Ingleborough - Circuit & Summit

This mountain bike route of 29.6 miles, which starts in Ingleton, is a steady XC ride around Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales that ends with a tough and technical ride up and down Ingleborough itself. The views are stunning, with the limestone landscape creating some tricky riding conditions in the wet. There is also a boggy section over the top of Twisleton Scar that would not be nice to ride in extended wet periods. But when it’s dry this is a fantastic ride.

1. Start from the Information Centre car park (GR694730) in the middle of Ingleton. Leave the car park, keeping the information centre on the right, and descend to the T-junction at the exit. Turn right and go under the bridge to the following junction (GR694731). Turn left and descend a short way to the next junction. Turn left and descend to a junction with a lane on the right directly after crossing the bridge at the bottom (GR694732). Turn right and follow the lane out of the houses for a steep climb through the trees. After a while the lane plateaus and goes down a gentle descent before climbing again to a gated junction on a right hand bend (GR699745).

2. Go through the gate on the left and climb the lane towards the Twisleton Hall farm. Go through the gate just before the farm then follow the lane through the buildings to where it turns left to another gate. After the gate follow the rocky double track for a short distance to a signposted junction with a bridleway on the right (GR700753). Turn right and climb the grassy track across the face of the hill. Follow the track through a right hand hairpin at the wall then climb the steep rocky section. At the top the track bears left to a grassy junction. Take the either track and go through a long left hand bend. Continue climbing the obvious track through the tricky rock sections to a grassy junction at the start of the plateau at the top (GR705760).

3. Go straight ahead across the moss and marsh grass on the track that heads just to the left of a large area of limestone pavement. In drier weather this track is easily rideable but in longer periods of wet weather it will be quite boggy in places. Then track then bears slightly right around the limestone pavement where it becomes grassy, firm and more defined. Follow this track up the valley along the lumpy, grassy plateau to a grassy junction in the next section of limestone pavement on the left (GR713768). Turn left and follow the grassy singletrack a short distance to a grassy crossroad junction in the limestone pavement. Turn right and follow the track for a short distance to vague junction directly at the edge of limestone pavement. Turn right then follow the grassy track that soon becomes defined and follows the blue topped marker posts, staying just below the grassy bank on the left. Keep following this track straight ahead for quite some time, as it descends gently to a junction with a track at a farm (GR731783).

4. Go straight on through the gate and follow the double track through the farm. On the far side of the farm descend the rocky double track through a number of corners. At a junction with a lane on the right go straight on to the next junction directly after (GR739790). Go straight on through the gate in the stone wall then follow the gravel singletrack through the field to the next farm. Go straight on through the farm then through a gate just to the right of the last barn. Go straight ahead through fields and gates to the next farm. Go straight on through the farm to a junction with a lane between the barns on the right (GR747797).

5. Turn right and follow the lane to the next junction (GR749792). Turn left and go through the gate then follow the lane, in the direction of the Ribblehead viaduct, to a junction at the next farm. Turn right over the bridge then follow the wide gravel track under the viaduct. At the junction on the far side go straight on, past a track on the left, and follow the wide track to where it ends at a junction with the B6255 main road by The Station Innon the right (GR764791).

6. Turn left and descend the road to a junction at the bottom then go straight on and climb the B6255 in the direction of Hawes. Continue along the road going past the Gearstones cottages and outdoor centre on the right. A little further on the road turns right, then goes through a dip, before a short climb to a junction with a gravel track on a left hand bend at the top (GR785803).

7. Turn right onto the wide gravel track and descend to a gate. At the junction directly after the gate go left and descend to a bridge. After crossing the bridge climb the wide track for some time to the next junction at Cam End, signposted for the Pennine Bridleway (GR801804). Turn right onto the Pennine Bridleway and descend the rocky double track to bridge over a stream at the bottom. Go over the bridge and continue following the double track until it eventually comes to a gated three-way junction (GR804773). Turn right and descend the broken tarmac to a gate by a house at the bottom (GR800768).

8. Go through the gate then follow the undulating lane that includes a couple of short, steep climbs. Continue to a junction with a gated track on the right, at the top of one of these climbs, signposted for the Pennine Bridleway (GR801760). Go right through the gate then descend the winding gravel track to a grassy junction just before a barn at the bottom. Turn left and follow the grassy track to a gate. After the gate follow the gravel track that eventually descends to a wooden bridge over the River Ribble (GR796753). Go over the bridge then climb the grassy double track to a gated bridge under the railway. After going under the bridge climb the track right then left before coming to a junction at the road (GR787747).

9. Follow the Pennine Bridleway sign through a small gate on the left then descend a short way beside the road. At the end of the track turn right and cross the road to a junction with a lane on the other side. Go across the cattle grid and climb the lane to a junction (GR787746). Turn right and follow the lane to a junction with a grassy double track ahead, where the lane bears right to a farm (GR785746). Climb the double track ahead that eventually comes to a gate. Go through the gate then turn left through the next gate. After this second gate climb the grassy track straight on, following the Pennine Bridleway markers, to a cross road junction with a footpath (GR778735).

10. Go straight on and follow the track in the direction of the rocky edge on the right. The track eventually comes to a gate in a drystone wall at the top of the climb. Go through the gate then follow the track in the direction of the wall on the left while taking in the views across Moughton Scars. At the following grassy junction with the small pile of stones take the right hand track in the direction of the Pennine Bridleway marker (GR772725). At the following junction go straight on. At the next junction, directly after a short rocky section, follow the Pennine Bridleway marker right (GR767720). The track soon bears left to a junction. Go straight on, or right it doesn’t matter which, and descend to a gate. Go through the gate then descend the grassy track straight on through the field to a gate on the left (GR758716).

11. Follow the Pennine Bridleway marker through the gate and descend the loose, rocky double track between the walls. The track then flattens off for a bit as it passes Ingleborough Cave, below in the valley on the right, before steepening for another rocky plummet. Keep your speed up if you can to get up the following climb, by the trees on the right, before the track flattens off again and comes to a junction (GR751694). Turn right then take heed of the tunnel warning signs before descending the wide rocky track. The first tunnel, although short, is pitch black. After the second tunnel the track ends at a junction on the edge of Clapham (GR746694).

12. Turn right to another junction immediately after then go straight on past the church. Cross the river to a junction at the far side of the bridge. Turn right and climb to the entrance of the Ingleborough Cave trail, making sure to stop and look at the waterfall on the right and read about boy who went down them in the rowing boat. Follow the lane left then at the junction shortly after go straight on, past a line of houses on the left, to another junction shortly after (GR743695). Go straight ahead and follow cycle route 68 on lane along the bottom slopes of Ingleborough, on the right. The lane begins by climbing for a while, sometimes quite steeply. After reaching the top descend the lane straight on until it ends at a junction with the B6255 on the edge of Ingleton (GR700730).

13. Turn right and climb the road to a junction with a rocky double track on the right, directly after the last house on the right (GR701731). Turn right and climb the double track, which is the start of the bridleway to the top of Ingleborough. Continue climbing the rocky track ahead. After a while the track becomes enclosed by stone walls on both sides. It then bears right then left, around the large lump of hill ahead, before going up a stepped, loose and rocky section. The track then flattens of slightly before coming to a gate (GR719733).

14. Go through the gate to a forked junction just after. Take the right hand track and descend ahead to a grassy area that leads on to a rocky, limestone stream crossing. After crossing the stream go straight on and climb the grassy track that soon bears left up some steep, hardpack dirt ruts. After a while the track turns into a long section of gravel path dotted with rocks and water bars. Near the top the track becomes steeper, giving way to loose rocks and long sections of stone pitching. After the final section of very steep stone pitching the track comes to a rocky junction. Turn right up the rocks then follow the singletrack along the edge of the summit plateau before it turns left to a cairn. Go straight ahead from the cairn to reach the trig point at the summit of Ingleborough (GR741745).

15. Descend Ingleborough by retracing your wheel tracks back down the trail just climbed. Be careful on choosing where to ride at the top, as the stone pitching is very steep, so you may have to walk some of this. Follow the track all the way back down to where it ends at the junction with the B6255 (GR701731). Turn left and descend the main road back into Ingleton. Go past junctions with roads on the left then right where the road goes through a couple of bends. When the road straightens continue descending to the second car park on the right, signed for cycle route 68 (GR696729). Turn right into the car park to complete the ride back at the Information Centre.