HORTON IN RIBBLESDALE

AND THE VALLEY OF RIBBLESDALE

Population: 428Grid Reference: 807726Co-ordinates: 54.1497,-2.2961

Horton in Ribblesdale

Horton in Ribblesdale with Pen-y-Ghent in the background

Penyghent Café Ideally located in Ribblesdale between Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent mountains, this pretty Dales village is usful as a base from which to explore the Three Peaks. It is the most popular starting and finishing point for the Three Peaks walk and also the present terminus for the annual Three Peaks Race.
Horton in Ribblesdale is one of the most easily accessible villages in the National Park as it has a station on the Settle to Carlisle Line, ideal for visitors who do not have access to a car.
The village is laid out in such a way that it has two focal points with few houses in between.

Pen-y-Ghent Café

At the north end of the village is the railway station, the Crown Hotel and car park used by walkers visiting the Three Peaks. Here the road twists, double-crossing the River Ribble and a small road leads off to the Birkwith caving area. Behind the Crown the Pennine Way track leads north, past Sell Gill Holes.
At the south end of the village the houses cluster round St. Oswald's church and the Golden Lion Hotel. Adjacent to the Golden Lion is Holme Farm campsite and bunk house accommodation is available at the pub.

St. Oswald's Church

St. Oswald's Church, Horton in Ribblesdale
RIBBLESDALE

Ribblehead Viaduct

Steam train crossing Ribblehead Viaduct

The River Ribble rises at Ribblehead before starting it's journey down through Ribblesdale then Lancashire and England's newest city of Preston before finally emptying into the Irish Sea. Here is the most spectacular of the viaducts on the Settle to Carlisle line, Ribblehead (or Batty Moss) Viaduct.

Upper Long Churn Cave
 
Halfway between Ribblehead and Horton in Ribblesdale is the tiny hamlet of Selside. Here a bridleway leads up to Alum pot, one of the classic potholes in the Yorkshire Dales. The large open pot along with it's associated network of caves are popular with both novice and experienced cavers who either abseil down into the main shaft or take one of the routes into Alum Pot. Lower Long Churn Cave is an ideal training ground for novices and a good introduction to the sport. Above Lower Long Churn Cave is Upper Long Churn Cave, an interesting through trip featuring the climb above Dr. Banister's Handbasin.

Dr. Banister's Handbasin, Upper Long Churn Cave.

After Selside is Horton in Ribblesdale, described above, then the small hamlet of Helwith Bridge with it's Inn that is well worth a visit and adjacent campsite.
Continuing south you come to Stainforth then Langcliff before arriving in the small town of Settle.