News

Ribblehead: Footsteps in Time

Free event Wednesday 21st May 2025. 

The theme is the railway builders at Ribblehead with  a guided tour of the shanty area to discover its industrial past. To enhance the experience we have an outdoor theatre production following the tour. This involves walking approximately 4.5 miles over varying terrain. 

Something for everyone 

Ribblehead visitor centre and cafe open 10.15. Closed 3.15pm

Ribblehead : Footsteps in Time

Footsteps in time are preparing for the free to join limestone botany treks at  Gauber quarry and pasture opposite the Ribblehead visitor centre. Here’s a few of the amazing flowers seen recently on our recce. Many have yet to fully emerge

Special  thanks to Pete Shaw for his help in searching and identifying the amazing collection of species that thrive in the harsh conditions and altitude at Ribblehead 

Wednesday 7th May 

Rocks and rails is a geology based free  guided walk and tour of the features of the landscape. Discover how the area provided the raw materials for the building of the iconic Ribblehead viaduct as the navvies reshaped the land to create this main-line through the dales.  

A successful first event which was also  a new event this season. We also had a view of the LSL ‘The Chairman’s Train’ as it  crossed Ribblehead viaduct on its way to London Euston. 

Following  a talk on navvy life  and the glory of the coming of the line through Ribblehead, we set off to Thorns to share a different message. The rise of the railway had its part in bringing the end of droving and the eventual abandonment of Thorns 

Discover Thorns with the Footsteps in  Time team . The first of our new seasons events is on the 23rd April starting from Ribblehead visitor centre at the station. 

The 6 mile walk will leave the station yard at approximately 1130. Please read our important information so that you are able to safely join us.

This now abandoned village was in a thriving location and a regular stop for the drovers  , who were also skilled veterinarians, as they made their way from north to south with livestock, goods and news. 

The Case for Integrated Transport on the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle Line Corridor 

The paper referenced at the bottom of this news item has been well received by the local press and CPRE.  Please click on the link to read the full report.  

Opening hours at HCB from 4th April:

Fridays 10.30-16.00

Saturdays 10.00-17.30

Easter Sunday and Monday 10.30-16.00

The Footsteps in Time team at Hellifield Shed 24H for their AGM

The Footsteps in time team have two new features during the 2025 seasons events.

Limestone Botany when we welcome a Leeds based botanical artist, Selina Thorp,   to accompany us in identifying the wild flowers of ingleborough quarry and Gauber pasture.

In March, We are going to be open Fridays 10.30 - 16.00 and Saturdays 10.00 - 16.00.

We will extend those hours when the clocks go forward at the end of March. 

The weather is due to get much colder again so don't forget you can buy some very cosy headwear , bobbles and beanies, from our Settle shop or our web shop.

Both styles £10 from Settle and £13.50 on line incl P & P at https://shop.foscl.org.uk

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL GUIDE

Hello Friends

Membership is due for renewal and we are pleased to confirm that rates of subscription remain unchanged with even more benefits included for the coming year.

FRIENDS’ MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS: 

Satisfaction of knowing that you are contributing to the upkeep and development of England's most scenic railway

The Yorkshire Dales Explorer is an exciting new service that links Greater Manchester and Lancashire to the Settle Carlisle line and the wonderful Yorkshire Dales. It operates on Saturdays and started in June 2024, as an extension of the Rochdale to Blackburn service with 2 trains a day going on to Ribblehead via Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley.

Although trains will terminate at Ribblehead there will be good connections with the Leeds to Carlisle service for those wanting to travel along Mallerstang to Kirkby Stephen as well as to the Eden Valley, Appleby and Carlisle.

See how you paint the landscape from the Settle-Carlisle Line. In this case from Dent Station, watch the video https://buff.ly/40hOg1a .  Also see views of the location and the interior and exterior of the station building, which is owned and maintained by the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line.  And you can stay here, see  https://www.dentstation.co.uk/ .

Are you a YouTuber or TikToker?

Do you have experience in using these social media platforms?

Any siblings, partners, children, grandchildren or best buddies always showing you the videos they’ve posted online?

We are looking for people with experience of YouTube and TikTok to help promote the Friends and the Line.

Horton Cafe Bar to stay open during the winter on Saturdays only. Core Opening hours 11.00 - 16.30, November through to the end of March

This was our first outing on the "Yorkshire Dales Explorer" train service. Lancashire treated us to lovely sunny weather for our walk through the countryside of  the  Ribble Valley.

Wednesday 18th September was an amazing day at Ribblehead with clear skies and a fantastic group of visitors. Many arrived for our morning introduction to the history of the railway build at Ribblehead  The viaduct tour and fossil hunt was a big success before we headed over land in the afternoon. The shanty site is a discovery walk into the hard life of the railway builders. it was a tough place to live work and play: Many struggled and moved on whilst others became reluctantly homeless when the work completed. 

Wednesday 18th September

Shanty site tour and viaduct visit.

Don’t miss our very last free event this season at Ribblehead.  The team will be there from 10.45 to meet you in the visitor centre ; a stunning ‘Derby Gothic’  station building . After an introduction to the navvies, check out the original viaduct drawings from 1989 before seeing it for yourself as we set off on our shanty walk at 12.30. 

In a boost to tourism in the Yorkshire Dales, over 1,000 people have travelled on the Yorkshire Dales Explorer train service that started in June this year.

The service runs twice a day on Saturdays and started on 8th June. 

Running between Rochdale and Ribblehead, it allows time for hikers and ramblers to meet up and share tips before they get out to explore the iconic national park.

RIBBLEHEAD: Footsteps in Time

Free event on Wednesday August 21st

RIBBLEHEAD ROCKS

Walk, exhibits, cafe

An insight into the geology of the landscape including a fossil hunt at the viaduct and a 6 mile hike to Force Gill Waterfall at the foot of Whernside to discover the source of the building blocks for the iconic viaduct. Join us at Ribblehead visitor centre on the platform.