Walking Route: Horton in Ribblesdale, Dales

Walking Route - Alum Pot, Yorkshire Dales

Horton in Ribblesdale > Old Ing > Alum Pot > Horton in Ribblesdale

Average Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

Distance: 9.2 miles (14.7km)	Height Gain: 1271 ft (388m)
You don't have to be in the high mountains with big ascents to get great views and plenty of interest. Based around Horton In Ribblesdale this route takes you along parts of the Pennine Way then across to the spectacle of Alum Pot..	Maps: OS LR 98, Explorer OL2 Online: Streetmap
Strenuousness: 2 Technicality: 1 Photo Grade: 3	Start Point: SD 807 726

Overview Picking up on a recent OUTDOORSmagic forum thread, this walk shows you don't have to be in the high mountains with big ascents to get great views and plenty of interest.

Based around the friendly village of Horton In Ribblesdale this route takes you along parts of the Pennine Way then across to the spectacle of Alum Pot. The return leg takes in classic limestone pavement before dropping into Horton in Ribblesdale with Pen y Ghent beyond.

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Section 1: Horton In Ribblesdale to Old Ing

Distance: 3 miles (4.8km)

Height Gain: 580ft (177m)

Average Time: 1 hour 30 mins

From the main car park in Horton In Ribblesdale cross the road and take Harber Scar Lane onto the Pennine Way. The path curves gently to the left 'til you reach Sell Gill Holes, where the stream disappears underground.

Just beyond Sell Gill Holes the path splits at a gate with the Pennine Way heading up to the right.

Take the left hand path, marked Birkwith, and follow the wall below the long line of scars with views up the valley to your left. Cross Sell Gill and Birkwith Gill before arriving at Birkwith Cave and Old Ing.

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Section 2: Old Ing to Alum Pot

Distance: 2.4 miles (3.8km)

Height Gain: 403ft (123m)

Average Time: 1 hour 10 mins

From Old Ing take the wide track heading down into the valley to Birkwith Farm.

Beyond the farm gate take the lane to a stile with a Selside sign alongside. The path now drops through the trees to Low Birkwith and on to a stream and the road at Selside after a mile and a quarter.

Turn right along the road and cross over to take the first track on the left. The drystone walls on either side guide you uphill towards a group of trees, and Alum Pot.

Here the stream falls into the 200 ft deep pot, with even more water entering from Borrins Moor part way down the shaft. The main shaft has a wall around it to prevent accidents, and anyone using the stile to cross the wall should take care on the well polished limestone.

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Section 3: Alum Pot to Horton In Ribblesdale

Distance: 3.8 miles (6.1km)

Height Gain: 288ft (88m)

Average Time: 1 hour 40 mins

Return down the main path from Alum Pot to Selside. After a couple of hundred yards a large track heads off right between the walls, take this path to a gate - this field is known to sometimes contain a bull, but is signposted when the bull is in residence.

Now continue across fields and ladder stiles to emerge in the Nature Reserve. The path now becomes more of a landrover track and heads slowly uphill to a four way junction above Sulber Nick - below.

Turn left here and follow the obvious path downhill to Horton In Ribblesdale and your start point.

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Note: Average time ratings are calculated for a notional average walker and take height gain into account. You may be faster or slower than the notional average, but they provide a starting point.

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Route Map