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Ingleton Visitor’s Guide: 10 Awesome Things To Do In Ingleton

Ingleton Visitor’s Guide: 10 Awesome Things To Do In Ingleton

Ingleton is a truly charming village located in the Yorkshire Dales. There are plenty of great things to do in and near the village. In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about visiting Ingleton, including the best things to do, the best walks, how to get there, where to stay (hotels, hostels and campsites) and where to eat (best pubs).

About Ingleton, North Yorkshire

Ingleton is a quaint village located at the foot of Ingleborough, which is one of the famous Yorkshire Three Peaks. Certainly, many people choose to walk to Ingleborough (one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks) from Ingleton. Although, when it comes to Ingleton walks, most people visit the village to do the well-known Ingleton Waterfalls Trail. Whilst, others simply pass through the village to visit the nearby White Scar Cave or Ribblehead Viaduct.

Sure, these are all the best walks and places to see in and near Ingleton. So, in this guide, we’ll talk about these walks and attractions in a bit more detail. But, there are plenty of other great things to do in the village and the surrounding area. With this in mind, we’ll tell you about all the best things to do in and near the village, including some of the lesser-known attractions.

But first, a little history about Ingleton!

Read about Grassington, Clapham and Ribblehead

Dan walks in Ingleton nears its campsites and pubs

Ingleton History

Ingleton has a fascinating history going back all the way to the Bronze Age. A prehistoric site was found on Ingleborough, which dates back to around 2000 B.C. The site was most likely a place of ritual for the Brigantes, who were ancient Britons controlling much of northern England.

In more recent history, the village has been synonymous with mining, railways and textiles. Whilst the town has inspired writers such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Michael Moorcock.

So, exactly where in the Yorkshire Dales is the village located?

Ingleton village sign showing its attractions bit not specifically its pubs or campsites

Where Is Ingleton?

It’s located in the southwest part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park in North Yorkshire in the northwest of England, Great Britain. To help you get your bearings, please click on the image below to access an interactive map of the village.

A screenshot of where Ingleton is located

What to Do in Ingleton: Walks and Attractions

Now you know where the village is located, let’s look at the 10 best things to do in and around the area. Let’s start with the village’s undisputed main attraction – Ingleton Falls!

1. Ingleton Falls (Ingleton Waterfalls Trail)

Ingleton Falls, as it’s known by the locals, is a breathtaking series of waterfalls that can be found along the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail. Indeed, Ingleton Falls is not just one single waterfall – it’s the collective term used for all of the waterfalls found along the trail. Starting in the village, the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail is a circular walking route that you can do to see all of these superb waterfalls.

In order, the waterfalls that you’ll see along the walk include Pecca Falls, Hollybush Spout, Thornton Force, Beezley Falls, Triple Spout, River Fall, Baxenghyll Gorge and Snow Falls.

Read more: Ingleton Falls (Waterfalls Trail) – The Ultimate Guide

Dan and Beck on the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail

DJI Air 2S

DJI Air 2S

Capture breathtaking aerial photography and videography with the DJI Air 2S. The DJI Air 2S Fly More Combo comes with all of the necessary accessories such as the remote controller, spare batteries and battery charger.

2. White Scar Cave

Only a short drive away from Ingleton, you’ll find White Scar Cave – a famous show cave in the Yorkshire Dales. In fact, it’s the longest show cave in the UK! The underground formations are truly awe-inspiring. Whilst, given the age of the caves (approx. 350,000,000 years old), there are plenty of crustacean fossils embedded in the cave walls and ceiling. Additionally, you’ll even find underground waterfalls at White Scar Cave!

To visit these caves, you’ll need to do a guided tour along a 1.6km (one mile) floodlit passage. Overall, we think the tour is brilliant and worth every penny. Certainly, we think the White Scar Cave is the best show cave in the Yorkshire Dales.

Read more: White Scar Cave – An Honest Review About the Tour

Dan at White Scar Cave near Ingleton

3. Ribblehead Viaduct

The Ribblehead Viaduct is located near Ingleton in a smaller village called Ribblehead. Undoubtedly, the Ribblehead Viaduct is one of the most stunning viaducts in the UK. Also known as the Batty Moss Viaduct, this section of the Settle-Carlisle railway is a Grade II heritage-listed structure. No, the viaduct doesn’t feature in Harry Potter (that would be the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland). But, nevertheless, the Ribblehead Viaduct is a fine example of 19th century Victorian engineering, ingenuity and persistence.

Read more: Ribblehead Viaduct – Everything You Need to Know About Visiting / Ribblehead – 15 Awesome Things To Do In Ribblehead

Ribblehead Viaduct

4. Whernside Walk

One of the most popular walks to do near Ingleton is the Whernside Walk, which starts in Ribblehead. After all, Whernside is the highest peak in Yorkshire and one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. The 13.4km (8.3 miles) circular walk to Whernside starts near the Ribblehead Viaduct. So, it’s really a ‘two birds with one stone’ type of scenario.

Read more: Whernside Walk From Ribblehead Viaduct – The Ultimate Guide

Dan walks to Whernside near Ingleton

5. Force Gill (Low Force and High Force)

Force Gill is an amazing river stream that you can explore during the Whernside Walk. During the walk, you’ll see Low Force, which is an impressive waterfall formed by Force Gill. By leaving the official trail and going off-track, you can also visit High Force, which is a waterfall higher upstream.

Dan and Beck at the base of Low Force
Force Gill – Low Force

6. Ingleborough From Ingleton Walk

When it comes to walks starting from Ingleton itself, the walk to Ingleborough is one of the most popular options. After all, Ingleton is located at the foot of Ingleborough – one of the most prominent and easily recognisable landforms in the Yorkshire Dales.

Of course, it’s more common to walk to Ingleborough from Clapham (approx. 17.3km circular walk). Personally, that’s what Beck and I did. But, the walk from Ingleton is actually a shorter walk (approx. 13km). By doing the walk from Ingleton, you’ll also get to pass the incredible Twistleton Scar. Although, we’ve heard this route can get very boggy during winter and many people have mentioned getting easily lost.

So, if you’re the adventurous type or an experienced hiker, then the Ingleborough Walk from Ingleton may be right up your alley. Otherwise, for a more straightforward route with easier trail navigation, we recommend doing the walk from Clapham.

Read more: Ingleborough Walk From Clapham – The Ultimate Guide

Dan and Beck on the Ingleborough Walk near Ingleton

7. The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge

The famous Yorkshire Three Peaks are located just outside of Ingleton. Other than just completing standalone walks to either Whernside or Ingleborough, you could complete the enormous 38km (23.5 miles) Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, which summits Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent.

Even though the Yorkshire Three Peaks are located near Ingleton, you wouldn’t start the challenge from the village. It’s best to start the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge from Ribblehead or Horton in Ribbesdale.

Read more: Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge – Everything You Need to Know

Pen-y-ghent
Pen-y-ghent

8. Yordas Cave

Yordas Cave is a magnificent cave that’s just a stone’s throw away from the village. In terms of caves to visit in the Yorkshire Dales, Yordas Cave remains a fairly lesser-known option. Although, during the 19th century, Yordas Cave was actually a Victorian show cave.

Yordas Cave not only features a huge cavern but also a hidden waterfall. So, pack your headtorch and get ready to explore this hidden gem.

Read more: Yordas Cave – The Ultimate Visitor’s Guide

Beck in Yordas Cave near Ingleton and its pubs and campsites

9. Ingleton Railway Viaduct

Although less impressive than the Ribblehead Viaduct, the Ingleton Railway Viaduct is still certainly worth visiting. The disused 11-arch viaduct crosses the valley of the River Greta and is also a Grade II heritage-listed structure. By merely wandering the streets of the village, you’ll see the dominant landmark. Of course, feel free to go walk underneath it to truly appreciate its grandeur.

10. St. Mary’s Church

Located on the edge of River Greta, St. Mary’s Church is a beautiful church located in the village. The current church dates back to 1886 but the origins of the building actually go back to the 12th century. It’s another Grade II heritage-listed building and is very much deserving of this listing given its sublime Victorian architecture.

So, that’s the 10 best things to do in and near Ingleton. Now, we’ll look at how to get to the village. We’ll then talk about places to stay and eat, including details about the best hostels, hotels, campsites and pubs in Ingleton.

How to Get to Ingleton

The quickest and easiest way to get to the village is to drive there yourself. If you don’t have your own set of wheels, then we recommend hiring a car using DiscoverCars.com. You’ll find a wide variety of cars on Discover Cars for very reasonable prices. Also, the website is user-friendly and booking online is super easy. Have a look at car hire from Manchester.

Car Hire

DiscoverCars.com

If you don’t have your own car, you should hire one using Discover Cars. Personally, we use Discover Cars and highly recommend them for finding your ideal car hire at an affordable price. Booking online is super easy and the free cancellation policy is great.

To find out more about renting a car with Discover Cars, read our Discover Cars review and Discover Cars Insurance review.

Although it’s possible to get to the village using public transport, we don’t recommend it. Depending on where you’re travelling from in the UK, you’ll likely have a slow and tedious journey to get there. But, if public transport is your only option, you’ll want to get to Leeds in order to get a train to Bentham. From Bentham, you can get a bus to the community centre in Ingleton.

If you’re using public transport, we recommend using Google Maps and Trainline to help plan your journey.

Booking Trains

Trainline

Trainline is one of the best online platforms for booking trains. By using Trainline, you can easily find the best available prices and times for your journey. We always use Trainline to book our train journeys in the UK and in Europe.

Where to Stay: Ingleton Hotels and Hostels

There are plenty of fantastic accommodation options in Ingleton. Given the village is relatively small, there is still a decent amount of accommodation to choose from. You’ll find there are quite a few nice pubs in Ingleton, which all tend to offer accommodation. Indeed, pubs in Ingleton tend to be the main accommodation type.

Below, we’ll talk about the best budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation options in the village.

Budget – Ingleton Hostel

Inside Ingleton Hostel

The best budget option in Ingleton is Ingleton Hostel, which is conveniently located near the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail

Mid-range – Craven Heifer Ingleton

Inside Ingleton Hostel

Craven Heifer Ingleton is a beautiful country inn that is one of the most affordable and highly-rated private room accommodation options in Ingleton

Mid-range – The Wheatsheaf Inn

Inside The Wheatsheaf Inn

You’ll want to stay at The Wheatsheaf Inn if you want to stay at the most popular accommodation option in Ingleton!

Luxury – The Marton Arms

Inside The Marton Arms

The Marton Arms is a brilliant country inn that’s located just outside of the town of Ingleton, so it’s the perfect place to stay if you’re after something a little quieter

For more information about campsites in Ingleton, please read below.

Ingleton Campsites

Other than having great accommodation at pubs, there are loads of great campsites in and around Ingleton too. By staying at a campsite in or around Ingleton, you’ll be camping in sublime limestone country. Indeed, camping in the area offers a delightful getaway in the Yorkshire countryside with a superb natural ambience.

Ingleton actually has some of the best and most modern campsites in Yorkshire. Some of the best Ingleton campsites include Meadow Falls, Thornbrook Barn and Stackstead Farm.

Alternatively, you’ve got Ingleton Scenery Company’s Falls Park, which is a campsite located along the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail. The highly-rated campsite is beautifully positioned as it’s overlooked by Ingleborough.

Falls Park sign

Ingleton Pubs: Where to Eat and Drink

There are many excellent pubs in Ingleton. The best pubs in Ingleton tend to offer accommodation. So, we’ve already mentioned some of the best pubs in Ingleton – The Wheatsheaf Inn, Craven Heifer Ingleton, The Marton Arms and Masons Freehouse. Otherwise, the Old Post Office (OPO) Bar and the Three Horse Shoes are other worthwhile pubs to visit in Ingleton.

Also, the Old Hill Inn near Ingleton, in Chapel-le-Dale is another popular pub in the area. The Old Hill Inn is known as another starting point for climbing Ingleborough. For more details about the Ingleborough Walk from The Old Hill Inn, click here.

What Is Near Ingleton?

Clapham is another lovely village to explore nearby. This village is a popular base for exploring natural wonders such as Ingleborough, Gaping Gill and Ingleborough Cave.

Read more: Clapham Yorkshire – The Top 12 Things To Do During A Visit

Clapham, near Ingleton
Clapham

Austwick is another quaint town that isn’t too far from Ingleton. From Austwick, you can explore hundreds of glacial boulders called the Norber Erratics on the southern slope of Ingleborough. Many of the boulders remain precariously stacked, creating unique rock formations.

Read more: Norber Erratics, Austwick – An Epic Walk From A Charming Village

Norber Erratics
Norber Erratics

FAQs About Ingleton

Below, you’ll find the most frequently asked questions about Ingleton.

Dan on the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail
Thornton Force, Ingleton Waterfalls Trail

Is Ingleton In Yorkshire?

Yes, it’s located in North Yorkshire and in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

What Is Ingleton Known For?

It’s most famous for the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail.

Does Ingleton Have a Train Station?

No, the nearest train station is in Bentham.

Best Villages to See in the Yorkshire Dales

Here are some other nice towns and villages to visit in the Yorkshire Dales.

Bonus Tips

  • Ingleton shops: other than visiting nice pubs in the village, there are plenty of quaint independent stores to check out. Make sure to visit Ingleton Pottery.
  • Arrive at the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail at opening time: the trail can get very busy during the middle of the day. By arriving and starting the walk early, you’ll enjoy the waterfalls with far fewer crowds.
  • Explore other national parks in the northwest of England: there are many scenic places to see and experience in the northwest of England. Make sure to check out the North York Moors, ​​​​​​​Lake District (coming soon) and Peak District national parks.

For more information about the best walks in the Yorkshire Dales, read our comprehensive Yorkshire Dales National Park Walking Guide and Waterfall Guide.

Daniel Piggott

Dan is a travel blogger, physiotherapist, hiker, natural wonder seeker and world traveller. He loves writing travel guides to help his readers explore the most beautiful destinations in the world.

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