INGLEBOROUGH North Yorkshire
This Yorkshire Dales peak rises above dark caverns and rumbling rivers
At 723m, Ingleborough is the second highest of the Yorkshire Dales’ legendary Three Peaks (after Whernside) and a good place to appreciate the wonders of this limestone landscape.
1. INGLEBOROUGH CAVE
Leave the village of Clapham via the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail (adults £1), soon passing Clapham Falls. The artificial cascade was created by the Farrer family in the 19th century as an outfall for the dammed Clapham Beck. Continue upstream up to Ingleborough Cave, one of many hollows carved out of the limestone. It is quite spectacular and open to the public (adults £9; ingleboroughcave.co.uk).
2. TROW GILL
Beyond the cave, the way swings around to the left to enter the deep cleft of Trow Gill, where a bit of a scramble leads you through a gap overlooked by a steep rock face.
You will soon emerge into the open, where a clear path heads up towards the crest of Ingleborough.
3. GAPING GILL
There is one more surprise in store: one of Britain’s most famous and dramatic potholes – Gaping Gill.
“VIEWS STRETCH ACROSS THE VALLEY TO THE DARK HULK OF PEN-Y-GHENT”
Water tumbles from the chasm opening to the floor, plunging 105m into the depths of the mountain. It’s the highest single-drop waterfall in Britain. From here, a broad track heads upwards and north-west.
4. LITTLE INGLEBOROUGH
Stone steps lead to the lower peak of Little Ingleborough. From there a long ridge leads up to Ingleborough itself, dipping down to a saddle before climbing the last 90 vertical metres to reach the summit.
5. ROCK WONDER
Up here is a magnificent limestone pavement – a maze-like layer of loose stone slabs that’s home to a variety of alpine plants, including yellow and purple saxifrage.
Views stretch across a patchwork of little fields in the valley, over to the dark hulk of Pen-y-Ghent, 9.7km (six miles) to the east. With luck, you will also hear the distinctive calls of two of the native birds; the keening cry of the curlew and the sweet song of the meadow pipit.
Back at Clapham, enjoy a drink and something to eat at the New Inn
(newinn-clapham.co.uk) – it was actually new in the middle of the 18th century. There are also a number of places to stay, including the cheap and basic Clapham Bunkhouse (claphambunk.com).