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Contents :: RIBBLE WAY :: Day 7


		INTRODUCTION		DAY 5
		DAY 1		DAY 6
		DAY 2		DAY 7
		DAY 3
		DAY 4

THE RIBBLE WAY RUNS FLOWS FROM ITS SOURCE IN THE YORKSHIRE DALES TO ITS RIVER MOUTH BEYOND PRESTON

NATIONAL TRAIL GUIDES UK

Day 7 :: The Final Day :: Horton to Gavel Gap:: 11 miles

The final leg of the Ribble Way begins at Horton-in-Ribblesdale, beside the Crown Inn, by following the Pennine Way. This was a difficult walking path because it was comprised of large stones that that were easy to trip over and twist an ankle, with deep ruts, often water filled. The path was enclosed on each side by stone walls. On the right the huge bulk of Pen-y-Ghent could be seen. Not all of the path was difficult, however, and it was still nice to be out in the sunny weather in a beautiful part of the Yorkshire Dales.

The track continued uphill for some time before leveling out as it curved to the left. Jackdaw Hill was on our right and the path here separated from the Pennine Way where a beck plunges into Sell Gill Holes, one of the many pot holes around here.



Enlighten from the drove road out of Horton		Sell Gill Holes

Shortly after Sell gill Holes there was a stile taking us from the Pennine Way. Following the right hand wall we passed through successive fields and eventually came to and crossed a deep gully. We continued ahead until reaching a gorge surrounded by trees and fenced off. We then joined a track on our left. This was at High Birkwith. The Pennine Way was only a little way over on our right near to The Ing, a farm just the other side of High Birkwith.

We were now aiming for Gearstones. We passed over God's Bridge, passing over Browgill Beck and continued on until reaching Nether Lodge Farm, which we passed through, crossing Ling Gill. We crossed a track and took a fainter path over the moors, on the opposite side of the track. The path improved as we followed it to the main road at Gearstones. Before reaching the road we crossed the almost dried up Gayle Beck, which is one of the main becks forming the beginning of the River Ribble.



Gayle Beck		Beginning of Ribble Way/Dales Way over Gayle Moor

We passed through to the B6255 near to Gearstones and walked uphill over Gayle Moor until reaching a track on the left which also formed part of the Dale's Way. We walked uphill on a good path until we reached Winshaw Farm, which we passed to the left of, and crossed boggy moorland to the base of a steep hill and followed the path up it. Near the top of the hill our path turned right, where we crossed a deep gully and then followed a stone wall for some distance until coming to High Gayle Farm, recognizable by its display of flags flying high in the air on tall masts. We walked along the perimeter of the farm.

We walked uphill on Gayle Moor, the track eventually leveling off and we then followed the base of a large hill on our left on a good track that weaved through tough moorland grass that was infested with flies.. They were attracted to my sweat and i became covered in them. Each time I wiped my hand through my hair there were dozens of small dead gnats stuck to the sweat on my hands, no matter how often I did it. Yuch!



Leaving Gayle Moor		Newby Road

Leaving Gayle Moor we turned right at a stile onto Newby road and walked along unenclosed moorland either side. We walked about 800 metres to cross the B6255. There was a new stile opposite and a good gravel track leading up onto the moorland beyond. Although there were no signs around this was obviously an improved and re-directed part of the Ribble Way. The former path required a walk of 150 yards to the left, where there was indeed a fingerpost sign pointing the way to Gavel Gap and I knew that we were to cross to a track at some point. The track was in fact this track and it had recently been re-surfaced and extended to the road, including a piece of track on the opposite side of the road which meant that one would not have to walk on the main road at all, save for crossing it.



New section of the Ribble Way off Newby Road		New Path towards Gavel Gap

Almost as soon as we started walking on the new track we were mobbed by a pair of Curlews, who stayed with us most of the rest of the way. The new track was excellent and route finding was little more than following the track. Each side of the grack there was bleak moorland and if it were not for the track, route finding would have been very difficult.

Where the track wound to our left opposite the deep gully of Long Gill, there was a small single storey building, which we used as a marker to confirm that we were on the right track. As we walked along the gully it grew shallower. Ferns lay between us and the gully On the opposite side landslip was evident all along.



Further along the track		Single storey marker building



Ingleborough		Jam Syke

Looking back and to our right we had a magnificent view of Ingleborough. Looking back 180 degrees we could just see the ridged top of Whernside sticking over the hills immediately behind us, and looking forward and to our right we could just make out Pen-y-Ghent, and so we could see all of the 3 peaks from this one place.

We continued to wend our way up. After passing over Long Gill we had been walking along Jam Syke for some time, crossing and re-crossing. Immediately before the track reached a new gate, and where the path climbed just a little further before descending, there is a minute stream on the right. This is the beginning of the main feeder stream for the River Ribble. It flows into Gayle Beck, along with many other streams, but this stream is the further away, and thus, by definition, the actual source of the River Ribble.



Looking towards the Ribble's spring		First Beginnings

We walked across to the stream and followed it for a short distance up the hill and to the limestone escarpment from which it springs. it was not marked in any way and held no particular charm to us save for the knowledge that it was the source of the River Ribble and our reason for being there.



The Limestone Rock from which the Ribble springs		Close up of the Ribble's spring

Day 6

Introduction

Author - Roy McKee