Whernside

Whernside is a mountain in the Yorkshire Dales in Northern England. It is the highest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks,[1] the other two being Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent. It is the highest point in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire[note 1] and the historic West Riding of Yorkshire with the summit lying on the county boundary with Cumbria.

For the mountain between Wharfedale and Nidderdale, historically known as Whernside, see Great Whernside.

Whernside
A snow-covered Whernside and Ribblehead
Viaduct seen from Ribblehead
Highest point
Elevation736 m (2,415 ft)
Prominence408 m (1,339 ft)
Parent peakCross Fell
ListingMarilyn, Hewitt, Hardy, County Top, Nuttall
Coordinates54°13′40″N 2°24′12″W 
Geography
OS gridSD738814
Topo mapOS Landranger 98

In shape Whernside forms a long ridge, running roughly north-north-east to south-south-west. The mountain is 6 miles (10 km) north west of Ingleton and 6 miles (10 km) north of Horton-in-Ribblesdale.[2]

Routes

There is a right of way footpath running from the east at Ribblehead that heads north via Smithy Hill and Grain Ings before turning west to Knoutberry Haw and then south to Whernside itself. From the summit the right of way heads initially south, then steeply southeast down a stepped path to the area known as Bruntscar. If climbed as part of the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge (which is normally done anti-clockwise) Whernside will be climbed following the route up from Ribblehead to descend to Bruntscar.[3]

There are, however, other routes up/down the mountain which are not rights of way.

A path heads directly west from the triangulation pillar to reach the road that is Deepdale Lane near White Shaw Moss.

An alternative route heads directly north across Knoutberry Haw to pass Whernside Tarns and reaches the Craven Way at Boot of the Wold.

Following the southern descent for 0.76 miles (1.22 km), instead of turning steeply southeast towards Bruntscar a path continues south running adjacent the wall passing Combe Scar and West Fell to reach the limestone pavements at Ewe's Top.

Finally, 275 yards (251 m) south of the triangulation pillar an old route (partly fenced off) descends (initially very steeply) for 1.3 miles (2 km) to reach a road 275 yards (251 m) southwest of Winterscales Farm, this is the old route of the Three Peaks Challenge. Walkers should select this route with care as it is no longer maintained, boggy, badly eroded and requires extreme care over the steep ascent/descent. The current route of the Three Peaks fell race runs approximately 440 yards (400 m) north of this old ascent along open moor.

All paths are on open access land and make an interesting change from the right of way ascents/descents.

A walk solely around Whernside starting at the junction of the Blea Moor and Gauber roads near the Station Inn at Ribblehead, to the top of Whernside and back via the bridleway from Bruntscar via the farms at Broadrake, Ivescar, Winterscales and Gunnerfleet (or the footpath from Blea Moor Sidings) is a distance of roughly 8.5 miles (13.7 km).

General

On a clear day the views from the summit to the west can be spectacular, with views of the Lake District and Morecambe Bay, including (with the aid of binoculars) Blackpool Tower, some 40 miles (64 km) away.

Whernside lies about 2 miles (3 km) northwest of Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle–Carlisle Railway.[4]

Whernside is sometimes confused with the lower peak of Great Whernside[5] 17 miles (27 km) away to the east of Whernside. The word "Whern" is believed to refer to querns (millstones) whilst "side" is derived from the Norse "sættr", meaning an area of summer pasture.[6]

Notes
  1. Mickle Fell in southern Teesdale is the highest point within the boundaries of the historic county of Yorkshire.
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References
  1. "Powerful image for Whernside". Craven Herald & Pioneer. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  2. "98" (Map). Wensleydale & Upper Wharfedale. 1:50,000. Landranger. Ordnance Survey. 2016. ISBN 9780319261965.
  3. "Whernside – a walk to the highest point in Yorkshire" (PDF). yorkshiredales.org.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  4. "Times Walks: Whernside, North Yorkshire". The Times. 22 May 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  5. "Weekend Walk: Great Whernside". The Yorkshire Post. 17 December 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  6. Ekwall, Eilert (1960). The concise Oxford dictionary of English place-names (4 ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 512. ISBN 0-19-869103-3.
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