Pen-Y-Ghent, Plover Hill & Hull Pot - 8.5 miles

NEW WALK!! One of the most challenging walks I will have led as we embark on the second of the Three Peaks in recent weeks. Please consider your current capabilities, this is not a walk to ‘test yourself’ on! Sturdy, good grip footwear is required.

The walk starts from the car park on the main through road in the village of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, just past the now closed Pen-y-Ghent café. We walk through the village and onto the hamlet of Brackenbottom from where we pick up the 1.75mile ascending route up to the summit of PYG. This is the shorter but steeper route!

The path up is very good until we reach the last and steepest bit, then the rocky paths are narrower as we make our way up to the summit. In two places we will need to clamber over boulders to resume our ascent along the stepped rocky paths.

We will have a short break at the ‘summit plateau’ before completing the climb to the trig point where we will have another break.

After this, we traverse the sometimes boggy moorland (yes, even when completing the recce on a hot July day!) as we make our way over to the flat summit of Plover Hill. From here we take a steep descent down a path along the escarpment before dropping onto a grassy track called Foxup Road.

This pretty flat track takes us all the way to the impressive geological feature of Hull Pot before we pick up a good solid track for the final couple of miles back to Horton.

So, a steep climb up to the trig point on Pen-y-Ghent at 2,273 feet, then the rest is a route over moorland. From the start point to the summit plateau, it took me 1hr 15mins.

The walk will be led at a steady pace: not too fast, not too slow. Please be ready to start walking at the advertised time.

Walk fee: £3. No dogs please. Bring a packed lunch, snacks & plenty of liquid refreshment.

Start time: 10.15 for 10.30am. Please aim for the earlier time of 10.15am to ensure we can get parked up, kitted up, use the facilities and be on our way by 10.30am.

Start point: National Park car park with toilets on the main through road in Horton-in-Ribblesdale. Parking fee is £6. The car park is on two levels.
Car sharing is recommended to mitigate the cost of travelling and parking and to ensure we can all get parked up as there is only very limited roadside parking.
However, as an alternative, the Golden Lion pub allow walkers to use their car park for a lower fee of £4.

After-walk refreshment will be at the Golden Lion pub. The other pub is up for sale, the famous Pen-y-Ghent café closed some years ago and the sewing shop(!) sells ice-cream & choc bars but that’s about it.

I have no formal walk leader or first-aid qualifications and the Group does not have insurance. When you RSVP for any walk, you accept that you remain responsible for your own safety at all times. You are required to respect the walk leader and be mindful of the safety of others. Please keep to the pace of the group and don’t go off ahead even if you think you know the route.