One of the most popular things to do in the Yorkshire Dales is hiking the Yorkshire Three Peaks. These are the highest peaks in Yorkshire: Whernside (736m), Ingleborough (723m), and Pen-y-Ghent (694m). Most people do a massive walk and do all three in one day (usually 12-14 hours), sometimes for a challenge for charity. Instead of subjecting myself to a suffer-fest, I decided to just do one: Pen-y-Ghent. This is a great walk with gorgeous views, and definitely a great hike in the Yorkshire Dales!

Starting the Pen-y-Ghent Hike

The usual starting point for both the Yorkshire Three Peaks hike, and the hike up Pen-y-Ghent, is Horton-in-Ribblesdale. There a few options for parking. There are a few lots which charge, including the Yorkshire Dales National Park, or you can use the honesty system to park behind the Golden Lion pub. There is also street parking available, however only park where there are spaces (and never block any driveways) to respect residents. You’ll need OS map OL 2: Yorkshire Dales (South and Western Area) for this hike. I use the OS Maps app on nearly all of my hikes in the UK. You can check out my outdoor gear guide for all my top recommendations!

The hike for Pen-y-Ghent starts off from the center of the village, and then goes past the church and follows a stream out to a farm (keep the stream on your right). After about 15 minutes, you’ll leave the paved road at the farm and follow the signpost up towards Pen-y-Ghent.

Hiking Up Pen-Y-Ghent

The path up Pen-y-Ghent varies from just a worn path to stepped stones. There are lots of ups and downs here, and the inclines can feel a bit steep. I definitely recommend having hiking poles! (Buy on Amazon.) After about an hour after leaving the village, you’ll reach a gate before the final summit push. The views from here are stunning! This is where the path for Pen-y-Ghent meets up with the Pennine Way path.

There is a steep and rocky scramble up. Take care when going up, as the rocks can be wet and slippery after rain. You’ll also probably encounter people coming down this way, so take your time. After the scramble, the path evens out with paved slabs. I reached the summit after about 1 hour and 25 minutes from leaving the village, and 25 minutes after reaching the gate before the scramble.

Depending on cloud cover, you may not get the best views from the actual summit. There is a wall to shelter from, as it can get windy!

Descending From Pen-Y-Ghent

I followed the path for the Pennine Way down for the descent. The views here were stunning—you can see the whole valley, it was just gorgeous! After about 20 minutes of hiking downhill, you’ll turn near a sign. The path is gravelled and easy to follow.

Eventually, you’ll reach a signpost with a gate that you can take back to Horton. I got here about 50 minutes after leaving the summit. I actually thought some of the best views of the day were from this area! I could see straight up to Pen-y-Ghent, which I had only been on top of less than an hour before!

It’s easy to follow the path straight back to the village. There are drystone walls on either side, and again a great view of Pen-y-Ghent! You’ll reach a fork where you can either go closer to the road, or through the woods. It’s really up to you which you choose, but both will take you about the same amount of time.

I got back to the church in Horton almost exactly 3 hours after leaving, so all in all hiking Pen-y-Ghent won’t take you ages. I left at 11:00 in the morning, and was back at 2:00pm. It’s easy to combine with other walks or to do all of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, but it’s also a great moderate hike to do on its own!

Planning Your Trip

Horton-in-Ribblesdale is the traditional starting point for hiking Pen-y-Ghent. Horton is served by the Settle-Carlisle railway. I always use Trainline to find the best deals on train tickets. Driving is probably the easiest way to reach Horton though. You can search for nearby hostels here, or for hotels here! You can also sign up to and search Airbnb here. There are lots of camping options near (or in) Horton-in-Ribblesdale too. 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.

Pen-y-Ghent is a fantastic hike in a beautiful part of the Yorkshire Dales. It’s only about 3 hours in total, and easy to tie in with a visit to Malham, Ingleton, or the Ribblehead Viaduct. Whether on its own, or as part of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, it’s a great walk. I hope this helps in planning a trip up Pen-y-Ghent!

Have you hiked Pen-y-Ghent or the Yorkshire Three Peaks in the Dales? What was your experience like?

You might like my other posts:

The BEST Places to Visit in the Yorkshire Dales

Whernside: The Highest Peak in Yorkshire

Hiking Ingleborough From Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales

Hiking In The Yorkshire Dales: Malham

Waterfalls, Caves, And More: Exploring Ingleton In The Yorkshire Dales

Exploring Wharfedale: Hiking From Grassington To Hebden In The Yorkshire Dales

My Outdoor Gear Guide For Hiking And Camping In The UK

All of my hiking posts!

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