Broadrake

Chapel le Dale and Ingleborough environs

Moderate

8.0 miles | 12.9 km | 226 m Ascent | 9.2 Naismith miles | Kate Rowe
Last week’s walk to the Old Man of Coniston from Torver was a real treat, but it’s not a walk that you could decide to do whilst eating your breakfast and be back in Bentham by mid-afternoon.
So, this week we offer a more local walk: For those of us lucky enough to be based in Bentham it is easy to get to, and despite being on the slopes of both Ingleborough and Whernside is generally quiet and peaceful.
We visit a lovely church, see a well-known statue, walk under the most photographed railway viaduct in the UK, have lunch in a nature reserve, before passing close to Viking settlements, seeing some wonderful limestone pavement, and the entrance to a cave. There are great views of the hills all the way along, and you could even have an ice cream or a pub lunch halfway round.

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Ribblehead & Chapel-le-Dale

Moderate

7.8 miles | 12.5 km | 206 m Ascent | 8.8 Naismith miles | Valerie Eccles & Mary Pickstone
The Ribblehead Viaduct is probably the most photographed railway bridge in the UK, and an icon of the Yorkshire Dales. It’s more than just a bridge though; surrounded by stunning countryside, and with traces of industrial archaeology dating back to its construction, there’s lots to see. So where better to start a walk?
From Ribblehead, we head under the viaduct and over to Gunnerfleet before following Winterscales Beck down to the intriguing Haws Gill Wheel where the river disappears and then reappears. After a very short section of road walk, we pause at the lovely St Leonards Church, before heading up to Ellerbeck, passing a sculpture as we go, and from there take the Dales Highway back to the railway. After a brief look at the Signal Box at Blea Moor, we return via the Viaduct with views over to Ingleborough and Simon Fell.
The Dales’ favourite railway, that bridge, a disappearing river, a beautiful church, art, and great views.

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Ribblehead

Easy

5.7 miles | 9.2 km | 208 m Ascent | 6.8 Naismith miles | Graham Cooper
Bentham Footpath Group aims to offer a wide choice of walks, showcasing the wonderful area that we live in.
We start at the Ribblehead Viaduct – perhaps the most photographed structure in the Yorkshire Dales, and then set off as if we were heading up Whernside. Just before the Bleamoor signal box though we divert under the railway to track along the contours of Whernside at low level on flat(ish) ground and solid paths. This gives us great views toward Ingleborough.
When we meet the path coming back down from the top of Whernside, we go left down Philpin Lane to pick up the return path along the valley bottom to Haws Gill Wheel. This is the only part of the walk where we need to tread carefully as wet limestone can be slippery.
We follow Winterscales Beck all the way back to Gunnerfleet Farm and then back under the centre of the viaduct to complete the walk

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