The Craven Way from Ribblehead to Dent
Walk 17-
By train or train/bus on Saturdays only: Ribblehead to Dent- 7.5
miles - 4.5 hours - a family walk and useful if the cloud level is low
and the highlight of a visit to the picturesque village of Dent. Please
note that this walk can only be attempted on Saturdays when the S1 Western
Dales Bus is running and it is best to purchase a return rail ticket to
Dent - Alternatively this can be walked from Dent village to Ribblehead.
For the more hardy it would be possible to walk back to Dent Station although
this would add a further 4.5 miles and 2 hours. Back
to Dentdale 
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| Craven Way into Dentdale | Church Bridge Dent |
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| Ribblehead Station |
Ribblehead Viaduct |
Alight at Ribblehead Station and walk down the station access road turning right at the bottom in front of the Station Inn. Walk for 100m and then turn left towards Ribblehead Viaduct. Do not pass under the viaduct. Follow the path towards the viaduct and then veer to the right with the railway on the left. The path rises uphill passing Blea Moor Signal Box and them after a ford and footbridge crosses Force Hill Aqueduct. At the end of the aqueduct bear right and as the paths divide take the left hand path towards Whernside / Dent. Pass through a gate and the follow path uphill in a straight line.
As the Whernside path bears left [at the stile] keep straight on an the track known as the Craven Way, in fact an old droving road from Dentdale to Ribblesdale. This then contours through open country around Wold Fell with excellent views into Dentdale before dropping downhill in an enclosed track between stone walls and emerging at the minor road at the rear of Whernside Manor. Turn right down the minor road and then left at the next junction turn left to follow the minor road towards Dent for 400m or so. Passing over Mill Bridge take the footpath on the right following the beck downhill. Keep to the path eventually arriving at the River Dee. The path continues along the river bank for the last mile or so into Dent. With Dent in view the path crosses a minor stream and turns right to Church Bridge. At the Bridge follow the road for the last 400m or so into Dent village.
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| Dent Church | River Dee, Dent |
Dent is well served for hostelries these being the George and Dragon and Sun Inns plus two tea rooms, the Stoneclose and the Meadowside. Dent Heritage Centre is well worth a visit.
For the return bus wait at the bus shelter in the middle of the village, near the car park. For times see www.westerndalesbus.co.uk
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| Dent |
Important note:- Whilst the author has taken every care in assembling the information on this site, no responsibility can be accepted for any error or omission herein. If in any doubt walkers should always consult the relevant OS map. All timings are approximate and for a person of average fitness and ability.
© John Carey 2014
This page was last updated on 04-Jun-2020