Dent Village – Ribblehead Viaduct loop from Horton-in-Ribblesdale

Road cycling routes

United Kingdom

England

Yorkshire And The Humber

Horton In Ribblesdale

Dent Village – Ribblehead Viaduct loop from Horton-in-Ribblesdale

Moderate

5.0

(1)

riders

Dent Village – Ribblehead Viaduct loop from Horton-in-Ribblesdale

02:50

55.1km

650m

Road cycling

Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 2, 2026

Tips

The surface along some of this route may not be suitable

Some segments of your route comprise a surface that may not be suitable for your chosen sport.

After 26.0 km for 148 m

After 28.9 km for 148 m

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

2.12 km

View of Pen-y-ghent

Highlight • Viewpoint

Spectacular views of Pen-y-ghent from the B6479 between Horton-in-Ribblesdale and the Ribblehead Viaduct.

Particularly good if travelling south /south-east towards Horton-in-Ribblesdale so you don't have to crane your neck looking backwards for the views.

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4.20 km

Selside

Highlight • Other

Road to here is deceptively undulating

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6.50 km

Ashes Shaw

Nature Reserve

7.17 km

Bellfield's Pasture

Nature Reserve

15.1 km

Top o'Dent

Mountain Pass

16.1 km

View of Dent Head Viaduct

Highlight • Viewpoint

The Dent Head Viaduct is now used by the Settle-Carlisle Railway but was built between 1869 and 1875 for the Midland Railway Company. It has 10 arches and is 100ft high (30.5m).

On the descent into the Dent Valley you are afforded wonderful views of the viaduct. If you are climbing your way out, don't forget to look over your shoulder for a glimpse of the impressive sight.

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19.9 km

Dent Valley Lanes

Highlight • Trail

Lovely quiet lanes through the Dent Valley

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27.5 km

Gawthrop Hill Climb

Highlight • Trail

Horrid at the bottom. Easily 20%. Worth it for the view at the top!

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28.9 km

Dent Village

Highlight • Settlement

A real must-visit village with cobbled streets, little lumps and gorgeous pastel-coloured houses. On clear days you can see as far as the sea in on direction and towards the Lake District in the other (if it's a clear winter day you might get snow-capped peaks in your line of sight). There's a train station here that's on the Settle-Carlisle line and it's the highest station in England - a bit out of town though. The train line goes over the two huge viaducts (Arten Gill and Dent Head), which were both built using massive blocks of Dent ‘marble’ from local quarries that are now out of use.

Loads of history here (to do with knitting), scattered farms, three pubs and a lot of charm.

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35.5 km

Harper Gill Bridge

Highlight • Bridge

Beautiful, quite road.

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46.5 km

Ribblehead Viaduct

Highlight • Viewpoint

To see this viaduct in all its glory I would seriously suggest heading up towards the top of Whernside, once at the peak head on the southern track for about half a mile or so, it looks a whole lot more impressive from almost 700m up.

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