Whernside from Ribblehead for my walk this weekend. Although it's only been just over six months since I was on the summit of Whernside I started that walk from Dent, but it's been over two years since I last did this particular route, 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 even that was pretty quiet today. The forecast was for a fine autumn day with a reasonable amount of sunshine, but with a pretty strong wind up the moors. The skies tended to fill in with cloud when I was on my way up Whernside, and I did consider not bothering to visit Whernside Tarns, but I was glad that I did. The cloud broke up for while when I was there so that I had some sunshine for taking in the view of Dentdale from the cairns on the hillside near Whernside Tarns.
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 and Scales Moor. It was at this point that I decided to find a convenient place to get 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: 1847 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: Ribblehead-Gunnerfleet Farm-Ivescar-Bruntscar-Ellerbeck-Blake Bank-Scales Moor-West Fell-Combe Scar-Whernside-Whernside Tarns-Dales High Way-Ribblehead
I decided to do Whernside from Ribblehead for my walk this weekend. Although it's only been just over six months since I was on the summit of Whernside I started that walk from Dent, but it's been over two years since I last did this particular route, 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 even that was pretty quiet today. The forecast was for a fine autumn day with a reasonable amount of sunshine, but with a pretty strong wind up the moors. The skies tended to fill in with cloud when I was on my way up Whernside, and I did consider not bothering to visit Whernside Tarns, but I was glad that I did. The cloud broke up for while when I was there so that I had some sunshine for taking in the view of Dentdale from the cairns on the hillside near Whernside Tarns.
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 and Scales Moor. It was at this point that I decided to find a convenient place to get 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
Park Fell, Simon Fell and Ingleborough behind Gunnerfleet Farm
On the bridleway past Ivescar Farm
Looking back to the Ribblehead Viaduct
Past Broadrake..
..and Bruntscar
Looking back to the Ribblehead Viaduct from Bruntscar..
..and across to Simon Fell and Ingleborough
Following the bridleway from Bruntscar to Ellerbeck
Whernside above Ellerbeck
The bridleway to Scar End heads across Blake Bank Moss
Looking back to a distant Ribblehead Viaduct
Ingleborough from Scales Moor
The moors on the other side of Kingsdale come into view as I head for the wall on Whernside's southwest ridge
Time to start the long climb to Whernside's distant summit
Looking across Chapel-le-Dale to Ingleborough as I reach West Fell
and across Kingsdale to Gragareth
and back down the ridge to Scar End, and a distant Forest of Bowland
The summit of Whernside is now in sight
I'm safe. They're on the other side of the wall.
On the moorland of Combe Scar. The final climb to the summit isn't far.
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
Whernside's steep east face
The Ribblehead Viaduct below
Ingleborough from the summit of Whernside
Penyghent and Ingleborough from the trig point on Whernside
Plover Hill, Penyghent, Ribblehead and Park Fell
Looking back along the summit ridge as..
..I head north towards Whernside Tarns, with Greensett Tarn below on the right
Looking over the wall to my left to Great Coum, Dentdale, the Howgills, and Aye Gill Pike
The main path has been left behind for the one to Whernside Tarns. Looking north to Aye Gill Pike, Baugh Fell, High Seat, and Great Shunner Fell.
Great views from the windswept Whernside Tarns...
Two cairns on the shoulder of the moor above Deepdale have a fantastic view down Dentdale. It's the definite highlight of the walk and I spend a good twenty minutes here as the weather improves and more in the way of sunshine comes across.
The other cairn to the north has a better view, so I quickly head for it as the sunshine approaches
Looking down Dentdale, with Middleton Fell on the left, and the Howgills and Aye Gill Pike on the right..
and north to Baugh Fell, Snaizwold Fell, and the moors around Garsdale Head
and east to Great Knoutberry Hill, Wold Fell, and Dodd Fell Hill
Heading north down to the track of the Craven Way
On the track of the Craven Way to Little Dale
One last look at the view to the north before I cross the watershed into Little Dale
Penyghent, Ribblesdale and Ingleborough come into view
Whernside above to my right
Heading down into Little Dale
I had to make the detour to the lower waterfall in Force Gill as I was making my way down Little Dale...
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Heading back to Ribblehead
The Ribblehead Viaduct
The Ribblehead Viaduct and Whernside as I arrive back at Ribblehead