7th April 2023 - Plover Hill and Penyghent
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.6 miles
Total ascent: 1965 ft ascent
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Helwith Bridge-Ribble Way-Horton in Ribblesdale-Pennine Way-Hull Pot-Horton Moor-Foxup Moor-Plover Hill-Penyghent-Pennine Way-Long Lane-Helwith Bridge
There's some beautiful spring weather forecast for the first half of the long Easter weekend, and I've planned a walk for both days. Today's walk of Plover Hill and Penyghent from Helwith Bridge is familiar territory, being a route that I've done before, and I've walked up Plover Hill and Penyghent from Horton-in-Ribblesdale many times. I deliberately chose to start from Helwith Bridge rather than Horton to add a couple of miles to the route, to enjoy following the Ribble Way from Helwith Bridge to Horton, and to avoid driving into a very busy Horton. It turned out to be a lovely spring day with plenty of sunshine, a bit of fair weather cloud, a gentle breeze, and excellent visibility for taking in the moorland views.
From where I parked at Helwith Bridge I joined the trail of the Ribble Way and followed it north to Horton-in-Ribblesdale. I then walked through Horton and onto the Pennine Way, which took me north up onto Horton Moor, where I left it behind for the bridleway across Foxup Moor to Foxup (with a short detour to Hull Pot, where I stopped for lunch, and Hull Pot Beck). When I reached Foxup Moor I left the bridleway for the path up onto Plover Hill, and after taking in the view I then made my way south to Penyghent. From the summit of Penyghent I followed the Pennine Way south and down to where it joins the track of Long Lane, which I walked down to the B6479 in Ribblesdale. A short walk to Helwith Bridge took me back to where I was parked.
Total ascent: 1965 ft ascent
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Helwith Bridge-Ribble Way-Horton in Ribblesdale-Pennine Way-Hull Pot-Horton Moor-Foxup Moor-Plover Hill-Penyghent-Pennine Way-Long Lane-Helwith Bridge
There's some beautiful spring weather forecast for the first half of the long Easter weekend, and I've planned a walk for both days. Today's walk of Plover Hill and Penyghent from Helwith Bridge is familiar territory, being a route that I've done before, and I've walked up Plover Hill and Penyghent from Horton-in-Ribblesdale many times. I deliberately chose to start from Helwith Bridge rather than Horton to add a couple of miles to the route, to enjoy following the Ribble Way from Helwith Bridge to Horton, and to avoid driving into a very busy Horton. It turned out to be a lovely spring day with plenty of sunshine, a bit of fair weather cloud, a gentle breeze, and excellent visibility for taking in the moorland views.
From where I parked at Helwith Bridge I joined the trail of the Ribble Way and followed it north to Horton-in-Ribblesdale. I then walked through Horton and onto the Pennine Way, which took me north up onto Horton Moor, where I left it behind for the bridleway across Foxup Moor to Foxup (with a short detour to Hull Pot, where I stopped for lunch, and Hull Pot Beck). When I reached Foxup Moor I left the bridleway for the path up onto Plover Hill, and after taking in the view I then made my way south to Penyghent. From the summit of Penyghent I followed the Pennine Way south and down to where it joins the track of Long Lane, which I walked down to the B6479 in Ribblesdale. A short walk to Helwith Bridge took me back to where I was parked.
Route map
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The River Ribble as I set off from Helwith Bridge. Can you spot the angler trying their luck?
Great views of Ribblesdale, Penyghent and the River Ribble as I follow the Ribble Way north to Horton.......
The bridge over the River Ribble at Horton, with The Crown pub on the other side
Ingleborough and Whernside come into view as I leave Horton by the Pennine Way up Horton Scar
Heading up the Pennine Way
Looking back down towards Ribblesdale, with Pendle Hill in the distance
Penyghent above Horton Scar
Before taking the bridleway to Foxup, I couldn't not visit Hull Pot and its view of Penyghent
While I was here I decided to follow Hull Pot Beck upstream for a while. At the moment the bed of the beck is dry, and is only full after heavy rain.
It isn't long before I reach the beck in flow...
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Looking back along Hull Pot Beck towards Hull Pot
Looking back as I leave the beck behind and head up to the bridleway on Horton Moor
The western slopes of Penyghent from the bridleway
Crossing Horton Moor on the bridleway to Foxup
Views across the surrounding moorland to Ingleborough and Whernside...
Looking north to Cosh Knott
Time to leave the bridleway and head uphill
Looking across the broad summit of Plover Hill to Great Whernside in the distance
and across Ribblesdale to Ingleborough and Whernside
Blue skies and fair weather clouds above sunlit moors
Heading from Plover Hill to Penyghent
Ingleborough on the other side of Ribblesdale
The ladder stile across this wall has been replaced
Looking back to Plover Hill as I make my way up Penyghent
A moorland pool provides a foreground for taking in the view to the north
On the summit of Penyghent, and with good visibility there's a great all round view to take in today. Starting with Darnbrook Fell and Fountains Fell on the other side of the head of Silverdale.
The Forest of Bowland in the distance to the southwest
Ingleborough and Whernside on the other side of Ribblesdale
Zooming in to the left of Whernside and I can make out some of the Lake District fells, including Scafell Pike and Great Gable
Looking northwest to Whernside, the Howgills, Baugh Fell, Great Knoutberry and Dodd Fell Hill
and north to Great Knoutberry Hill, Dodd Fell Hill and Plover Hill
Looking south down Ribblesdale to a distant Pendle Hill
The view down Ribblesdale as I head south off the summit
I get a great view of Penyghent as I follow the Pennine Way to the south..
Looking across the head of Silverdale to Fountains Fell
On the track of Long Lane down to Helwith Bridge
Looking across Ribblesdale to Ingleborough and Whernside
Penyghent from Dub Cote Scar
Helwith Bridge in sight as I head down into Ribblesdale
A beautiful end to the afternoon in Ribblesdale
Lower down and Pendle Hill appears in the distance on the left
A last glimpse of a distant Penyghent from Long Lane..
..before the final descent to Helwith Bridge