A circular trail starting from the charming village of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, for years Pen-y-ghent has remained a standout fell of the Yorkshire Dales.
Well-known for being one of the iconic Yorkshire 3 Peaks, Pen-y-ghent is actually the lowest mountain of the three and perhaps the easiest to climb, making it a popular choice for hikers of all abilities.
Where is Pen-y-ghent?
Nestled in the stunning landscape of the Yorkshire Dales, the most common starting point for walking Pen-y-ghent is from the village of Horton in Ribblesdale.
Looming over the countryside on the western side of the Dales, Pen-y-ghent is often described as having the shape of a crouching lion or even the prow of a boat.
The western side of the fell is also home to the Hull Pot and Hunt Pot caverns (more on those later).
What does Pen-y-ghent mean?
Sometimes spelt ‘Penyghent’, nobody is actually certain what the name means!
One of the few fells in the Pennines laying claim to a name with pre-Anglo Saxon origins, it’s speculated that Pen-y-ghent may translate to ‘Hill on the Border’.
In the Cumbric language (and also modern Welsh), ‘pen’ means ‘head’, whereas ‘ghent’ could be taken as ‘edge’ or ‘border’, hence ‘Hill on the Border’.
Pen-y-ghent Circular Walk Route Info
Route Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 8.9km (5.5 miles)
Elevation Gain: 448m
Route Time: 2-3 hours
Start and Finish Point: Yorkshire Dales National Park Car Park, Horton-In-Ribblesdale, Settle, North Yorkshire, BD24 0HE
Weather: Horton-In-Ribblesdale BBC Weather
How high is Pen-y-ghent?
While the smallest of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks, Pen-y-ghent still stands at an impressive 2,277 feet (694 metres) and comprises of several steep sections and a light scramble towards the top which is sure to get your legs burning!
Where do you park for the Pen-y-ghent walk?
Our usual parking spot is the local village car park, which on our last visit was £4.80 for the day.
It’s best to get here early on the weekends however since it always fills up rather quickly!
The spot can be found just beside the B6479 in Horton in Ribblesdale and the facilities also include public toilets.
The costs of parking go directly towards the upkeep of the Yorkshire Dales, so it’s well worth the money!
If the carpark is full, farmers just down the road often open up their fields for a small fee which is a great alternative.
How long does Pen-y-ghent take?
For most ramblers, Pen-y-ghent shouldn’t take much longer than 3 hours – 3 hour 30 minutes.
For more experienced hikers, you can probably shave around an hour off that time.
The circular route is well laid out, easy to follow and offers magnificent views from the summit, often making it a popular picnic area (weather permitting!)
Is Pen-y-ghent an easy walk?
Pen-y-ghent is suitable for walkers of all capabilities and is great for novice hikers or children who are wanting to conquer an outdoors challenge.
Nevertheless, while definitely achievable for most, the walk is still host to some steep climbs and even a short scramble segment near the summit which is sure to get your lungs working!
For the wheelchair accessible route up Pen-y-ghent, be sure to click here.
Pen-y-ghent scramble
While not overly challenging, it is worth noting that Pen-y-ghent does contain some light scrambling towards the top of the fell.
For experienced climbers this won’t be much of an issue, but for rookies or those not good with heights it may seem a little daunting!
My advice would be not to fret – the scramble segment is rather brief and doesn’t require any difficult maneuvers.
Plus, if you’ve already managed to make it so far up the peak, safe to say a little scrambling shouldn’t be much of an issue for you 💪
Likewise, once you reach the summit plateau and make the final walk to the trig point where you can take in the glorious views on display, the worries of the climb are soon forgotten!
Pen-y-ghent as part of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge
For the majority of hikers attempting the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge, Pen-y-ghent will be the first peak that’s climbed.
The 3 fells on the challenge are:
Whernside – 736 m or 2,415 ft
Ingleborough – 723 m or 2,372 ft
Pen-y-ghent – 694 m or 2,277 ft
After summiting Pen-y-ghent, it’s around a 12-mile trek to the peak of Whernside followed by a final gruelling climb up Ingleborough – not forgetting the long descent back to the village afterwards…
Not a trek for the faint hearted, that’s for sure!
For more info, be sure to read our write up on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge.
Other Pen-y-ghent walks
For a longer ramble than the standard circular route, many visitors may instead opt for the Pen-y-ghent and Ingleborough walk or the Pen-y-ghent and Whernside walk – both of which will require you to summit two peaks instead of one.
Hunt Pot and Hull Pot caverns
Hiding on the western side of Pen-y-ghent, while you’re in the area it’s also certainly worth checking out the Hunt Pot and Hull Pot caverns.
Hull Pot is actually a collapsed cavern and while it offers little opportunity for walkers to explore, it’s still nevertheless a remarkable sight to see.
According to the Yorkshire Dales official website, the hole measures at a whopping “91 metres (300 feet) long by 18 metres (60 feet) wide by 18 metres (60 feet) deep.”
Top tip – For more waterfalls in the local area, be sure to check out our comprehensive post listing the 10 BEST Waterfalls In Yorkshire.
Tips for climbing Pen-y-ghent
Despite Pen-y-ghent being a relatively easy peak to conquer, it’s always necessary to prepare accordingly and keep safe when climbing.
In light of this, please be sure to:
Wear suitable footwear
Ideally, you should be wearing quality walking boots or shoes which help with grip and ankle stability. Some of the path is quite rocky and the last thing you want is an injury. 🤕
Wear the correct clothing
Even on the sunniest of days, the climate at the top of a peak can change in an instant. Being so unpredictable, it’s important to pack enough layers to keep warm should the weather take a turn for the worse.
Check the weather
Likewise, always check the weather beforehand and don’t go ahead with your climb if you don’t think it’s safe to do so.
Bring enough water
Hill walking is thirsty work, so its always good to have plenty of water to go at!
As always, happy walking 🚶🚶