Pennine Walker, a photographic walking diary

  • HOME
  • About this site
  • Walking Diaries
    • Walking Diary 2023
    • Walking Diary 2022
    • Walking Diary 2021
    • Walking Diary 2020
    • Walking Diary 2019
    • Walking Diary 2018
    • Walking Diary 2017
    • Walking Diary 2016
    • Walking Diary 2015
    • Walking Diary 2014
    • Walking Diary 2013
    • Walking Diary 2012
    • Walking Diary 2011
    • Walking Diary 2010
    • Walking Diary 2009
    • Walking Diary 2008
  • Lake District Walks
  • Peak District Walks
  • Yorkshire Dales Walks
  • Forest of Bowland, Pendle & West Pennine Moors Walks
  • South Pennines Walks
  • Walks in other areas
  • Links Page

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.

Route map
Picture
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.

Picture
The Ribblehead Viaduct and Whernside as I set off from Ribblehead
Picture
On the bridleway to Gunnerfleet Farm
Picture
Park Fell, Simon Fell and Ingleborough behind Gunnerfleet Farm
Picture
On the bridleway past Ivescar Farm
Picture
Looking back to the Ribblehead Viaduct
Picture
Past Broadrake..
Picture
..and Bruntscar
Picture
Looking back to the Ribblehead Viaduct from Bruntscar..
Picture
..and across to Simon Fell and Ingleborough
Picture
Following the bridleway from Bruntscar to Ellerbeck
Picture
Whernside above Ellerbeck
Picture
The bridleway to Scar End heads across Blake Bank Moss
Picture
Looking back to a distant Ribblehead Viaduct
Picture
Ingleborough from Scales Moor
Picture
The moors on the other side of Kingsdale come into view as I head for the wall on Whernside's southwest ridge
Picture
Time to start the long climb to Whernside's distant summit
Picture
Looking across Chapel-le-Dale to Ingleborough as I reach West Fell
Picture
and across Kingsdale to Gragareth
Picture
and back down the ridge to Scar End, and a distant Forest of Bowland
Picture
The summit of Whernside is now in sight
Picture
I'm safe. They're on the other side of the wall.
Picture
On the moorland of Combe Scar. The final climb to the summit isn't far.
Picture
A great view across Chapel-le-Dale to Ingleborough as I reach the final climb to the summit
Picture
Looking down the summit ridge to the Forest of Bowland in the distance
Picture
Whernside's steep east face
Picture
The Ribblehead Viaduct below
Picture
Ingleborough from the summit of Whernside
Picture
Penyghent and Ingleborough from the trig point on Whernside
Picture
Plover Hill, Penyghent, Ribblehead and Park Fell
Picture
Looking back along the summit ridge as..
Picture
..I head north towards Whernside Tarns, with Greensett Tarn below on the right
Picture
Looking over the wall to my left to Great Coum, Dentdale, the Howgills, and Aye Gill Pike
Picture
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.
Picture
Great views from the windswept Whernside Tarns...
Picture
Picture
Picture
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.
Picture
The other cairn to the north has a better view, so I quickly head for it as the sunshine approaches
Picture
Looking down Dentdale, with Middleton Fell on the left, and the Howgills and Aye Gill Pike on the right..
Picture
Picture
and north to Baugh Fell, Snaizwold Fell, and the moors around Garsdale Head
Picture
and east to Great Knoutberry Hill, Wold Fell, and Dodd Fell Hill
Picture
Heading north down to the track of the Craven Way
Picture
On the track of the Craven Way to Little Dale
Picture
One last look at the view to the north before I cross the watershed into Little Dale
Picture
Penyghent, Ribblesdale and Ingleborough come into view
Picture
Whernside above to my right
Picture
Heading down into Little Dale
Picture
I had to make the detour to the lower waterfall in Force Gill as I was making my way down Little Dale...
Picture
Picture
Picture
Heading back to Ribblehead
Picture
The Ribblehead Viaduct
Picture
The Ribblehead Viaduct and Whernside as I arrive back at Ribblehead

Return to HOME
Return to Yorkshire Dales Walks
Return to Walking Diary 2022
© Alan Kilduff 2016-2023                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
  • HOME
  • About this site
  • Walking Diaries
    • Walking Diary 2023
    • Walking Diary 2022
    • Walking Diary 2021
    • Walking Diary 2020
    • Walking Diary 2019
    • Walking Diary 2018
    • Walking Diary 2017
    • Walking Diary 2016
    • Walking Diary 2015
    • Walking Diary 2014
    • Walking Diary 2013
    • Walking Diary 2012
    • Walking Diary 2011
    • Walking Diary 2010
    • Walking Diary 2009
    • Walking Diary 2008
  • Lake District Walks
  • Peak District Walks
  • Yorkshire Dales Walks
  • Forest of Bowland, Pendle & West Pennine Moors Walks
  • South Pennines Walks
  • Walks in other areas
  • Links Page