Pennine Bridleway

OVERVIEW

This national trail was launched with the aim of providing a long distance route for horse riders or mountain bikers - but for walkers it also offers a route across the Pennines, that relies heavily on fairly well maintained tracks and lanes.

The route remains fairly challenging, with around 40,000 feet along the 205 miles of the trail - but also crosses some very pretty countryside.

The trail itself starts slightly to the south of Kirkby Stephen (in the Yorkshire Dales) and finishes just outside of Wirksworth (south of Matlock).

Along the way there are two loops that accompany the more direct route of the trail from A to B - the Settle Loop and the Mary Towneley Loop (with Mary Towneley having been one of the key driving forces behind the creation of this trail).

It remains the only trail specifically designed to be used by equestrians, and often meets up with the Pennine Way, which it usually runs fairly close to along the way.

PRACTICALITIES

The northern end of the trail starts just off the A683, and so when I walked it at the northern end, I started instead at Kirkby Stephen train station, and met up with the trail for the first time when it crossed the B6259 (missing out the first three miles or so of the trail).

From here it passes Garsdale train station, close to Dent train station, fairly close to Ribblehead, sort of close to Horton-in-Ribblesdale, and then runs very near to Settle (with all of these being locations of train stations).

From Settle it heads past Long Preston (another train station), and then access on and off the trail is more limited until it passes the town of Colne (although the route itself passes some distance from the town and train station).

The next section of trial includes the Mary Towneley Loop, with the eastern side passing close to Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, with the western side passing close to Rawtenstall (not on the main train network) and Rochdale. 

Then the route runs close to Littleborough (again with a train station), from which it heads on to Diggle, after which the trail runs past towns with train stations at Greenfield, Mossley, Hadfield, Chinley, Chapel-en-le-Frith.

The final section runs along the High Peak Trail, from which you can get across to the train network at Cromford by following the canal.

There are logistical challenges on this trail, mostly caused by the fact it takes a fairly remote route across the countryside.

USEFUL LINKS

Guidebook : Guidebook
National Trail Website : Pennine Bridleway - National Trails

STAGES


Here I started at Kirkby Stephen train station and ended up skipping the official first three miles, but replacing them with more miles following the route of the Pennine Journey. 

From the B6259 crossing I followed the official route though on past Garsdale Head, Widdale Fell and Wold Fell to meet up with the B6255. This section generally follows a ridge line and offers great views out over the countryside with views towards Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent as you head south.

From here I finished on the Pennine Bridleway and headed on down to Ribblehead train station.

This totaled 23.0 miles (of which 12.8 miles were on the Pennine Bridleway), with nearly three thousand feet of ascent (two thousand on the Pennine Bridleway).


From Ribblehead I met up with the Pennine Bridleway slightly later than I should have done (although much of the missing section between this and the last walk is also part of the Pennine Way). This meant I joined the trail at Cam End, and form here the trail heads south to Old Ing, where it splits from the Pennine Way - before dropping into High Birkwith, and then dropping to cross over the River Ribble.

Once over the River Ribble you pass under the railway, and then head up onto the plateau that sits below Ingleborough, but above Horton-in-Ribblesdale. Here you get great views out across Crummack Dale, before you cut round to Clapham Bottoms (crossing the path of the Dales High Way) - and have an excellent section of walking along Long Lane and then Thawaite Lane till you reach the road by Austwick.

From here you head round to Feizor, where the path shares the same route as the Dales High Way, before leaving that behind to head round to Swarth Moor (with this section also having great views). Then you drop to Little Stainforth, head through that village and up the ridge - which you then follow round to Settle.

This section totaled 22.8 miles (19.6 miles on the Pennine Bridleway), with over two and a half thousand feet of ascent (over two thousand on the Pennine Bridleway).

Settle Loop (★★★★★) - Yorkshire Dales

As this is a fairly short walk, I extended it with the route of the Dales High Way and up Gordale Scar, to get one of my all time best walks. I also cut via Attermire Scar on the final stretch into Settle.

From Settle the path heads out passing Langcliffe, and then on past Jubilee and Victoria Cave (with the latter being the former home of rhino, elephant and hippo bones) - and then across to Ewe Moor.

Here I diverted off, followed the Dales High Way to Gordale Scar, via Ing Scar and Malham Cove, before returning on the same route to the exact same point. From here you walk south (back on the Pennine Bridleway), with views back towards Malham Tarn - before turning to head west towards Settle.

Here the views aren't amazing at first, but then you get a lovely view once you reach Great Scar - and then even better views towards Attermire Scar from the Pennine Bridleway. Here I cut back to Settle along the Dales High Way - but the official route is not too shabby either.

The walk done totaled 15.7 miles (although the Settle Loop on the Pennine Bridleway here is only 9.3 miles). The walk was nearly three thousand feet of ascent, but the loop done exactly is only one and a half.

Settle to Sough (★★★★☆) - South Pennines

This section starts with a steep climb out of Settle, and there is a very nice walk along the higher ground until you drop into Long Preston. The path then head out on a mix of roads, tracks and paths generally tracking the route of the River Ribble, until leaving that river behind near Gisburn.

The path continues to pass fields until climbing up on it's way past the peak of Weets Hill, and then there is a really nice section as you head south, with views out across the land below. Eventually the path turns to head towards the southern end of Barnoldswick. Here the Liverpool & Leeds Canal is crossed, before the path heads through a few more fields to reach Sough.

This section totaled 21.4 miles (20.5 miles on the trail), with an ascent of over two thousand feet.

Sough to Hebden Bridge (★★★★★) - South Pennines

From Sough the path meanders across the fields, and then takes on a fairly large climb up onto the ridge above. From here it dips down, crosses over a main road (with bus access), and then heads round to the village of Wycoller.

From here there is another climb back up onto a ridge - where the path runs beneath Boulsworth Hill, and this is a lovely stretch of path with great view in front and behind. Eventually the path makes it's way across the Thursden, where there is a short down and up - before heading across to another down and up to cross over Swinden Water.

The path then heads east to pass close to Gorple Upper Reservoir, alongside Widdop Reservoir and then along the dam of Gorple Lower Reservoir - before heading over the ridge to the outskirts of Hebden Bridge. There are then a series of ups and downs as the path crosses the fields from here to the Rochdale Canal - and here I turned off the Pennine Bridleway to head into Hebden Bridge.

This section totaled 25.5 miles (23.8 miles on the Pennine Bridleway), with almost four thousand feet of ascent.

Burnley to Littleborough (Western Loop) - South Pennines

Planned to walk in 2026...

Hebden Bridge to Greenfield (★★★★★) - South Pennines

The trail starts slightly to the west of Hebden Bridge - and then climbs up the ridge on a similar route to the Pennine Way. The path then runs along the lower end of the ridge on which sits Stoodley Pike Monument, and then drops down to Mankinholes.

From here there is a road section, before turning onto a track that climbs up the ridge, turning the corner to pass above Walsden (with great views down the valley from here). At Bottomley the trail crosses the Rochdale Canal, before a steep climb takes you up to the top of the far ridge. The trail then follows the edge of this ridge before dropping down at crossing the Rochdale Canal once again (you can split this section here by walking on to Littleborough train station).

Once across the path heads past Chelburn Reservoirs, and then heads south, before turning to reach Hollingworth Lake. From here it heads through Rakewood, before passing under the M62, and then climbing up onto the ridge beyond. Form this ridge it drops down past Piethorne Reservoir, then climbs the next ridge, before dropping down to pass Dowry Reservoir.

Then there is yet another ridge to clear, before dropping down to Castleshaw Reservoirs, after which you pass the site of an old Roman Fort, before heading up to Standedge - and then dropping down into Diggle, from which roads are followed to Uppermill. From here you follow an old train line to Greenfield, where you can catch a train home.

This section totaled 25.7 miles (25.3 miles on the Pennine Bridleway), with over four thousand feet of ascent.

Greenfield to Broadbottom - Peak District

Planned to walk in 2026...

Broadbottom to Rushup (★★★★★) - Peak District

The section heading out from Broadbottom doesn't official exist (as they haven't finished the trail despite it officially opening in 2012) - but from Broadbottom I followed the old running track that runs to the south of the railway round to a housing estate, and then cut down to meet up with the Hare & Hounds in Simmondley - and then you can head south over Whiteley Nab to Monk's Road (note that cyclists and horse riders cannot yet complete this section).

From here we are back on a completed section of the trail, and head south across moorland, before passing just below Lantern Pike - where we get great views out towards Hayfield and the hills beyond. From here we drop into Birch Vale and follow an old railway path round into Hayfield.

Once through Hayfield we initially follow the River Kinder, then turn off to the right to head up over Chinley Head - before following the ridge round until we reach the road between Chapel-le-Frith and Hope Valley. From here I dropped down to Edale to catch the train home.

This section totaled 16.6 miles (13.0 miles on the Pennine Bridleway) - with around three thousand feet of ascent.

Rushup to Chelmorton (★★★★★) - Peak District

I used Edale as a way to connect up with the trail at Rushup and this is worth considering as it is a lovely walk between Edale and Rushup. But from Rushup the path heads down to Perryfoot, and then along to Peak Forest via minor roads.

From here the official route heads out along the road, before swapping ridge to another minor road that passes through Wheston - but instead here I walked through Dam Dale, Hay Dale and Peter Dale (which was a better walk but not suitable for bikes or horses). Either way the route then heads on to pass over the Monsal Trail at Chee Dale, before using farm tracks and minor roads to head past Chelmorton. Here I used the Midshires Way to connect up with Buxton.

This section totaled 18.3 miles as I walked it (although only 11.0 miles were on the Pennine Bridleway). Ascent was nearly two and a half thousand feet (as I walked it in reverse), but dropping to a bit over half a thousand feet on the Pennine Bridleway itself (walked as Chelmorton to Rushup). I did particularly enjoy it walked the way I did.


For this section I started in Buxton and used the Midshires Way to rejoin near Chelmorton, after which the trail heads along farm tracks to meet up with the furthest end of the High Peak Trail.

From here the Pennine Bridleway follows the High Peak Trail as it winds it's way across the green fields that make up the White Peak area of the Peak District - with particular highlights coming at the embankments and ridges you pass along on the way.

I extended this section on down to the end of the High Peak Trail at High Peak Junction (the trail officially ends at Middleton Top) and finished up in Cromford (following the Cromford Canal).

This section totaled 25.0 miles between Buxton and Cromford train station, but with 16.6 miles on the Pennine Bridleway. Total ascent heading in reverse was two and a thousand feet, but with only a thousand being done on the Pennine Bridleway.

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