It winds its way through the spectacular Pennines; this area is known as the backbone of England and includes some of the most stunning and beautiful scenery in the country. The River Ribble first rises high up in the Yorkshires Dales beyond Ribblehead and runs along the dale and eventually flowing into the sea at Preston on the west coast of England, a total journey of 70 miles.
The Three Peaks of Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-Ghent all standing at around 700 metres high are one of the most popular outdoor areas in the Yorkshire Dales. Much of this limestone area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest(SSSI) due to its fragile upland ecosystem. Paths and bridleways fill the area around the famous Three Peaks and hence they can also be explored by horse back or mountain bike as well as the traditional way of on foot. The Ingleborough area is one of spectacular wildlife and limestone pasture.
Ribblehead which is located in the upper reaches of Ribblesdale is famous for the 'Ribblehead Viaduct' where the equally famous Settle-Carlisle Railway traverses the landscape. The construction of the viaduct which stands at 100 feet tall and contains 24 arches was a huge task which required many tunnels, bridges and viaducts and sadly but typically for such projects cost many lives.
Horton in Ribblesdale located...
a little further down the valley is well known as the starting point to climb Pen-y-ghent and also as a good overnight stop for Pennine Way walkers. It also makes an ideal base for tourists wishing to explore upper Ribblesdale. Continuing down the dale the route goes through Stainforth the site of the well known packhorse bridge, and on past Langcliffe into
Settle.
Settle is a charming market town and open air markets are on record from 1249. Today markets are held each Tuesday and the market place is filled with an array of interesting and colourful stalls every week, which compliment the wide range of equally interesting shops. Settle has a unique intimate atmosphere created by the many original buildings and in particular the Shambles, an unusual two storey building overlooking the market square. Nearby Giggleswick is also worthy of a visit when staying in the area.
Clapham makes an ideal base for visitors who wish to explore the splendid and spectacular area to the north of the village including Ingleborough. Clapham is populated by an above average array of trees for the dales area. This is thanks to the Farrer family who lovingly re-built Ingleborough Hall, planted thousands of trees and turned Ingleborough Cave into a tourist attraction, thus transforming the economy of the village. Reginald Farrer explored the world in search of new species of plants and a nature trail in his honour is now available to visitors.
Nearby to Clapham is the famous Norber Erratics of Austwick. These are large boulders supported on slim towers of limestone. The boulders were originally glacier deposits, and weather has then intervened eroding away the softer limestone beneath to leave this unusual sight for visitors today.
Ingleton which is located to the North West is yet another access point to ascend Ingleborough, including the well known 'Waterfall Walk'. The village has a tiny but interesting market place and the surrounding streets are winding and narrow. Out towards Hawes is the White Scar Cave which is open throughout the year and includes the largest cave available to the public in the UK.
