Plover Hill

Pen-y-Ghent from Horton in Ribblesdale

Easy

6.2 miles | 10.0 km | 500 m Ascent | 8.7 Naismith miles | Valerie Eccles
When we live in and around the Yorkshire Dales, it’s easy to be blasé about the Yorkshire three peaks, or even to dismiss them as mere tourist attractions. That would be a mistake; all three offer a choice of great walks, and a series of views that changes with the season. On this occasion we tackle Pen-y-Ghent starting near St Oswald’s church, then going via Brackenbottom, to approach the peak from the southern side using the Pennine Way path. That gets the steep climb (and it is somewhat brutal) out of the way early. There is then ample opportunity to recover in the shelters at the peak before we embark on a gentler return to the north – still on the Pennine Way, before diverting to see the spectacular Hull Pot. Finally, we return to Horton by the Pennine Journey path.

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Cockerham to Glasson Dock

Moderate

8.2 miles | 13.2 km | 62 m Ascent | 8.5 Naismith miles | David Longton
Bentham Footpath Group enjoyed a great walk form Galgate to Glasson Dock and the Lancaster Canal in June 2024.
The weather was glorious, and the walk was wonderful – but that begs a question: Is this really a good place to walk or were we just enjoying the sunshine? To answer that we return in the autumn. This time we start at Cockerham, catching a bus to Thurnham Hall where we join the canal towpath which we follow down to the docks. From there we pick up the Lancashire Coastal Way which takes us to Lighthouse Cottage, Plover Hill, then the ruins of Cockersand Abbey. To return, we follow the path around the edge of Cockerham Sands and Cockerham Marshes to Pattys Farm where we cross a live airfield runway and watch parachutists landing, before returning to Cockerham via St Michaels church. We conclude that whatever the weather, this is indeed a fascinating area to walk.

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Pen-y-ghent

Easy

6.8 miles | 11.0 km | 617 m Ascent | 9.9 Naismith miles | Peter Lennard
Pen-y-ghent is the smallest of the “three peaks” at 694m (2277ft).
This circular walk goes anticlockwise so that we tackle the steep ascent at the South end of the hill first followed by a gentler downhill return with views over to Horton, Ingleborough, and Hull Pot.
BFG walks are rated based on a combination of distance and ascent, and this one is quite short and so is classified as “easy”. Be aware through, that the climb to the peak is steep and rocky, so care is needed.

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