Whernside Circular

Walk 1 - By car or train from Ribblehead: Whernside circular (736m) - 8 miles - 4.5 hours Back to Ribblehead

• Whernside Summit in Winter / Pen-y-ghent taken from Whernside

Start at Ribblehead - proceed along the main road for about 200m or so below the Station Inn and turn left to follow vehicle track passing to the right hand side of the viaduct. Do not go under the viaduct but bear straight on up a steep path with the railway line on the left. This path stays with the railway line and eventually passes Blea Moor signal box. After crossing two streams cross the Force Gill aqueduct [an impressive waterfall just upstream] turning immediately right. After a short while take the left hand fork and start climbing the steeply uphill known as Smithy Hill. The path is known as the Craven Way [an old droving road into Dentdale] and has been restored many times in the past having been badly rutted by motorcycles. After 3/4 mile take the left-hand fork over a stile and proceed over a part flagged path to the main ridge of Whernside in fact know as Knoutberry Hill at this point [not to be confused with the nearby Great Knoutberry]. At this point there is an excellent view of Greensett Tarn below. On meeting the ridge turn left proceed uphill for a further ½ mile to reach the summit.

From the summit trig point continue along ridge path for approx ½ mile eventually turning left down steep slope with steps, crossing two stiles to reach Bruntscar.

Passing through gate turn left through a small gate along path passing in front of Broadrake and through several meadows reach to Ivescar Farm. At the farm bear right and and turn quickly left passing diagonally across the first field over Lockiddy Hill and access two tiles. After a short downhill cross stile in corner of field an proceed diagonally across rough pasture through another stile and eventually reaching a farm access road . Turn left after 300m and then turn right to cross the bridge over Winterscales Beck. Passing Gunnerfleet Farm follow the un-metalled vehicle track for ½ mile under the viaduct and returning to Ribblehead and the Station Inn. 

Note: an alternative return missing out the fields would be to carry straight on at Ivescar following the farm access road towards Winterscales Farm. However before reaching the farm turn right to reach Gunnerfleet and resume directions above for the return to Ribblehead.

• Meadows at Bruntscar / Greensett Tarn from near summit

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