Saturday 30 May 2026 - A Short Walk from Ribblehead

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Nine of us assembled at Victoria station for the 8 am train to Ribblehead, a ramblers special on which we were delighted to encounter Reg's daughter, Sangeerththa. Whernside towered above the railway line as a train arrived from the other direction.

We grabbed coffees and enjoyed looking around the small museum that chronicles the history of the railway and the Ribblehead Viaduct.

At this stage - mid morning, we strolled past the Railway Inn and headed towards the viaduct and the track that leads to Blea Moor.

Today's trip was organised by Jeanette for the 'Potatoes', a group of Hale citizens who decline to spend their retirement on couches. Paul, Jeanette, Rufus, me, Sue, Colette, Nick, Steve, Chris and Liz.

There's a lot of information available on the viaduct, including on Wikipedia, a short extract from which is as follows:

By the end of 1874, the last stone of the structure had been laid; on 1 May 1876, the Settle–Carlisle line was opened for passenger services. During the 1980s, British Rail proposed closing the line. In 1989, after lobbying by the public against closure, it was announced that the line would be retained. Since the 1980s, the viaduct has had multiple repairs and restorations and the lines relaid as a single track. The land underneath and around the viaduct is a scheduled ancient monument; the remains of the construction camp and navvy settlements (Batty Wife Hole, Sebastopol, and Belgravia) are located there.

Goods trains were using the line as we rose gently to the level of the railway near the Blea Moor signalbox.

There were lots of folk on the path. The 'Three Peaks Challenge' - Penyghent, Whernside and Ingleborough - was popular today. The timings would bring those challengers past Ribblehead at around this time. Given the lack of rain, bridges across the streams weren't necessary today, but they could be utikised - just because they are there.

We reached the point where our view of the railway sees it disappearing into a long tunnel.

We took photos in both directions before heading back to Ribblehead by an altenative route that afforded good views towards Ingleborough and across to the viaduct..

Near the Inn, a plaque commemorating the workers who constructed the viaduct by hand in the 1870s, and those who revived it in the 1990s using state of the art equipment.

Here's the route we took - 8.5 km, with 80 metres ascent, taking a good couple of hours.

After beers in the garden of the Railway Inn, we adjourned to a table indoors and a substantial meal.

Then a picturesque journey to Carlisle, followed by the West Coast Epress to Oxford Road and a tram home to complete a very enjoyable outing.

Artwork at Carlisle Station

Monday 16 September 2024 - A Sedbergh Circuit

I was supposed to meet Markus on the summit of Ingleborough yesterday lunchtime. It would not have been pleasant. Driving rain was forecast all day, and that turned out to be correct. A last minute adjustment to plans was necessary, though without Wifi or a phone signal, Markus was completely in the dark. Instead of going to Chapel-le-Dale on Sunday, I went to Sedbergh on Monday, in the knowledge that Markus was booked into a hotel there. From there I walked along the Dales High Way (DHW) route to beyond Dent, and I met Markus coming the other way after having climbed Whernside, pretty much exactly where I expected him to appear.

I faffed on riverside paths and returned to the car to take it to a better place in a layby beside the River Rawthey, on the DHW route. Autumn has yet to trouble the greenery in the Yorkshire Dales.

Sedbergh and the Howgills from the DHW path

Panorama (click on it to enlarge) towards the Howgills from Long Moor

Elevenses on Long Moor

View towards Middleton Fell on the descent from Long Moor

Hover Fly on Rampion

On the descent to Dent, a very narrow lane winds up to this vacant cottage.

The road to Dent is encountered at Barth Bridge, from where the DHW and Dales Way paths lead on to Dent beside the River Dee. I'd met not a single person before reaching the outskirts of Dent.

After passing through Dent, and checking that Markus wasn't there, I continued to Church Bridge, for a long lunch on a bench in the playing fields with this view:

Church Bridge

Just a bit further on, I met Markus at Double Croft. I turned around and we enjoyed good views of the river, and refreshments at the cafe in Dent Village Heritage Centre..

Knapweed

Oxeye Daisy

Markus, the camera shy Austrian, insisted that he take my picture outside my Bank.

We then continued on along the Dales Way path until we reached a tempting new footbridge at Ellers.

Appearances can be deceptive, it's already starting to fall apart!

Other walkers continued along the Dales Way, but we took a nice alternative route on sometimes vague paths via Mire House and Burton Hill to rejoin the Dales Way route at an attractive bridleway at Gap.

Markus strides along the scenic bridleway that leads to the hamlet of Millthrop

After a gentle rise, the Howgills and Sedbergh came into view.

One of the gardens in Millthrop was overflowing with plants of all colours. It must win awards.

The River Rawthey was crossed for a final time, before we made our way past the sports grounds of Sedbergh School and through the small town to the Dalesman Inn.

Here's my route - an excellent day's walk of about 23 km, with just 350 metres ascent. It took me around 7 hours, at least 2 hours of which was at rest.

We were both glad that I'd delayed my visit for a day, and we enjoyed beers and a good meal at the pub before I wended my way home.

Amongst what I observed today:

Thistles, Dandelions, Knapweed, Harebells, Oxeye Daisy, lots of Tormentil on Long Moor, Yarrow, Pineappleweed, Meadow Cranesbill.

Not a lot of birds apart from the usual common ones, but I did spot a Wheatear - shouldn't it have migrated by now? ["Not this week, it's still summer here..."]