Date: Saturday 27th July 2019
Company: Just myself
Distance: 8.9km, Ascent: 385m
Time: 2Hrs 28Mins
The weather forecast for today was pretty bad. The MetOffice app was however suggesting a three hour gap of light showers in between fairly constant heavy showers. I decided to make use of that three-hour gap to ascend a sub three-hour hill.
I opted for an ascent of Great Knoutberry Hill, a Marilyn in the Yorkshire Dales. My initial thinking was to ascend the hill from Stone House. On reaching Stone House, I decided instead to ascend the hill from Newby Head Gate due to lack of parking at Stone House.
Click here to see a map of the route undertaken
After parking at Newby Head Gate, I followed the Pennine Bridleway track up Wold Fell then towards Great Knoutberry Hill.
Start of walk at Newby Head Gate:
During the ascent of Wold Fell, I had to get past numerous cattle standing on the track. I did my usual trick of putting my walking poles on my head and shouting horror-movie-type noises. As ever, this worked well as the cattle scarpered as fast as they could. If anyone ever films me doing this I am sure I will end up in a mental ward
.Skirting round Wold Fell:
It was nice to see Ingleborough again; a fantastic hill. I love walking in the Yorkshire Dales as I find walking on limestone really interesting. There is hardly any limestone in Scotland except for the far North-West around Inchnadamph and up to Durness.
View towards Ingleborough:
After skirting Wold Fell, I made my way down to the bealach to reach the stone wall running across the hill.
Great Knoutberry Hill:
On reaching the wall, I continued to follow the Pennine Bridleway until I reached a gap in the wall.
Gap in wall:
I passed a number of limestone holes which looked a bit like sinkholes.
One of several limestone holes:
Looking back to Wold Fell:
I then followed the wall leading to the summit.
Following the wall to the summit:
During the final ascent it was raining quite heavily and I was into the cloud. Views were therefore non-existent; a real shame as I suspect the views of the three peaks would be pretty-good on a better day.
At the summit of Great Knoutberry Hill:
Summit seat:
I returned to the van via pretty-much the same route with the exception of following the wall in descent a bit further than I should have. I then drove five miles to reach the Station Inn, Ribblehead from where I am writing-up this report. Nice pub!
Post-walk drink and snack at the Station Inn, Ribblehead:
