It was a crisp, late autumn day. A slight breeze whispered through the trees. Bright sunshine streamed through a cloudless sky.
The village of Clapham was all but deserted. A postal van, its bright red paint caked in dried mud, trundled round the corner and bounced over the small stone bridge.
A man in a thick brown coat and dark green Wellington boots paced briskly along the pavement, a panting black labrador tugging at a short lead.
I was heading to the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail, which starts at the northern tip of Clapham. The trail promises 1.3 miles of beautiful woodland, tracking past lakes and rivers and ultimately taking you to Ingleborough Cave. This post serves partly as a report and partly as a review of the trail, walked on a cold midweek morning in November.
Finding the entrance to the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail
The following paragraphs describe the route from Clapham train station. It is also possible to drive or catch the bus to Clapham. Further information is available at the end of the post.
My train – the regular Northern service from Leeds – creaked into Clapham station just after 10am. I nodded a quick thank you to the conductor before making my way carefully over the damp footbridge. As I crossed the tracks, the train pulled away and disappeared around the bend.
Once the heavy ‘clunk-clunk’ of the train had faded into the distance, the only sounds were the occasional burst of birdsong and the faint hum of the busy A65 road. Clapham station is over a mile from the village, tucked away down a quiet lane.
To reach the entrance to the Nature Trail, I needed to follow the lane into Clapham before walking north through the village towards the treeline. Thankfully, Clapham’s diminutive size – just over 600 people call the village home – makes it fairly simple to navigate.
The road through the village follows the bubbling waters of Clapham Beck, which begins at Ingleborough Cave at the end of the Nature Trail. Each time I visit Clapham, I enjoy admiring the handful of picnic tables and assorted garden accessories scattered on lawns on the water’s edge. A marvellous place to relax in the summer – perhaps not so great on this brisk morning.
I passed a small children’s playground across the river to my right, before spotting the spire of St James’ Church a short distance down the road. With the church on my right, I could finally spot the ‘Trail & Cave’ sign built in an arch over the entrance to the Nature Trail. I had arrived.
Entering the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail
The Old Sawmill Café stands at the entrance to the nature trail. Unsurprisingly, given the low season, it was shut. I had visited once before, on a warm spring afternoon. Inside, they serve excellent coffee, sandwiches and a small selection of hot food.
A small hut and a collection of old wooden machinery mark the entrance to the trail. An information board clings to the wall, explaining that this trail dates back to 1970 and acts as a gateway to some of Yorkshire’s most spectacular scenery – from limestone pavements to plunging potholes.
After reading the sign, I walked under the arch, wondering how I would pay the £2.50 entry fee.
Paying for entry to the trail
Truth be told, I tend to have mixed feelings when it comes to paying a fee simply to enjoy a walk in the outdoors. Nevertheless, I had been to the Dales dozens of times over the last few years and had often bypassed the trail when hiking through Clapham. It felt like the time had come to finally take the plunge.
When I arrived, I had no idea how I would make payment. As it turns out, I was pleasantly surprised by the payment system.
As my train trundled towards nearby Clapham Station, I realised I had forgotten to bring any cash. I needn’t have worried. A ticket machine – the type you would usually see at a public car park – stands at the entrance to the trail.
Just select your ticket type – adult, in my case – and you can pay using a card or cash. Once your ticket has been printed, you can begin the walk. Very straightforward and hassle-free.
Setting off on the trail
The trail begins with a gentle series of zig-zags up a muddy path. As you climb, the rumble of the nearby Clapham Beck waterfall fills the air. At the top of the slope, a weather-worn wooden sign points you in the direction of Ingleborough Cave – 1,845 metres away.
The trail then passes a small lake. On the opposite shores, rocky cliffs stretch down into the water. Tall trees stand at the top of these cliffs. On this cold November morning, the sun struggled to stretch over the treeline, and the lake was in shadow.
A small layer of scum stretched across the water – perhaps there hadn’t been much rain recently. Signs warned visitors not to swim in the water – a request I was more than happy to obey.
The trees, which lined both sides of the trail, were already showing signs of winter’s impending arrival. I must have missed the peak of the autumn colours by a week or so. A smattering of orange and red leaves still clung to the occasional branch, their colour starting to fade. Most of the leaves lay on the floor, already turning to think murky-brown mulch.
Read next: 10 of the best things to do in Saltaire, the beautiful Yorkshire village that you may pass on the train to the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail.
Leaving the lake behind
As the trail rounded the corner, I passed a small digger. A bright orange hi-vis vest hung from the chair. Nobody was working today, but the path had clearly had some recent renovations.
A short path detoured off from the main route. The trail – named the Rhododendron Loop – led around an overgrown thicket. The ground is covered in rhododendrons at the right time of year. These non-native plants were introduced to the area in the early 1900s by Reginald Farrer of the Ingleborough Hall estate.
After the loop, I continued walking along the trail for a few more minutes. The sun had risen enough to bathe the path in dappled light, bright rays bursting through the trees.
Eventually, an impressive folly known as ‘The Grotto’ appeared around the corner. I thought I saw a small bat flitting around the ceiling. Across the path from ‘The Grotto’, a small information board explained that the folly dated back to the 19th century, constructed by the Farrer family at one of their favourite viewpoints.
In the distance, the limestone crags of Thwaite Scars stretched along the summit of a grassy hill. Beyond the crags, the Norber Erratics make for an excellent walk for another day. Far below, Clapham Beck continued to flow towards the village. From this vantage point, the sound of the beck was barely audible.
I continued on the gentle path before coming to a small wooden gate which marked the end of the trail and the exit from the woodland. Immediately upon passing through the gate, the landscape opens up.
Read next: 40 photos of the Yorkshire Dales in the snow.
Leaving the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail and continuing to the cave
On the left of the path, a small slope strewn with rocks and gnarly lone trees rises above a small fence. On the right, Clapham Beck begins its journey from Ingleborough Cave, the outbuildings of which stand in the distance.
A small wooden bridge crosses the beck, creating a classic countryside scene. I resisted the temptation to veer off-road and explore beyond the bridge, instead choosing to continue my route to the cave entrance.
All was quiet at the ticket office for Ingleborough Cave. Purporting to be ‘the best showcave in Britain’, the cavern is only open at weekends. A small semicircle of picnic tables sits on well-tended grass next to the beck, a sign that the area can get busy at peak times.
The entrance to the cave was just a few metres away, but there’s little that can be seen from the path. For many, this marks the furthest point in their adventure along the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail.
However, the path continues through a small gate to the right of the cave entrance. This leads to some of the Yorkshire Dales’ most dramatic spots, including a Tolkein-esque gorge, the immense Gaping Gill shaft cave and the windswept summit of Ingleborough itself.
Read next: 7 brilliant walks from the nearby village of Horton-in-Ribbledale.
Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail: How to do it
From buying tickets to finding nearby accommodation, here’s how to visit the Ingleoborugh Estate Nature Trail.
Getting to the trail
You can get to the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail by car, train and bus. Of these three options, the car is the easiest. However, we would encourage you to consider taking the train or bus if possible, to reduce the strain of vehicles on the national park.
By car: The nearest car park to the trail is the Yorkshire Dales National Park car park at Clapham. It costs £5 to park for the day.
By train: The nearest train station is Clapham (North Yorkshire). The station lies on the Bentham line between Leeds and Morecambe. Travelling from Leeds to Clapham by train takes just under 1 hour and 20 minutes.
By bus: The Craven Connect 581 service from Skipton to Lancaster via Settle passes through Clapham. The service runs every two hours on average. At £2 a ticket, this is a small bargain – particularly if you are travelling from Lancaster or Skipton.
Buying tickets for the trail
Entry cost: Entry to the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail costs £2.50 for adults and £1 for children.
How to buy tickets: At busy times, you can purchase tickets from the ticket office. If the ticket office is closed, you can buy tickets from the ticket machine at the entrance to the trail in Clapham.
Note: Tickets for the nature trail do not include entry to the cave. Tickets for Ingleborough Cave cost £13 for adults and £6.50 for children, which includes your entry fee for the trail.
For more information on the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail, you can visit their website here.
Accommodation near the trail
Accommodation: There is a limited selection of hotels in the village of Clapham. The best of these include Swallows Nest B&B and the New Inn Hotel.
Food and drink near the trail
There are a handful of places to eat and drink in Clapham. Our favourites include The Old Sawmill Café, which serves excellent burgers, toasted paninis and warming soup. The Lake House is our favourite spot for a post-walk pint, with a wide selection of beers and ciders perfect for a sunny day.
There is also a small village store that sells a limited range of sandwiches and drinks,
What to wear for the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail
As a general rule of thumb, the weather in the Yorkshire Dales can be notoriously bad. Check the forecast before you go, and make sure to dress appropriately. Even if the forecast is sunny, we recommend packing a waterproof.
Most importantly, walking shoes or walking boots are the best option for the trail – it can get muddy in places.
Read next: Our guide to enjoying the views from Bamford Edge in the Peak District.
The rules on dogs
Dogs: Dogs are permitted on the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail but must be kept on a lead.
Prams and wheelchairs
One of the big positives of the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail is that the path is wheelchair and pram-friendly all the way to the cave. Note that much of the trail is on a gradual incline and that it can be muddy – particularly when it has rained.
Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail: Final Thoughts
Although there are countless walking routes around Clapham that don’t require payment, we think the nature trail is worth the small entry fee – particularly if you are visiting with small children or need a well-tended path.
The trail is clearly actively maintained, and the regular information boards do a great job of bringing the area’s stories and landscapes to life. The Yorkshire Dales is, largely, a treeless landscape – so any investment in supporting woodland in the national park is worth it.
I’m already plotting a return trip next year. Hopefully, I’ll strike luckier with the autumn colours…