Beyond the Dales Way: Five Lesser-Known Circular Hikes Near Ribblehead

Ribblehead is the easiest trailhead in the Yorkshire Dales to reach by train, and these five loops keep you off the Dales Way crowds while still getting the viaduct, the limestone and the Three Peaks views.

Why base yourself at Ribblehead rather than Settle or Hawes

Ribblehead station sits on the Settle–Carlisle line, roughly 1 hour 20 minutes from Leeds and about 1 hour 45 from Manchester Victoria via Settle. The car park at the station is small and fills by 9am on summer weekends; the lay-by on the Blea Moor road adds maybe a dozen spaces. Staying overnight means you start walking while day-trippers are still on the train. The Station Inn sits a two-minute walk from the platform, and the bunkhouse barn next to it takes groups. For more choice, Ingleton is 20 minutes by car and has pubs, a Co-op and a garage.

Settle, 25 minutes east, gives you a proper town with a Tuesday market, a health-food shop and the Shambles. Hawes, 30 minutes north over Newby Head, is smaller but has the Wensleydale Creamery and more self-catering cottages. If you want one base for all five walks and you are arriving by train, book the Station Inn area. If you are driving and want dinner options beyond one pub, book Ingleton or Settle and treat Ribblehead as a 20–25 minute morning drive.

1. Gauber High Pasture and the viaduct arch

This is the shortest of the five and the one to do on arrival day. From Ribblehead station, walk north under the viaduct — 24 arches, 400m long, 32m high — and pick up the bridleway signposted to Gauber. The loop runs about 4km with 90m of ascent, taking 1.5 hours at an easy pace. You get the classic Batty Moss view of the viaduct from the west side, then limestone pavement above Gauber High Pasture where you can look back at Ingleborough. The path is stony but never exposed; trail shoes are fine from April to October.

Parking at the station is the only real pinch point. If you arrive after 10am on a Bank Holiday, drive to the Blea Moor signal box lay-by instead and start the loop from there. Skip this walk in February and early March — the upper section holds water and the limestone gets greasy. It is the best option for a half-day when you have driven up that morning and want the viaduct photograph without committing to a full day out.

2. Force Gill and the Blea Moor loop

This is the walk to do if you want waterfalls without the Ingleton crowds. From Ribblehead, follow the Dales Way briefly north, then branch east onto the path for Force Gill, roughly 5km round trip with 120m of climb. Force Gill itself is a stepped limestone fall that runs hard after rain and thins to a trickle in a dry August. Continue up to the Blea Moor tunnel airshafts for a strange, industrial-archaeology half-hour, then drop back on the parallel track. Allow 2 hours.

The ground here is peat and can be genuinely boggy from November to March; gaiters are worth the weight. Midges are not a problem on this side of the valley because it is too exposed, but the wind funnels down from Whernside and can be fierce. This is my pick for a wet-weather day because the path surface drains better than the Gauber limestone. On a clear evening in June, the light on the viaduct from the Blea Moor side is the best photograph in the parish.

3. Dentdale from Dent station, and 4. Cosh and 5. Ingleton alternatives

Dent station, four miles by road from Ribblehead, sits at 350m and is the highest mainline station in England. The loop down into Dentdale and back via the Dales Way is about 9km with 250m of ascent, 3 to 3.5 hours. Dent village has a cobbled main street and two pubs, and the lane back up to the station is steep enough that you will feel it. This is the best of the five for a full day with a pub lunch in the middle, and it works from March to November.

For something steeper, the Cosh outside Ingleton gives a 6km loop with 300m of ascent and a proper hands-on-scramble finish; allow 3 hours and avoid it after heavy rain. The Ingleton Waterfalls Trail, by contrast, charges an entry fee per adult, gets 1,000-plus visitors on summer Saturdays, and is not a circular in the fell sense — skip it in July and August and do the Cosh instead. Best months overall are May, June and September; October is quieter but the days shorten fast. Book accommodation in Ingleton or Settle if you want restaurant choice, Ribblehead if you want to walk from the door.

Questions, answered

Can you do these Ribblehead walks by train?

Yes. Ribblehead and Dent stations are both on the Settle–Carlisle line, with services roughly every two hours in each direction. Gauber and Force Gill loops start at the station itself, so no car is needed. Dentdale needs a four-mile road walk or a pre-booked taxi from Dent.

What is the best time of year for circular walks near Ribblehead?

May, June and September give the driest ground and longest daylight. July and August are busiest at Ingleton and the station car park. October is quiet but daylight drops sharply after 5pm. Avoid January and February on the peat sections unless you have waterproof boots and gaiters.

Where should I stay for a Ribblehead walking weekend?

For walking from the door, the Station Inn area at Ribblehead is unbeatable, with a bunkhouse barn for groups. Ingleton, 20 minutes away, has more pubs and a Co-op. Settle, 25 minutes east, suits couples who want a market town and independent shops.

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