Walking Forum

Regions - Trip reports, destination advice, recommended routes, etc. => Yorkshire Dales & Moors => Topic started by: Innominate Man on 14:17:28, 20/04/17

Title: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Innominate Man on 14:17:28, 20/04/17
A few of us from work are aiming for walking around and up Pen Y Ghent this weekend and I thought it worth asking if anyone has a favourite route that is less obvious than that taken by the 3 Peakers ?


One chap has something in mind starting from Helwith Bridge and this looks a reasonable way to make a longer walk, than straight up & down.
Anything similar or better ?
Thanks in anticipation.
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: pleb on 14:40:26, 20/04/17
Duuno, did it wi a group, don't recall the route! There! That was helpful, wasn't it? :P
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: ninthace on 17:14:24, 20/04/17
Try this one.
http://www.haroldstreet.org.uk/routes/download/?walk=2505
Goes up PyG, along the ridge and drops off the far end.
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Peter on 18:29:19, 20/04/17
The difficulty with answering your question is that it is virtually impossible to do Peny without covering the busy bits.
The route from Helwith is fine, mostly an enclosed bridleway. Takes you up to the Pennine Way path at Milk Churn.
There are some obscure routes, but you are unlikely to find them and they barely exist on the ground.


The natural extension  is to walk over to Plover Hill and descend onto the Foxup Bridleway, circling back along the base of the hill. The Henry Street route goes back around the other Dale.
There are several paths that way. Though it also involves some road walking. It was very muddy last month, damn sheep were making a mess of the path about 200 yards ahead of me.
Conditions locally are much drier at the moment. Which also would suggest that the very boggy section between Peny and Plover may well be readily passable. (Lots of photos of groups traversing along the face of walls to get by some bogs..   :D

Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Innominate Man on 19:41:42, 20/04/17
Thanks peter/ninthace - I think we'll go across to Plover Hill & descend off the back and perhaps as we do so, we can decide to either go clockwise or anti-clockwise.


Useful to know about the conditions being a little drier than may be expected  O0
I've only ever been up Pen Y Ghent once before and that was as part of the 3 peaks (with another bunch of work colleagues) and it was the day before my Sons Christening:- for which I could hardly walk and paid dearly for my lack of preparation. Still, he's 31 this year and I am slightly wiser, but not much.
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Peter on 07:04:34, 21/04/17
Couple of things to bear in mind.
When you get to Plover going clockwise will require more awareness and navigation, (you need a plan) anti clockwise is fairly simple path following.
To get to Plover from Peny just follow the wall, watch out for the boggy bits. (Engage brain)
Oh, and the descent from Plover is at times a bit mountain goat country..
 O0
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Innominate Man on 11:30:23, 21/04/17
Cheers Peter  O0
Points noted.
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Peter on 21:48:39, 22/04/17
Did you go up from Helwith? Using the layby on the left? Saw a few cars there this morning, I was heading for Whernside.

Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Innominate Man on 19:12:40, 23/04/17
Did you go up from Helwith? Using the layby on the left? Saw a few cars there this morning, I was heading for Whernside.


 >:(   >:(  We were due to walk today, and yesterday were due at the Lyth Valley for Damson Day, so put my phone on early yesterday morning to charge it up only to receive a message from one of the guys - sent late Friday night, calling it off.
We are going to re-schedule it and will still use the info from you & ninthace.
A pity though because it was such good weather - well it was as we drove back home from the Lakes yesterday evening on the A65.
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Hillhiker1 on 21:50:08, 06/05/17
On Friday I followed ninthace's route over from PYG to Plover hill. At the moment it's completely dry - presenting no difficulty at all. The path off Plover hill was a delight, although the mid section WAS a bit hairy as Peter said. At the bottom I turned left for the return to Horton. All in all; a superb afternoon out  :) :)  - could have done without the wind though!
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Yorkshirewalker26 on 17:25:30, 07/05/17
Thinking of maybe doing this walk on Wednesday (looks like a nice sunny day), anyone know how busy it will be then? I heard this route can be busy all year round. Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Hillhiker1 on 18:44:12, 07/05/17
I can't see it being busy on a Wednesday. Last Friday I only saw 7 people, and only came close enough to speak to 4 of them. The village itself was pretty busy,but I don't know where they all went. Not up Pen-Y-Ghent, that's for sure :) .
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Peter on 22:18:35, 07/05/17
Thinking of maybe doing this walk on Wednesday (looks like a nice sunny day), anyone know how busy it will be then? I heard this route can be busy all year round. Thanks in advance.


Won't be that busy. Especially after Peny.
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Innominate Man on 10:53:44, 09/05/17
All being well and barring any last minute crying off we are heading up there on Sunday.
Not sure what the forecast is yet though.
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Peter on 22:27:32, 09/05/17
The fells are dangerously dry. If this weather keeps up we may well have a major fire soon.
Given that it is also quite windy, give some thought to what to do to avoid getting hurt in a fire. It isn't something we think of too often.

Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Innominate Man on 23:08:39, 09/05/17
The fells are dangerously dry. If this weather keeps up we may well have a major fire soon.
Given that it is also quite windy, give some thought to what to do to avoid getting hurt in a fire. It isn't something we think of too often.
I'll pack my asbestos suit.
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Yorkshirewalker26 on 21:35:06, 10/05/17
Went up there today. Went from Horton station up Ingleborough today. Was a scorcher all the way up and down.
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Innominate Man on 23:32:11, 10/05/17
Went up there today. Went from Horton station up Ingleborough today. Was a scorcher all the way up and down.


Bet it was quieter today than it'll be for us on Sunday  >:(
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Innominate Man on 00:25:07, 24/05/17
We had a great walk the other Sunday, parking in the pull-in just beyond the bend at Helwith Bridge.
Approached Pen Y Ghent from the South and then continued along to Plover Hill, sheltering behind the walls for a snack before dropping off the back and following the track anti-clockwise.
Luckily all the boggy bits had all but dried up across the top path between the summits. The path between the two tops was a lot quieter than Pen Y Ghent summit  >:( - which was heaving.


The wind was pretty gusty which I don't mind physically but I struggle to hear when there is a continuous roar like a jet engine. It also lulled us into thinking it was cooler than it really was. I didn't realise until in the car on the way home when I became aware that my face was tingling !  By the time I reached home I was a nice shade of red. Not to worry because it all peeled off a few days later.


We stopped off at Hull pot and enjoyed the chasm for a while as well as the remnants of our lunch and then headed back to Horton.
After partaking of the loos at the car park we went down to the river and followed that back to Helwith.
With a few detours the Viewranger said it was about 12 miles. It was a leisurely pace with lots of stops for photos and a lot of catching up to be done as two of our party have moved on to pastures new and we see less of each other than we used to. It took just short of 6 hours in total, but actual walking time was probably closer to 4 than 5 hours.


I'll dig the photos out and post a couple.
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: photonut on 08:46:40, 21/06/17
Couple of things to bear in mind.
When you get to Plover going clockwise will require more awareness and navigation, (you need a plan) anti clockwise is fairly simple path following.
To get to Plover from Peny just follow the wall, watch out for the boggy bits. (Engage brain)
Oh, and the descent from Plover is at times a bit mountain goat country..


Hi Peter,


This was one very helpful pointer last weekend.  I left Horton via the path/ track up the side of the Crown Hotel and worked my way up to Hull Pot (took a few piccies) then continued along the path to Foxup Moor to the base of Plover.  Ascending Plover was indeed mountain goat country and about half way up I entered into cloud... couldn't see my hand in front of my face at times.  After finding Plover summit I ventured onto Pen-y-Ghent... as you had indicated by following the wall and watching out for the 'frequent' boggy bits.  I needed the map and compass to find the steps over the wall mind you!!


Sadly, as I neared Pen-y-Ghent summit I didn't need anything except my ears.  There were so many people at the top... all sat in the cloud (how strange).  I passed by quickly and decided to have tea and biscuits somewhere on the descent in the sun, watching people 'huff and puff' up the southern path  :)


A very nice walk all the same despite the crowds of noisy walkers, I had managed to stay away from most of the Y3P route throughout my walk.  This was my first time up Pen-y-Ghent, but I'm sure it won't be the last.


Oh... and I also followed your guidance on car parking too  O0


Cheers
Lee



Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: Peter on 13:57:47, 21/06/17
If this was Saturday, then I abandoned a walk up Whernside because of the crowds.
I've seen lots of 3 peak events, but never as many as on Saturday. My usual sedate amble resulted in my standing to one side for groups of 50 at a time.
I eventually turned around and crossed over no man's land to descend. Lots of puzzled faces..
Title: Re: A good route for Pen Y Ghent ?
Post by: photonut on 17:26:52, 21/06/17
If this was Saturday, then I abandoned a walk up Whernside because of the crowds.
I've seen lots of 3 peak events, but never as many as on Saturday. My usual sedate amble resulted in my standing to one side for groups of 50 at a time.
I eventually turned around and crossed over no man's land to descend. Lots of puzzled faces..


Yes it was last Saturday (17th).  I was expecting a few people but there were a lot more than I had ever imagined.  Sadly, many of them would not even make room on the path for others to pass, expecting others to move to one side off the pathway, despite them being two or three abreast.  So I understand your desire to go off-piste!