4th January 2025 - Plover Hill and Penyghent
Walk Details
Distance walked: 9.7 miles
Total ascent: 1917 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Horton-Pennine Way-Hull Pot-Foxup Moor-Plover Hill-Penyghent-Pennine Way-Long Lane-Dub Cote-Brackenbottom-Horton
My first walk of the year, and it just so happens to be the exact same one that I did first last year. I was struggling to decide on where to go, so I just went for a familiar route and destination, Plover Hill and Penyghent from Horton-in-Ribblesdale. The weather that I had for it was also pretty similar to last year's walk, a dull and overcast start with low cloud sitting on the hills with an expectation that it should brighten up, except colder. So I opted to take the bridleway across Horton and Foxup Moors to ascend Plover Hill first, so that I could give the low cloud as much time to lift and clear as possible. The cloud lifted and broke while I was crossing Foxup Moor, but by the time I reached the summit of Plover Hill I realised that the low cloud hadn't really cleared but was surrounding the hill. That meant that the walk across the moor from Plover Hill to Penyghent was done in hazy sunshine through a layer of high cloud, and a light cover of snow on the ground, only for the low cloud to return when I was on Penyghent. No view to speak of from there but that walk across the moor was quite atmospheric.
It's going to snow tonight and into tomorrow morning, fingers crossed it hangs around until next weekend.
From the car park in Horton-in-Ribblesdale I picked up the trail of the Pennine Way and followed it up Horton Scar Lane to its top, and then took the bridleway to Foxup up onto Foxup Moor (with a short detour to see Hull Pot). When I reached the fingerpost for Plover Hill I left the bridleway and followed the footpath up onto Plover Hill, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I then followed the path south across the moor and up to the summit of Penyghent. Once I'd taken in the view I took the Pennine Way south from the summit, then when I reached the track of Long Lane I followed this south until I reached the bridleway to Dub Cote on the right. I followed this bridleway down to Dub Cote, and then from there I walked along roads through Brackenbottom and back to Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
Total ascent: 1917 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Horton-Pennine Way-Hull Pot-Foxup Moor-Plover Hill-Penyghent-Pennine Way-Long Lane-Dub Cote-Brackenbottom-Horton
My first walk of the year, and it just so happens to be the exact same one that I did first last year. I was struggling to decide on where to go, so I just went for a familiar route and destination, Plover Hill and Penyghent from Horton-in-Ribblesdale. The weather that I had for it was also pretty similar to last year's walk, a dull and overcast start with low cloud sitting on the hills with an expectation that it should brighten up, except colder. So I opted to take the bridleway across Horton and Foxup Moors to ascend Plover Hill first, so that I could give the low cloud as much time to lift and clear as possible. The cloud lifted and broke while I was crossing Foxup Moor, but by the time I reached the summit of Plover Hill I realised that the low cloud hadn't really cleared but was surrounding the hill. That meant that the walk across the moor from Plover Hill to Penyghent was done in hazy sunshine through a layer of high cloud, and a light cover of snow on the ground, only for the low cloud to return when I was on Penyghent. No view to speak of from there but that walk across the moor was quite atmospheric.
It's going to snow tonight and into tomorrow morning, fingers crossed it hangs around until next weekend.
From the car park in Horton-in-Ribblesdale I picked up the trail of the Pennine Way and followed it up Horton Scar Lane to its top, and then took the bridleway to Foxup up onto Foxup Moor (with a short detour to see Hull Pot). When I reached the fingerpost for Plover Hill I left the bridleway and followed the footpath up onto Plover Hill, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I then followed the path south across the moor and up to the summit of Penyghent. Once I'd taken in the view I took the Pennine Way south from the summit, then when I reached the track of Long Lane I followed this south until I reached the bridleway to Dub Cote on the right. I followed this bridleway down to Dub Cote, and then from there I walked along roads through Brackenbottom and back to Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
Route map
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.
Dull and overcast skies over Ribblesdale as I set off from Horton
Heading up Horton Scar Lane. It soon becomes icy underfoot..
Looking back down Horton Scar Lane
Since I was passing Hull Pot I couldn't not stop and take a photo
Resuming my journey along the bridleway to Foxup..
Looking back along the bridleway. It looks like brighter skies maybe arriving.
Breaks in the cloud along the side of Plover Hill
Following the bridleway across Foxup Moor
The bleak moorland of Cosh Outside
The cloud has cleared from the slopes of Plover Hill
The moors around the top of Littondale come into view ahead
Time to leave the bridleway and climb the path up onto Plover Hill
|
Looking back down the icy path as I near its top
|
Looking across the top of Littondale to Horse Head Moor
Weak sunshine through high cloud as I head for the top of Plover Hill
Bleak winter scenery on the top of Plover Hill..
Penyghent in the distance on the left
Looking across to Fountains Fell
I cross the stile for the path to Penyghent
Heading for Penyghent. It's only now that I realise just how much low cloud is surrounding me..
Crossing the wall halfway between Plover Hill and Penyghent
Frost and snow covered gates and walls
Looking back to Plover Hill
Approaching the summit of Penyghent. I wonder how much of a view I'll get.
As it turns out, not much at all. The low cloud is pretty much ready to cover the top of the hills.
The path down the southern end of the hill disappears into the cloud
Time to head down. I'm definitely not going to get a view now.
At the bottom of the descent and I reach the junction of the Pennine Way with the path to Brackenbottom.
The cloud clears as I head south on the Pennine Way
Views back to Penyghent from the Pennine Way...
Looking across the top of Silverdale to Fountains Fell
Heading south down the track of Long Lane
Views of Penyghent..
..and across to Ingleborough and Whernside on the other side of a misty Ribblesdale
As the hills further down Ribblesdale appear ahead I'll soon reach the bridleway to Dub Cote
I leave the track of Long Lane for the bridleway down to Dub Cote..
Then from Dub Cote I walk down the lane through Brackenbottom to Horton..
Penyghent behind St. Oswald's Church as I arrive back in Horton