At 736 meters, Whernside is the highest peak in all of Yorkshire. And it’s also the highest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks – which include Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent. While a lot of people do all three mountains in the Yorkshire Dales in one single (very long) hike, I chose to do all of them as separate, invidivual walks. There’s more than one way up Whernside, but I took the classic route up from the Ribblehead Viaduct.

Starting the Hike

This route starts from Ribblehead Viaduct, where there is quite a bit of parking in lay-bys where the B6255 road meets the B6479. It’s also possible do take the train to Ribblehead Station, and do this walk using public transport. The weather changed constantly during this hike – one minute it was wet, raining, and cloudy, the next it was hot sunshine and I was in a t-shirt. As with all walks in the UK, I recommend a sturdy pair of hiking poots, a waterproof rain jacket and pants, lots of layers, and plenty of snacks and water. You’ll need OS Explorer Map OL2: Yorkshire Dales, Southern and Western for this hike. You can read my full outdoor gear guide here!

Ribblehead Viaduct to Whernside Summit

Walk past the viaduct from the parking areas, keeping it on your left. The Ribblehead Viaduct was built in the 1870s with 24 arches, with over 2,300 men involved in its construction. The trail is easy to follow and you’ll pass what’s left of Bleamoor station. Eventually, you’ll cross the railway line.

One of my favorite parts of this section was seeing Force Gill waterfall. It’s visible from the trail, and doesn’t take long to make a quick detour from the main path to go see it up close. It took me about 50 minutes from setting off to the waterfall.

The route has paved stone slabs and climbs steadily. I had no views when I went, I was in the clouds and it was wet going uphill! You’ll come to the top of the ridge, and then follow the path as it runs along a drystone wall on your right.

The Whernside summit and trig point is about halfway along this ridge. It took me about 1 hour and 45 minutes to reach the summit. There is a small shelter, but to be honest when I went it was a bit of an anti-climax. There were no views, which is always a bummer! There was also a lot of garbage around the summit – banana peels, wrappers, empty bottles, etc. If you are planning on doing this hike, please make sure to leave no trace and take all your garbage away with you.

Descending Down Whernside

The path follows the ridge south, where it descends slightly. There is then a very long, extremely steep descent to get to your turning point around Broadrake. The path is stepped, but the stones can be slippery in wet weather. I definitely recommend using hiking poles for this walk, if only for this part! It made a huge difference for me, on my knees and also with general stability.

Thankfully I descended down below the clouds at this point and could actually see some views! I loved getting to see a bit of Ingleborough in front of me – I’d hiked it the day before and, again, had no views at the summit.

Back to the Viaduct via Winterscales

Once you’ve finished the steep descents, you’ll come to a signposted junction and should turn left. It took me about 1 hour to get here after leaving the summit. This will take you past Broadrake and to Winterscales farm, which then links back up with the main path by Ribblehead Viaduct. This section is easy and relatively flat, passing through lots of fields and farm buildings. Once you pass the viaduct, you’re on the home stretch back to the start.

This circular loop of Whernside from Ribblehead Viaduct is approximately 8.75 miles (according to my Strava). It took me exactly 4 hours to do this hike, including photo stops and a break at the summit.

Planning Your Trip

The closest place to stay is the Station Inn at Ribblehead (they also have bunkhouses). Or the YHA Ingleton would probably be your closest hostel. There are also a fair number of campsites in the area, like Philpin Farm Campsite or Moorgarth Farm Campsite. I stayed at Dalesbridge Campsite, which was just down the road from Ingleton. In addition to the tent area, they have camping pods and a 4- or 6-bed cabin available, too. They also have a bar on site and do wood-fired pizza in the evenings. It is right off the A65, so expect some traffic noise through the night. You can search for hostels here, and for hotels and B&Bs here. Don’t forget to check Airbnb too!

Booking.com

It’s easy to do this route with public transportation by taking the train to Ribble station. I always book my train tickets in advance on Trainline. If you’re flying in, the closest airports are Manchester and Leeds Bradford – I book flights through Skyscanner. Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

This loop up Whernside is a classic hike, and it’s great to explore the area around the Ribblehead Viaduct. I do think all of the Yorkshire Three Peaks are worthy of individual hikes. So while I’m sure it’s exciting to complete the challenge, I think this area of the Yorkshire Dales is interesting and beautiful enough to merit three separate walks! I hope this guide helps planning your trip up Whernside from Ribblehead Viaduct.

Have you hiked Whernside, or another of the Yorkshire Three Peaks?

You might also like my posts:

The BEST Places to Visit in the Yorkshire Dales

Exploring the Yorkshire Dales: Hiking Pen-y-Ghent

Hiking Ingleborough From Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales

88 Incredible Places to Visit in Yorkshire

The Prettiest Villages to See in Swaledale

Exploring Wharfedale: Hiking from Grassington to Hebden in the Yorkshire Dales

All of my hiking posts and my Yorkshire posts!

Like this post? Pin it for later!