Hull Pot and Sell Gill Holes.
Start. Horton in Ribblesdale.
Route. Horton in Ribblesdale - Horton Scar Lane - Hull Pot - Whitber Hill - Sell Gill Hill - Sell Gill Holes - Horton in Ribblesdale.
Notes. For just a few hours today I escaped the devastation of my home town, certain parts of Kendal look and feel like the scene from a disaster movie, storm Desmond swept through raising river levels to the north of town, with no where to go the combined waters of the Kent, Mint and Sprint took the most direct route devastating everything in their path. The Lake District didn't fair much better, if you visit, and do, plan your journey carefully, with a few roads still impassable and some bridges closed it's not so easy to get around, with this in mind I headed into the Dales of Yorkshire, a short walk in the rain because that seems to be all it does these days.
It was drizzling as I laced up my boots in Horton in Ribblesdale, after all the wet stuff that's fallen I decided a visit to the steep-sided crater of Hull Pot may be rewarding. Visit in Summer and it's just a big hole in the ground, but after heavy weather it wears a very different face, a spectacular waterfall spills over the north lip, Hull Pot Beck plunges 60ft in a frenzy of noise, white water and spray, the sound amplified by the vast crater can be heard down the valley.
From Horton in Ribblesdale I let the stoney surface and dry stone walls of Horton Scar Lane guide me into spectacular limestone scenery, rising gradually from the village I passed Outabar and Horton Scar, the lane ushered me below Skell Gill Pasture before passing above Tarn Bar to deposit me in a dry valley. A finger-post pointed in numerous directions, I stood in silence, a sound like thunder carrying on a light breeze emitted from the head of the valley, a sure sign there was water spilling into Hull Pot, lots of it.
After a good wander around I re-traced my steps to the finger-post, a nice new path ascends Whitber Hill. This is the new Three Peaks Path, built to combat erosion, it carefully avoids the likes of Red and Black Mosses, Todber Moss and Long Mires, for three peaks walkers it's a god send, if you've ever crossed these vast tracts of peat bog you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Guided by said path I ascended Whitber Hill, across swathes of moorland I traversed, dry under foot all the way, after descending Sell Gill Hill the path ejected me onto the Pennine Way above Top Farm. I turned left and let the dry stone walls of another green lane guide me back to Horton in Ribblesdale, stopping only to explore the unassuming Sell Gill Holes.
Between the dry stone walls of Horton Scar Lane looking to Pen-y-ghent.
Views taken down Horton Scar Lane, across Ribblesdale a hazy Smearsett Scar.
Glass Moor with Pen-y-ghent rising behind.
Tarn Bar, Hull Pot Beck briefly surfaces at this point before heading back to it's subterranean route.
Pen-y-ghent above Tarn Bar.
Looking over the head of Tarn Bar, with bleak Horton Moor lurking behind.
Across the divide of Hull Pot, Hull Pot Beck plunges 60ft from what is normally a dry stream bed.
Hull Pot seen from the west.
Ascending Whitber Hill with hazy views to Moughton for company.
Even on a gloomy day the view over Ribblesdale from Whitber Hill is stunning.
My route ahead, Jackdaw Hill from Sell Gill Hill.
En route back to Horton in Ribblesdale with one of Yorkshires many green lanes to guide me.
Across Ribblesdale the lower slopes of Park Fell.
Sell Gill Holes, doesn't look much does it, first explored by intrepid Victorians, they discovered vertical pitches descending 250ft into vast caverns....
....this is the wet entrance, there's a dry one on the opposite side of the green lane I've been following.
Enjoying views to Sulber from near Sell Gill Holes.
A final look to the slopes of Simon Fell before stepping back into the streets of Horton in Ribblesdale.