Circular from the Hill Inn (near Ingleton) via Chapel-le-Dale and Hurtle Pot

Parking: Hill Inn car park on the B6255 (grid reference 743777)
See map of starting point
Directions: Get road directions to the parking place here (nearest available location by postcode: LA6 3AR)
Map: Ordnance Survey – Explorer OL 002 (Yorkshire Dales - Southern and Western areas)
See map of walk area
Buy this map - in association with Aqua3
Distance: 3½ miles (5.6 km)
Grade: 1-B


ChurchIngleborough from cattle gridTurn left out of the Hill Inn car park and walk down the road past the old school house (Chapel-le-Dale), then down the hill for about four hundred yards turning right at a signpost for Chapel-le-Dale church. The road bends slowly upwards through some trees reaching St Leonard’s church after another four hundred yards. On passing the church, turn immediately right and follow the lane up behind the church until reaching a cattle grid. From just through the cattle grid, there is an excellent view of Ingleborough. About twenty yards through the cattle grid, Hurtle Pot is hidden in the trees on the right-hand side. It is possible by passing through a gate just a little further on the right-hand side, to descend to an opening at the top of the Pot, and then from here there is a rope that can be used to descend down to the water level. This though is not advisable, as the descent is steep and very slippery. Hurtle Pot is reputably home to Trolls and Boggarts. After heavy rain the rush of water through the underground system produces a curious throbbing sound which may have given rise to the Hurtle Pot Boggard.


Rope leading down into Hurtle Pot Mouth of Hurtle Pot The walls of Hurtle Pot


Statue by the side of the laneCarry on up the lane, where upon reaching a fork in the road, take the right-hand lane signed "Ellerbeck, Gill Head and BW Ellerbeck 1 mile". Carry on up this lane, the surface of which starts to deteriorate a little but is still tarmacadam in the main. Good views of Ingleborough can be seen now to the side of the lane. A little further up the lane a statue is reached on the left-hand side. For years a statue stood on this spot until it was vandalised on Saturday August 27th 1983 and subsequently found in thirty foot of water at the bottom of Hurtle Pot. A team of divers made the recovery and it has been erected again as found. It was originally the creation of the late Charles l’Anson the well known sculptor and artist. Only time will tell if the spirit of the Boggard is enshrined in the statue.


Ingleborough over Gill HeadWhernside from the laneShortly after the statue, cross the cattle grid or go through the gate to the right, then at the next fork, take the right-hand lane at Gill Head Cottage. Just past Gill Head Cottage, there is an excellent view back to Ingleborough and forwards to long whale-back ridge of Whernside. Walls run beside the lane for the next few hundred metres, before the lane enters unbounded onto open moorland. Continue up the lane heading for the farm buildings in front. Along the whole of this stretch there are wonderful panoramic views in all directions.


Path over Ellerbeck GillRibblehead viaductJust before reaching Ellerbeck Farm, over to the right the full extent of the Ribblehead Viaduct can be seen. This is one of many viaducts on the Settle-Carlisle railway line. The lane bends round to the right (signed "Deepdale 7 ¾ miles") and crosses a shallow ford (Ellerbeck Gill) as the lane heads for the farm. Often on this bend up to the left a small waterfall can be seen. Follow the lane into and through the farmyard going through two blue gates. Just through the second blue gate, take the gate at the bottom right-hand corner of the yard, still following the lane now in the direction of Ribblehead Viaduct.


Continue along this lane for just over half a mile, where after having past between several houses a lane goes off down the hill to the right signed "Hill Inn". This lane is now followed for the mile back to the Hill Inn. Whilst travelling down the lane, Ingleborough can be seen in its full glory straight ahead. This lane is part of the Three Peaks route on the Whernside to Ingleborough section. When the lane reaches the main 'B' road, turn left and the Hill Inn car park is one hundred yards up on the right-hand side.

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