Pen-y-Ghent Yorkshire 3 Peaks

The village of Horton-in-Ribblesdale is beautifully situated in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, North Yorkshire. This popular stopover for long distance walkers on the Pennine Way is located on the B6479, around 6 miles north of Settle and the A65, and has its own station on the Settle to Carlisle Railway.

Many Three Peaks Challenger groups will start and end their challenge at the Pen-y-Ghent Cafe in Horton-in-Ribblesdale. This famous cafe offers a timing and safety service, thanks to its unique timing clock.

The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge Walk is a rugged, high mountain walk over a variety of terrains and should not be underestimated. Whilst the walking is generally pretty good it is very long for a single day's hike. It also includes three big climbs totaling 1586m (5202ft) of ascent with the last climb up onto Ingleborough - when the legs are tired and the spirit is weak - being particularly steep.

The Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge route starts from Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Ribblehead, via Pen-y-Ghent. This section is approximately 15 kms long, and involves the short, sharp ascent of Pen-y-Ghent, followed by the long walk to Ribblehead over some very boggy terrain which may require some careful navigation in poor visiblity.

The Three Peaks route from Pen-y-Ghent to High Birkwith is very unclear on OS maps, but much more evident on the ground. The route from High Birkwith to Ribblesdale is fairly flat and quite monotonous on track and tarmac road, but must be covered.

We exit the Pen-y-Ghent Cafe and turn right onto the B6479 and follow the road to Brackenbottom. At Brackenbottom the path is signposted and obvious leading to a rough scramble up turning left, with the Pennine Way, to Pen-y-ghent. Meet a wall and continue up to the top (GR 838 734).

After crossing the wall we descend gently with the Pennine Way. At the bottom of its western edge the Pennine Way now cuts back left and the Three Peaks route heads more right at this split to Horton Moor and north of the Hull Pot.

We cross at the stepping stones at Hull Pot Beck although your feet are likely to be wet by now as this is a very boggy route.

Continuing over Todber Moss we cross a wall to Black Dubb Moss and then through Red Moss and after crossing another couple of walls we join the Pennine Way once again, and arriving at Birkwith Cave.

Follow track to God's Bridge, Nether Lodge Rigg, Nether Lodge and Lodge Hall to the main road  and onwards to Ribblehead..!

The 3 Peaks Walk in the Yorkshire Dales is very popular and Hundreds of walkers try to complete the circuit every year.

Many thousands of walkers have clocked in at the Pen-y-Ghent Cafe and between 1968 and 2000 more than 200,000 walkers had made it back within the target time of 12 hours. The Bayes family have run the café for 37 years. Peter Bayes was looking to leave his job and take on a business in the countryside for the sake of his children.

The café or grocers as it was then was advertised for sale in a newspaper. The family saw it on the Saturday and bought it on the Monday. They’ve stayed ever since introducing a clocking-in system for walkers attempting the 3 peaks; walkers check in with the café before they leave and clock in on their return.