Walk the Pennine Bridleway by Train
Photo: michael ely, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Geograph
The Pennine Bridleway winds through the South and North Pennines on old packhorse tracks and quiet lanes, past moorland, drystone-walled pastures and limestone dales. Garsdale, Settle, Hadfield and Greenfield stations give train access to sections of the route.
There are 24 stations within 2.6 miles of the Pennine Bridleway National Trail.
The route passes 178 DoBIH-listed peaks, the highest being Ingleborough at 723m.
The Pennine Bridleway in brief
- Length
- 205 miles (330 km)
- Time to walk it
- About 14 days on foot or horseback
Built for horse riders, mountain bikers and walkers. The 205 miles include the Mary Towneley and Settle loops; end to end without them it's 174 miles (280 km). By bike it can take anything from 1 day to more than 14.
The time is for the whole route; you can also walk it a section at a time.
Walk it in sections: station to station
Day walks along the Pennine Bridleway, each from one station to another. Miles are along the trail.
| Section | From | To | Along the trail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dove Holes (2.2 mi (about 2.5 to 3 mi on foot) off) | Hadfield (0.4 mi (about 0.5 mi on foot) off) | 15.8 mi |
| 2 | Hadfield (0.4 mi (about 0.5 mi on foot) off) | Marsden (2.3 mi (about 3 mi on foot) off) | 12.5 mi |
| 3 | Marsden (2.3 mi (about 3 mi on foot) off) | Walsden (0.4 mi (about 0.5 to 0.6 mi on foot) off) | 16.4 mi |
| 4 | Colne (2.4 mi (about 3 to 3.5 mi on foot) off) | Settle | 16.0 mi |
| 5 | Settle | Horton-in-Ribblesdale (1.5 mi (about 2 mi on foot) off) | 16.6 mi |
| 6 | Horton-in-Ribblesdale (1.5 mi (about 2 mi on foot) off) | Garsdale | 15.1 mi |
Pennine Bridleway train stations
In the order the route reaches them.
- Cromford2.2 mi (about 2.5 to 3 mi on foot)Silver walking rating
- Dove Holes2.2 mi (about 2.5 to 3 mi on foot)Gold walking rating
- Chinley1.7 mi (about 2 to 2.5 mi on foot)Gold walking rating
- New Mills Central1.7 mi (about 2 to 2.5 mi on foot)Gold walking rating
- Broadbottom1.1 mi (about 1.5 mi on foot)Gold walking rating
- Dinting0.4 mi (about 0.5 mi on foot)Gold walking rating
- Hadfield0.4 mi (about 0.5 mi on foot)Gold walking rating
- Stalybridge1.8 mi (about 2 to 2.5 mi on foot)Bronze walking rating
- Mossley (Manchester)0.8 mi (about 1 mi on foot)Gold walking rating
- Greenfield0.3 mi (about 0.3 to 0.4 mi on foot)Gold walking rating
- Marsden2.3 mi (about 3 mi on foot)Silver walking rating
- Smithy Bridge0.9 mi (about 1 to 1.5 mi on foot)
- Littleborough0.8 mi (about 1 mi on foot)
- Walsden0.4 mi (about 0.5 to 0.6 mi on foot)
- Hebden Bridge1.0 mi (about 1 to 1.5 mi on foot)
- Colne2.4 mi (about 3 to 3.5 mi on foot)
- Hellifield1.3 mi (about 1.5 mi on foot)Silver walking rating
- Long Preston0.2 mi (about 0.2 mi on foot)Silver walking rating
- Settle0.2 mi (about 0.3 mi on foot)Gold walking rating
- Clapham (N Yorks)1.5 mi (about 2 mi on foot)Silver walking rating
- Horton-in-Ribblesdale1.5 mi (about 2 mi on foot)Gold walking rating
- Dent0.8 mi (about 1 mi on foot)Gold walking rating
- Garsdale0.1 mi (about 0.1 mi on foot) · closestGold walking rating
- Rochdale2.3 mi (about 2.5 to 3 mi on foot)
Walking distances are estimates from the straight-line distance and the type of ground, not a measured route. Check a map before you set off.
Good to know
How long is the Pennine Bridleway?
The Pennine Bridleway is 205 miles (330 km) long.
How long does it take to walk the Pennine Bridleway?
About 14 days on foot or horseback for the whole route. You can also walk it a section at a time, from one station to the next.
Where does the Pennine Bridleway start and finish?
It starts at Middleton Top and finishes at Ravenstonedale.
Which train stations are on the Pennine Bridleway?
24 stations are within 2.6 miles of the Pennine Bridleway, including Garsdale, Long Preston and Settle, the closest with regular trains.