Better bring some strong legs.
As iconic as this mountain, (Peak?) is as part of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks is it the most recognizable with its shape?, The mountains of Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent are collectively known as the Three Peaks. The peaks, which form part of the Pennine range, encircle the head of the valley of the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales National Park in the North of England.
This Hike and Wild Camp takes in some beautiful scenery, including moorland, farmers fields, open expanses, a visit to Hullpot, and then a climb up Pen Y Gent the easy way, but that is a two way coin as I will explain later in this blog and adventure. If you are staying out overnight you can half the miles as I have shown the full loop here.
Distance : 6.5 Miles Time on average : 3.30 Hours Climb : 1475ft
Our starting point is in the village of Horton in Ribblesdale and the National Trust Carpark which as at the time of writing this is £6.50 for a 24 hour stay of your vehicle, but you cannot sleep here. Yorkshire Dales National Park Car Park Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Pennine Way, Settle BD24 0HG LETS GO. The start of the hike is very easy to find, head out of the carpark and turn right for around 2 mins before heading left and up a stony path surrounded by sheep bar barring your welcome to the start of an uphill adventure.
After walking for less than 5 mins you will see the center of our attention, and the reason we have decided to sleep on a mountain where others stay at home, watching tv and wasting their lives. Yes that huge rock on your right is the might Peny Y Ghent, bathed in a blanket of clouds and mysticism.
Our initial attention is on the rocky climb ahead of us, as we are ignoring the mountain peak and heading towards Hull Pot first, this hike eases us in gradually and takes a safer easier (to a degree) way up the mountain, coming down the other face of the mountain is a different story I will discuss later.
Hull Pot was a place I never knew existed, its easy to miss and you could walk straight past it and never notice it's majestic presence even when viewed from the top of Pen Y Ghent it is not easily seen. The trail included takes us right to the very edge and you have the ability to walk all the way around this huge cathedral of a whole in the ground, you MUST not try and climb down, as without climbing gear it is dangerous and difficult to get back up. When we have had heavy rains a beautiful waterfall cascades down it's south face.
Address: Horton in Ribblesdale, Settle BD24 0JF
Grid ref: SD 8234 7457
Hull Pot lies on the western side of Pen-y-ghent just to the north of the main footpath, the Pennine Way, which leads from the summit into Horton-in-Ribblesdale. It is also close to the route of the Yorkshire Three Peaks and is well worth a visit.
It is actually a collapsed cavern and there is little to explore underground. However, for walkers it is an impressive hole measuring 91 meters (300 feet) long by 18 meters (60 feet) wide by 18 meters (60 feet) deep. Just be careful close to the edge.
In dry weather Hull Pot Beck goes underground before it gets to the rim of the pot and resurfaces again as a waterfall below in the pot itself. The water then disappears again and re-emerges at Brants Gill Head, a short distance from the Pennine Way and Ribble Way near to Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
In very wet weather the stream runs over the edge into the pot, creating a spectacular waterfall. In fact, it has been known to fill it to the brim with the water overflowing and running down the hillside.
A guide book published in the late eighteenth century called it 'Hullpit'. The author said it 'would have appeared like the inside of an enormous old Gothic castle, the high ruinous walls of which were left standing after the roof was fallen in'.
Legs like a Shotputter
It is now time to relax as we walk through lush green meadows and green single tracks as we make our way to the base of the mountain Pen y gent. As mentioned earlier this is the easiest way to get up and down, it's gradual as walk along a bubbling stream on our right, the rocky stones on this path can soon make your feet tire. It gets steeper and steeper, and just as you think you have reached the peak as you see a Cairn, no... more and more until we reach a set of stone steps, this marks the 90% of the way up point so keep going and push on, and enjoy the amazing views to your right down into the valley as you can see on a good day over 30 miles easily.
You made it.
As the sweat rolls down your face, and you gasp for a cup of real Yorkshire tea, the difference in temperature and wind conditions will be quite obvious, even on a sunny day the peak is a windy non forgiving place is which only exasperated on a nigh time. The wind blows up the valley and the northern face driving clouds and fog like a crown of England. On a nigh time viewing those clouds now below you climbing their way up and over you and filling the valley floor with a sheet of white ghost like spirits is both amazingly beautiful and equally terrifying, mother nature showing you her true power.
The Trig point is surrounded by a sheltered seating areas and 2 wooden gates meaning you can branch off in either direction, to leave the mountain and go a different way turn right through the gate and follow the path down, I will discuss the hazards to this in a later section, but for now the clouds are about to bruise and we will be forced to camp. ( Quote from my favorite British film 'Withnail & I" ) As is the norm and unspoken rule of Wild Camping.
1. Leave no trace ever. 2. Arrive later in the day and leave early 3 Do not share your Wild Camp location
As this blog covers these points especially number 3 at this point, I will say there are plenty of places to stay. We chose to walk through the top gate earlier for 2 reasons. To give us some shelter from the wind on the North face, and 2 it is the start of our decent back to Horton in Ribblesdale tomorrow.
As night falls, the sunsets and sunrise, with swirling clouds is quite an experience admittedly a wind one but still, the natural experience of the visuals and sounds make for something you will not forget.
Most of the grass up here is in clumps, its squashy and can be boggy in places, but by the time you have walked around it, set your tent up and laid down it makes for a very soft cushioned sleep.
BACK DOWN... HMMM..
It's at this point you need to make a decision, come back down the mountain the way you came, which is softer descent with steps and a gradual path back towards Hull Pot and the way you came up OR head on down the side of the mountain through the cloud cover.
The reason I mention this, if you are leaving early morning it makes the rocks and slate very slippy, our trail takes us down the steep side of the mountain, it is very steep in places, and one slip you will end up tumbling and getting your self hurt. Please, please be careful if you go this way, take it slow, make sure you have a good grip on the rocks and do not rush, with a large backpack on the chances of tippling over or your ground mat catching on something is quite high, on more that a few occasions i said "fucking hell this is dodgy" especially when i had a camera and tripod in hand, walking poles would be advised here. Some hikers may scoff at this, but with over 20k backpack, tripod and camera its not always a pleasant experience down this side of the mountain. When you do reach past the rock sections, you can easily follow the well placed and signed gravel and stone path all the way back to the village, strangely enough it did feel longer back, but this might be due to tiredness. Yes it is a bit of a slog, but it is all a gradual path back, again you will pass, outcrops of rocks, farmland, open expanses of meadows, its all very pleasant. I almost got a sore throat saying "Morning" "Ayoop Nar then" "hiya" Hello" to so many people walking up as I was walking down, surprising with it being 6am, I guess they wanted to climb Pen Y gent before the sun was in full heat and come down the easier side later on, and who can blame them, its quite a challenge with a lot of kit and has some especially amazing views.
Final Thoughts.
This is a peak and mountain for everybody, its easily climbable for all ability's as long as you take a few rests and pit stops, for those less adventurous I would advise you follow my route up and come back down the same way you traveled back to Hull Pot and Horton in Ribblesdale.
For those more adventurous follow my route and enjoy the exciting thrill of the steep wet rock sin morning, just take it slow and enjoy the achievement.
Any questions on this hike, my gear or tips, or you just want to leave me a nice comment, leave it below and I will try and answer each one.
Thanks. Andy. GPX Available here : https://www.komoot.com/tour/1730797458
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