On a windswept hillside in the Yorkshire Dales, sandwiched between the iconic summits of Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent, lies one of the UK’s most fascinating geological sites – the Norber Erratics.
Over 100 sandstone boulders are strewn across the landscape among the patchwork of steep fields and snaking dry stone walls. From a distance, these eclectic boulders look like the result of a recent rockfall. A collapsed cliff, perhaps, tumbling to the ground and scattering its remains dramatically across the hillside.
However, there are no cliffs to be seen. No towering walls of precarious rock from which these improbably huge projectiles could have fallen. How did they get here? Welcome to the wonderful world of erratics.
What are the Norber Erratics?
The Norber Erratics are a stunning example of the geological phenomenon known as ‘erratics’. In essence, erratics are enormous boulders picked up by mighty glaciers and carried through the landscape on a slow-moving river of ice. Eventually, when the ice melts, the boulders are left behind, becoming permanent features of the landscape for millennia to come.
There are countless examples of erratics across the United Kingdom, from Cloughmore in Northern Ireland to the Crosby Erratic in Liverpool. Yorkshire’s Norber Erratics are believed to originate from nearby Crummackdale. During the last ice age, some 12,000 years ago, much of England’s northwest was covered in glaciers. A glacier picked up these boulders from a frozen valley and carried them for miles to the limestone landscape of the Dales.
Today, the Norber Erratics still stand strong as strange visitors in a foreign land. Much of the limestone on which they landed has long since eroded, but small pockets remain, protected by the hardy sandstone of the Norber Erratics and now acting as tiny perches for the giant rocks.
Where does the name ‘erratic’ come from?
The term ‘erratic’ stems from the fact that these rocks do not belong in the local landscape. Most erratics are glacial, transported from one area to another by slow-moving, powerful glaciers. In the case of the Norber Erratics, these eclectic boulders are made up of sandstone and slate from the Silurian period, some 440 million years ago. The slopes where the erratics landed, meanwhile, are dominated by limestone – a much softer rock.
Why should you visit the Norber Erratics?
The Norber Erratics are widely regarded as some of the best examples of glacial erratics anywhere in the UK.
Our favourite thing about the Norber Erratics is the curious way some of the boulders have been perched. Their precarious positions could almost fool you into thinking they were placed there by design. However, this is an entirely natural phenomenon.
Some of the most impressive erratics stand on impossibly tiny chunks of limestone. Whilst the surrounding limestone pavement has long since eroded, the presence of the sandstone erratics has protected small slivers of limestone underneath. At times, it seems to defy gravity.
Aside from their striking layout, one of the best things about the Norber Erratics is the journey to reach them. With no car park nearby, the erratics very much sit in the heart of postcard-perfect rural Yorkshire. This is a place where single-track roads are used by tractors as much as cars, where sheep outnumber the handful of inhabitants who live in remote farms and quaint barn conversions.
The erratics are far off the main tourist trail in the Dales. Although the Pennine Way and the Yorkshire Three Peaks routes pass by just a few miles away, few ever make the detour to the erratics.
Our experiences from the Norber Erratics, including photos
The Norber Erratics look just as dramatic from afar as they do up close. When viewed from a distance, they look like the result of a rockfall, scattered across the hillside. Up close, you can begin to appreciate just how unusual they are in the context of the surrounding landscape.
Once you reach the erratics, the best way to make the most of your visit is just to wander among the rocks. Some are tiny, barely worth a glance. Others are enormous, standing out among the dozens of nearby boulders.
On a windy day, the larger erratics can make useful shields against the cool breeze. They can also act as quasi-picnic tables for a mid-walk lunch.
We recommend about an hour to make the most of the Norber Erratics. Not only are the boulders fascinating, but the views from this remote hillside are brilliant. The rolling hills and distant rocky crags of the Yorkshire Dales stretch for miles. Here are a few of my favourite photos from previous visits.
I would love to return and explore the erratics in the snow or mist. I imagine the atmosphere would be magical.
How to get to the Norber Erratics
The only way to get to the Norber Erratics is by hiking through the picturesque Yorkshire countryside. There are three main walking routes that you can take to reach the boulders. These routes leave from the villages of Austwick, Clapham and Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
For those travelling by car, we recommend a circular route from Austwick or Clapham. It is worth noting that parking is more straightforward in Clapham than in Austwick.
For those travelling by train, you will need to start at either Clapham or Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
1. Walk to the Norber Erratics from Austwick
Distance: 1.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy
The tiny village of Austwick is the nearest settlement to the Norber Erratics. From Austwick, a pleasant footpath path tracks steeply through fields before emerging onto a road.
From here, you should be able to spot a wooden sign pointing towards the erratics. Hope over the stile and follow the wall, watching your step with a steep drop to your left.
The Norber Erratics will be visible in front of you, strewn across the hillside.
As an alternative to the walk through the fields, you can follow Townhead Lane out of Austwick. At the crossroads, continue straight ahead onto Crummack Lane before taking the stile on the left signed for Norber.
Click here for a rough map of the route via Townhead Lane from Austwick. Note that the stile for the erratics is a little further up than indicated on the map.
Note: Parking in Austwick can be tricky, as it is street parking only. Please only park in permitted places and be mindful of the community. For easier parking, head to the National Park car park in Clapham.
2. Walk to the Norber Erratics from Clapham
Distance: 2 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Walking to the Norber Erratics from Clapham is the best option for anyone travelling by train. Head to the northern tip of the village towards St James Church. Follow the road to the right, tracking behind the church. The path will lead you through a couple of dark tunnels – take care here, as the ground is uneven.
Once you exit the tunnels, continue along the path as it curves round to the right up a gradual incline. Eventually, you will reach a small fork in the road. Follow the road to the right, leaving behind the small copse of trees. The road is straight, with dry stone walls and fields on either side. You may occasionally come across a tractor bouncing along.
To reach the Norber Erratics from here, you can either:
- Continue to follow this straight road before turning left at the crossroads onto Crummack Lane. Take the road uphill for a few minutes, and keep an eye out for a wooden sign to the Norber Erratics above a stile on your left. Hop over the stile and follow the small footpath along the wall before you reach the erratics.
- Alternatively, you do not need to go all the way to the crossroads. About halfway down the road, there is a small gap in the dry stone wall and a footpath signed by a wooden post. This is our preferred route from Clapham, as it takes you across a pleasant field – usually occupied by a flock of sheep. As you walk along the field, you will see the dramatic crags of Proctor Scar rising above you. The erratics are just a few minutes away, and you will reach the first boulders soon. Click here for a rough map of the route.
Whichever way you choose to get to the Norber Erratics, you can return via the alternative route. This creates a pleasant loop and makes for a lovely walk.
Note: Clapham train station is an extra 1.2 miles from the village of Clapham. The walk from the train station takes you down a pleasant country road flanked by green fields and trees. Once you arrive at the A65 crossing, take the underpass to enter Clapham.
Read next: A photography day in the Yorkshire Dales in the snow.
3. Walk to the Norber Erratics from Horton in Ribblesdale
Distance: 4.8 miles
Difficulty: Medium
For those looking for a longer hike through some of the Yorkshire Dales’ best scenery, the walk from Horton-in-Ribblesdale is a treat. The walk begins at Horton-in-Ribblesdale station, which – like Clapham – enjoys regular connections to Leeds.
From the station, take the exit heading away from the village and towards Ingleborough. Within a few minutes, you should be able to take a look back and admire stunning views of Pen-y-ghent in the distance.
The route continues along the main path from Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Ingleborough. On a sunny weekend, you will likely meet dozens of hikers completing the final leg of the famous Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge.
Eventually, after winding your way through fields and between limestone pavements, you reach a small crossroads in the paths. Take the path heading left, leaving the main Ingleborough route behind. Ahead of you, there will be a drystone wall with a gate. To your right, a small stretch of limestone crag makes for a great lunch stop.
When you walk through the gate, look left and take a few minutes to admire the immense stretch of limestone pavement beneath you. If you have time, you may even want to wander down there and explore it for yourself.
Once you’ve had your fill of limestone pavement, continue along the path, keeping the drystone wall on your left. Eventually, the route drops left into the valley – look out for a small cluster of farm buildings. This is where you are heading.
At the farm, you will turn right and follow the single-track road away from the buildings. By this point, you will likely have left any crowds of hikers behind. It will just be you and the dozens of grazing sheep.
Keep following the road to the right, ignoring any tracks or trails that lead left. Before long, you will turn a corner and reach a small stile on your right signed ‘Norber Erratics’. Head over the stile and follow the footpath through the field, keeping the dry stone wall on your right. Within a couple of minutes, you will arrive at the Norber Erratics.
Click here for a rough map of the route from Horton-in-Ribblesdale station.
Read next: 7 of the best walks from Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
What to wear for the walk to the erratics
Anyone familiar with the Yorkshire Dales will know that the weather can be fickle. The Norber Erratics are in a rural location on an exposed hillside. Therefore, we recommend packing three essentials:
- Water: No matter what time of year you do the hike, make sure to take a generous supply of water with you.
- Waterproof: The weather in the Dales can change at short notice. Even on a sunny, warm day, it’s sensible to take a small waterproof – just in case.
- Walking shoes or boots: No matter what route you choose to take to the Norber Erratics, you will be hiking along muddy tracks and across fields. Good, sturdy footwear is essential to help you enjoy the experience.
Depending on your plans and the time of year, you may want to consider other items – from microspikes on a snowy day to hats on a sunny day.
Read next: How to hike up to Angle Tarn from Patterdale in the Lake District.
What to do after your visit
There are countless routes to choose from once you’ve completed your visit to the Norber Erratics. Your next move depends on how you want to finish your day.
Perhaps you would like to catch the train home from nearby Clapham station? In this case, you could take the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail through the woods to Clapham village, where a handful of pubs and cafes will treat you to a well-earned refreshment.
If you still have plenty in the tank, you could head northwest to join the main route up to Ingleborough, Yorkshire’s second-tallest mountain.
Alternatively, you could head in the direction of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, where classic pubs await.