Today I met up with 17 other members of the Online Fellwalking Club (OFC) at Clapham for a walk up Ingleborough and for those who wanted a descent into Gaping Gill.

Still waiting for the main group to arrive I then walked over towards the summit. On the way I passed the ruins of an Hospice built in 1830. It was however short-lived as on the day of the opening ceremony the vistors got a little drunk and pulled it down.

The Trig point on Ingleborough with Pen y ghent in the distance

The summit shelter and cairn. There are the remains of a wall, almost half a mile in circumference around the perimeter of the summit thought to also have been built by ancient tribes.

Looking over to the Ribblehead railway viaduct with Blea Moor just behind and Winterscales Pasture to the left

A close up of Ribblehead. If you follow the line to the left you can see the track of the 3 Peaks walk on the right-hand side of the line.

Looking along the edge of Souther Scales Fell to Park Fell. I walked along there a few weeks ago to Ribblehead.

Looking down Simon Fell breast with Pen y ghent in the distance. The 3 peaks path runs along the flank down to Horton in Ribblesdale. This would be our return path.

The first of the main group come into view. Harry and Bethan can be seen on the fellside below them.

Whernside, the highest of the 3 Peaks but also the least attractive.

Exploring the summit or looking for a "buttie" stop?

On the way down we passed this small pool which the dogs enjoyed.

Walking down the 3 Peaks route towards Horton in Ribblesdale with Ingleborough behind.

Looking to Little Ingleborough from the same spot. It was shortly after this point that the main group turned south to follow a wall down to Gaping Gill. I decided to walk a little further down the 3 Peaks route.

The weather at this point had become more overcast so the views were not as clear but I got this of Pen y ghent with Fountains Fell behind

Pen y ghent again, this time seen above the ruins of an old shooting lodge. A couple of hundred yards past the lodge I took a path that meandered across the moor to Long Scar.

It was the first time I've been on this path but it was a good track all the way.

Ingleborough from Long Scar

Pen y ghent and Fountains Fell from Long Scar with Moughton Scars mid picture

From Long Scar I made my way over to Gaping Gill crossing an area known as Clapham Bottoms. At this point I am looking back to Long Scar, you can just see the cairn on the skyline.

Before I even reached Gaping Gill I could hear the dogs. I arrived to find that Liz who had organised the day out had been elected "Keeper of the dogs"

The ringleader "Polly".  Very nearly served an ASBO for noise pollution.

It was soon evident that it would be quite some time before all the main group resurfaced and with time being at a premium I decided to make my way back to Clapham. A last look back to Ingleborough on my way to Long Lane.

It was back down to Clapham Bottoms to pick up the top of Long Lane

The top section of the aptly named Long Lane

Looking down to the entrance of Ingleborough Cave

and across to Clapdale farm

Looking across to Norber and Robin Procters scar

One of the tunnels as you enter Clapham

and finally the church of St. James at Clapham

To return to part one of this walk click here

Next Walk:    23rd August 2007 -- The Howgills from Sedbergh

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