Ingleton

Ingleton makes a practical, well-placed base for exploring the Yorkshire Dales National Park, with a range of accommodation to suit walkers, cavers and families alike. In the village itself, guest houses such as The Inglenook and The Pines offer comfortable rooms within easy reach of the shops, pubs and the entrance to the Waterfalls Trail, ideal for anyone without a car who wants to step straight out onto the footpaths. Pubs with rooms, including the Marton Arms in the village and the Old Hill Inn a few miles out at Chapel-le-Dale, suit visitors who want a proper meal and a pint on the doorstep after a day on Ingleborough or the Three Peaks.

For those who prefer more space or are travelling with a group, self-catering cottages and farmhouses are dotted around the surrounding villages of Clapham, Austwick and Chapel-le-Dale, all within a short drive of Ingleton and useful as quieter alternatives when the village itself is busy during peak walking season. Given Ingleton's popularity with people attempting the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, many properties are geared towards early starts and muddy boots, with drying facilities and packed breakfasts commonly on offer.

Booking ahead is strongly advised for spring and summer weekends, when the village fills with walkers, cavers and Three Peaks challengers, and again during school holidays when families come for the waterfalls and show caves. Rates and availability tighten noticeably around bank holidays. Outside peak season, Ingleton is much quieter and can be a good option for a low-key autumn or winter break, with White Scar Cave and many of the village pubs open year-round regardless of what the weather on the fells is doing.

Ingleton punches well above its weight for a village of its size, largely thanks to the geology on its doorstep. Highlights include:

• Ingleton Waterfalls Trail — a circular walk of around 4.5 miles along the wooded gorges of the Twiss and Doe, first opened to visitors in 1885, passing a string of named falls including Pecca Falls, Thornton Force and Snow Falls.
• Thornton Force — the centrepiece of the Waterfalls Trail, a 14-metre curtain of water spilling over an overhanging limestone cliff, with older Ordovician slate visible beneath the younger limestone.
• White Scar Cave — Britain's longest show cave, running around four miles underground beneath Ingleborough, with guided tours of roughly 90 minutes past flowstone, stalactites and an underground waterfall.
• Ingleborough — one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks at 723 metres, with a summit plateau ringed by an Iron Age hillfort and sweeping views across the Dales on a clear day.
• Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge — Ingleton is a popular start and end point for the classic 24-mile circuit taking in Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-ghent.
• Ribblehead Viaduct — the 24-arch Settle-Carlisle railway viaduct a short drive away, one of the most photographed pieces of railway architecture in the country.
• Ingleton Community Centre pool and local shops — including Ingleton Pottery and a handful of independent gift shops and cafes along the main street.

The village has a handful of solid options for refuelling after a day on the fells. The Marton Arms is popular for hearty pub food and a well-kept range of cask ales. Masons Freehouse and La Tavernetta both feature regularly among visitors' recommendations for evening meals in the village. A short drive away, the Old Hill Inn at Chapel-le-Dale has a good reputation for its restaurant, and the Game Cock at nearby Austwick serves British dishes with a French and Mediterranean influence. On the A65 towards Settle, the Goat Gap Cafe is a well-known stop for walkers heading into or out of the Dales.

Ingleton sits in classic limestone camping country, with the Yorkshire Dales National Park's karst scenery of gorges, potholes and open fell providing a dramatic backdrop for a night under canvas. As with the rest of England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is not legal here, so pitch at one of the area's established campsites rather than heading out onto open fell or riverside land uninvited. Fortunately Ingleton has no shortage of options, from simple touring and camping fields close to the village to sites right by the entrance of the Waterfalls Trail with direct access to the gorge walks.

Several sites within a mile or two of the village combine traditional tent and caravan pitches with a growing number of glamping options, including shepherd's huts and lodges with hot tubs, useful for anyone wanting Dales scenery without giving up home comforts. Facilities on the larger sites typically include showers, laundry and hook-ups for tourers, while smaller, more secluded farm sites tend to be simpler and quieter, better suited to those after a back-to-basics stay. Given the popularity of the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, many sites are used to early departures and muddy, tired arrivals, and some offer drying rooms or storage for gear.

The limestone terrain that makes the area so scenic also makes it prone to rapid drainage, so ground conditions are generally good even after rain, though the surrounding gorges and rivers can rise quickly, so it is worth checking conditions if camping close to the Twiss or Doe after heavy weather. The best camping season runs from late spring to early autumn, when evenings are light enough for a walk up to Ingleborough or along the waterfalls trail after making camp, though several sites stay open through the shoulder seasons for those chasing quieter pitches and crisper views. Midges can be a nuisance on still summer evenings near the rivers, so it is worth packing repellent alongside the usual gear.