Best walks to or from Bentham

Bentham Station to Settle Station

21km.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Carnforth Station to Bentham Station

wonderful views, especially back towards Ingleborough. Roughly 40% quiet lanes and farm roads (some with pavement, some without) and 60% field paths and farm tracks. Several field sections have no visible trodden path and can be long-grassed, thistly or boggy. Gently undulating with some hills and plus a riverside stretch along the Wenning. Curlews and other wildlife are common in the fields; expect livestock (sheep, occasional cows). Wennington has a station, so the walk can be shortened.

22km.

Some field paths are unclear underfoot, so GPS is useful; ground-nesting birds (curlews) may be disturbed in long grass during nesting season. A few road sections have no pavement, and the lane leaving Hornby can be the dodgiest for traffic.

Lunch: Hornby (around halfway) has shops, a café and a pub.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Lancaster Station to Bentham Station

The views from the trig point (and some distance before and after) are incredible, covering Lancaster, Morecambe Bay, the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales including Ingleborough, and the Forest of Bowland. A long route over Whit Moor, with remote middle miles of muddy to quite wet peat bog, open access land, trodden moorland tracks and a final well-maintained tarmac cycle track into Lancaster. Stiles, gates and steps and short steep sections. Designed to avoid the wet fields and busy roads of the alternative route. Main facilities are about 5 miles from each end, at Wray and at Brookhouse/Caton. Passes the Halton eco-village, Lune Aqueduct, Priory and Castle into Lancaster.

27km.

The middle 7 miles are remote and can be wet peat bog; navigation on the moor relies on trodden tracks and waymark posts. The A683 at Brookhouse is fast but has big gaps for safe crossing. Can be muddy.

Lunch stops: the Station pub, licensed café at Wray, or the Woodie's.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Clapham Station to Bentham Station

Dales farmland and open hillside between Clapham and High Bentham, with the bulk of Ingleborough rising alongside.

8km. 2h30.

Highlights: Ingleborough (One of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, a flat-topped fell dominating the skyline above Clapham).

Documented by Community Rail Lancashire (PDF).

Wennington Station to Bentham Station

Field and riverside paths along the Wenning valley, past the Wenning Oak and a small waterfall, over gently rolling country on the Lancashire-Yorkshire Dales border.

6km. 2h30.

Documented by Community Rail Lancashire (PDF).

Ribblehead Station to Bentham Station

High moorland, steep mountain ascent, exposed plateau and largely flat finish from Ingleton to Bentham.

17km.

Very exposed summit.

An alternative variant of Ingleborough via Ingleton – documented by the Saturday Walkers Club (tips and local insights).