Ingleborough’s Minor Summits

The addition of the Moss and Wright summits to my ticklist meant returning to previously visited mountains in order to mop up the tops that I had never considered collecting.  Ingleborough had 4 of them.

The path from Clapham soon led to the cairn on top of Long Scar with impressive views north.  I followed the Dales High Way towards Nick Pot before stopping for lunch at the derelict shooting hut below the slopes of Simon Fell.  That it is an obvious point for rest was reinforced by the amount of litter discarded, probably by many walkers accepting the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge who succumb to fatigue on the final leg to Horton-in-Ribblesdale.

Pen-y-ghent

My first target of the day, Simon Fell South-East Top, was easily found but the next one – Simon Fell East Top – was a challenge despite the excellent visibility.  It could have been any of a number of peat hags, but I'm sure that I found the highest one.  Poor visibility would have made ticking the summit a significant task with the risk of missing the top altogether.  It's got to be said that this "summit" is not very worthwhile.

Simon Fell North Top was easier to be sure about but which side of the wall the highpoint resides is open to debate.  This was another summit that makes you think whether such minor summits are worth the effort; do Mosses and Wrights deserve my attention?  And although Ingleborough East Top is a reasonable point to enjoy the view, it is ultimately just a tiny point on the north slope of its parent mountain.

Pendle Hill

I sauntered on to the top of Ingleborough which I had been up a couple of times before.  A few people were enjoying the summit plateau and I took the time to appreciate the view south towards Pendle Hill.  I made my way down to Little Ingleborough from where Gaping Gill was clearly in view.  At the famous cave I walked around the depression, marvelling at the fact that such a small entrance that swallows the stream can lead to a cavern of cathedral-sized proportions.

Ingleborough summit - shelter, cairn & trig point

The path now led through Trow Gill and past Ingleborough Cave for an easy finish into Clapham.

Listening to the radio on the way home, reporters were announcing that the day was the hottest February day ever recorded, indeed it was the hottest winter day ever recorded.  So good was the current spell of weather that the record only lasted one day!

A Lancashire Inversion

The drive up the M6 and then over to Ingleton was largely in fog but it had mostly cleared by the time I had reached the layby just past the Hill Inn.  A look up to Ingleborough revealed only sparse snow cover so I decided to leave behind my ice-axe and crampons.

The start of the walk is a gentle stroll through fields until a path of flagstones and duckboards crossed the open moorland.  Although well-made, the flagged path was iced over because water had seeped over the edges and frozen.  To avoid the ice and inevitable injury I had to walk on the frozen vegetation on either side, somewhat negating the value of the work done to prevent erosion !

As I gained height, the lower slopes started to disappear under cloud with only the highest tops being seen clearly in the bright sunshine.  I reached the start of the steep final slope and started to regret leaving behind the crampons as the path was completely iced.

I had to take a lot of care to reach the top and passed a couple descending with some trepidation, the young lady deciding that the easiest way to get down was on her bottom.  I didn’t feel that an ice-axe was needed as my poles helped my stability but if I had brought my crampons I would have put them on; the path was treacherous.

Pen-y-ghent

Whernside

At the plateau I turned toward the summit of Ingleborough which was just an easy stroll away.  The hills to the east could be clearly seen with Pen-y-ghent prominent.  Whernside poked out above the clouds and both the Scafell and Helvellyn ranges in the Lake District were easily identifiable.  But to the south, Lancashire was completely covered in cloud making it the most extensive inversion I’ve ever seen.

the Lake District

I was pleasantly surprised to find a topograph mounted on the pillar at the centre of the cruciform shelter.  I had not seen this on my previous visit and speaking to a friend about it later revealed that he didn’t know about it either, despite more than one visit to the summit.  Such is the advantage of always visiting the highest point !

The walk to the top of Simon Fell was a simple jaunt and I was soon needing to make a decision about where to descend of the plateau to avoid the ascent path.  I picked a point a few hundred yards east of the icy path and easily made my way down to Humphrey Bottom and onto the flags and duckboards once again.

Simon Fell from Ingleborough

Ingleborough from Simon Fell