Walks To And From The Station Inn Ribblehead (And The 3 Peaks Area) To Contents

The following includes a selection of walks often making use of the Leeds/Settle to Carlisle Railway service and all finishing at the Station Inn, Ribblehead and taking in the 3 Peaks area. The Railway provides excellent opportunities for linear walks even for car owners who can travel one or two stops by train.

The Station Inn welcomes walkers and provides an excellent finishing point. It is only a short walk up to the platform for the train home. For car drivers, either park at Horton or Ribblehead as appropriate for walks marked*. Map reading is essential to complete these walks (see later)

Also the station has been restored as an excellent visitor centre operated by the Settle & Carlisle Railway Trust and run by custodians Tony and Pat

Please Click Here and e mail a short message together with any comments or suggestions if you have visited! 

Link to map of Ribblehead

Contents:-

 

*   all of these walks are possible from Ribblehead either directly or using the train

Ribblehead Sta 30 Dec 00.jpg (29732 bytes)

  • Ribblehead Viaduct / Ribblehead Station in Winter


Information: Equipment: All walks have significant exposure even in Summer. Full equipment including boots, waterproofs, map and compass would be advisable


Maps: Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure 2 -Yorkshire Dales- Southern and Western Areas 1:25,000

 

Ribblehead (3) 20 July 02.jpg (34795 bytes)Ribblehead (4) 20 July 02.jpg (31631 bytes)

  • Looking towards Ingleborough from Ribblehead Station in summer/Ribblehead Station late Summer evening


Travel Information: www.northernrail.org- Leeds-Settle-Carlisle timetable - National Rail enquiries tel 08457 484950

Train services (Mon -Sat) - Normal departure to Ribblehead - Leeds 0849 Shipley 0902 (Winter Timetable) arrive Ribblehead at 1006. The usual return trains are 1549 [Sat] and 1745 from Ribblehead (towards Leeds).

The interchangeability of tickets between Carlisle and Morecambe lines i.e. travel out on Morecambe line to Bentham and return from Ribblehead has recently been resolved to the effect that Settle and Giggleswick tickets are interchangeable whilst between Clapham/Bentham and Horton/Ribblehead there will be a £2 supplement payable on the return journey. See timetable for Sunday services which are vastly improving on the Settle -Carlisle services.  However the Lancaster line service still leaves something to desired.

Also, it is important to realise that the operator will not always point out the cheaper versions journey prices. For instance, by booking a return ticket to Keighley (within the Metro area) taking advantage of Metro off peak fares on weekends and then Keighley to Ribblehead this can result in a significant saving. These can be checked out beforehand using the internet on sites such as http://www.nationalrail.co.uk.

  • Ingleborough seen from Whernside

DalesBus The Ingleborough Pony service provides useful links between Settle, Ribblehead Station, Ingleborough National Nature Reserve, Ingleton and Clapham on Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays. The 2009 season starts on 17th May.

New for 2009, is the Northern Dalesman bus service from Ribblehead to Hawes, Swaledale and Leyburn, also running on Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays until 18th October 2009.

For details of these and other useful bus services in the Yorkshire Dales see: www.dalesbus.org

Another useful bus service runs from Dent Station to Dent. This is operated by Apollo 8 subsidised by Cumbria CC and runs Saturdays only. This is an excellent low cost service and continues on to Sebergh and Kendal [about 85p to Dent and £1.25 toSebergh]. The bus times at the time of writing [April 09] are 1020 depart Dent Sta and 1515 depart Dent on the return

Cumbria bus times can be located through Cumbria Bus Timetables

Other travel information-   A useful link for travel services in the Dales- www.traveldales.org.uk -This includes all bus and train services. For the Dent Sta - Dent bus see the separate note

Ribblehead Quarry Walk - a very short walk around the English Nature site. Whilst I have not described it here the English Nature website contains an informative guide - download through www.naturalengland.org.uk. This walk takes in some limestone scenery, flora [in May/June] and the Viking Farmstead just above the quarry. This comprises three buildings on slightly elevated ground just above the limestone karst and a short distance from the drystone wall. The site is close to the footpath gate at the rear of the quarry. The following BBC link shows a virtual tour around the settlement www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings

 

  • Showing the remains of one of the smaller Viking buildings


Station Inn - ring 01524 241 274- Usually open all day - but advisable to check - see website also

 

Ribblehead Station Visitor Centre - the station has been fully restored as a visitor centre by the Settle & Carlisle Railway Trust and run by custodians Tony and Pat. The centre is normally open every day except Monday (open BH Mondays) - Tel 01524 242584. The visitor centre is also the weather station [see below] a function which the stationmaster undertook for the air ministry in the past.

 

Settle Carlisle Partnership a useful website run by the Settle Carlisle Development Company and the Friends of The Settle Carlisle with links to other sites.

The Music train May 2009

 

Weather The weather forecast and current weather conditions (including cloud level) can be obtained from the following useful sites

Metcheck the forecast and current conditions for the Whernside range of hills

Ribblehead weather station up to the minute status of the local weather

Met office forecast for Yorkshire Dales a very useful site

Important note:- Whilst the author has taken every care in assembling the information on this site, no responsibility can be accepted for any error or omission herein. If in any doubt walkers should consult the relevant OS map.

This site was last updated on 03-Jan-2010

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