It only took 22 years! - We've finally walked up Pen-y-ghent

Back in the summer of 1992 our summer holiday was a three centre affair, a couple of days in the Dales, a week in Scotland and a week in the Lake District.

Our stay in the Dales was our first and last visit until now, at the time Sarah, our daughter, was almost 3 years old and Beverley was eight months pregnant with Emma. We were only stopping off  in the Dales to break our trip to Scotland.

We stayed at South House Farm a short distance from Horton-in-Ribbleshead for two nights. I can't remember too much about the stay, I do remember walking into to Horton in the evening for a beer whilst Beverley settled Sarah down, please rest assured I went with Beverley's blessing!

Beverley and Sarah 1992 - Horton Station

There were pigs at the farm and we thought Sarah would like to see them, well she did and she didn't. Having seen them she found the smell too much and ever since she has had a dislike for pigs, and meat come to that!

It was from this point in time that we had a desire to walk up Pen-y-ghent, but with a small girl who was now too big for the back pack it was just not an option, instead we caught the train to Dent and walked up the valley for a short while and returned to Horton and played down by the river Ribble.

Over the years Pen-y-ghent was never far from our minds along with other peaks we had not been been able to conquer whilst the girls were growing up, the Cheviot, the Old Man of Coniston, Ben Ledi just to name a few. In later years when we visited the Lake District and walked the fells we often looked towards Yorkshire, and could see what we mistakenly thought was Pen-y-ghent (I now think this was Ingleborough) and so finally we decided to incorporate the climb with the AFC away game at Accrington Stanley.

Beverley ascending Pen-y-ghent

I booked a lovely B&B in Carleton just outside Skipton and on Friday 2nd May we set out early to catch the 09:27 train from Skipton to Horton-in-Ribblesdale on the Settle / Carlisle line. Both Beverley and myself were slightly wary of the walk, me because it would be the first major climb since a knee op last September, whilst Beverley has no confidence in her ability to do the climb, the first since last summer in France, not withstanding the number of peaks she has managed over the years.

A number of people left the train at Horton, but by the time I had filmed the departure of the train all the other walkers had departed, never to be seen again each going their own separate way. The day was sunny, but with a chill in the air, but great walking weather. 

Map trouble

Beverley walking down from the Station

We ascended via the Brackenbottom Scar, very easy walking with great views across the dale, although the expanse of the Arcow Quarry was unwelcome. We spied a couple of freight trains on the railway below us. Soon we joined up with the Pennine Way, were we turned left and ascended the steepest part off the climb. There was a small be of scrambling, which was quite fun. We then joined a pavement to the summit which has been recently laid by the path conservationists, this made the walking very easy indeed.

So the summit was reached by about 12 noon, there were a few others up there, it was pretty windy but the views were good. It was too early for lunch so we made our way down heading for Hull Pot where we intended to have lunch. It was a nice walk down no steep steps which put pressure on your knees, we could see the Ribblehead Viaduct in the distance, appearing as a shadow in the valley.

Me on the summit

Hull Pot proved to be a big hole in the ground which Hull Pot Beck drains into. Although at this time of year the Beck was going underground quite some way up stream, you could however hear it gurgling into the Pot beneath. I expect in times of high rain this Pot gets pretty full.

It was a pleasant enough place to eat our lunch, occasionally watched by the sheep. From here it was a couple of miles back to Horton and a welcome cup of tea the Pen-y-ghent cafe, an aladdins cave of all sorts of things to do with walking, hiking, caving etc.