Route Summary:
Popular walk to the summit of Pendle Hill.
Distance below is for the ascent only.
| Distance | Ascent | Time |
| 3.4 km | 329 m | 2.5 hours |
Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.
Start and Finish: Village of Barley
Facilities:
Two pubs, toilets and a cafe in Barley
Hazards:
Summit is over 500m and needs care in hill mist
Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need.
Public Transport: Traveline for UK Public Transport
Parking and Post Code for Sat Nav (where applicable): BB12 9JX
Large car park in village centre – paid for
Weather Forecast:
Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?
Recommended Maps:
ORDNANCE SURVEY Explorer OL41 Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale Map , Forest of Bowland: Walking & Cycling Map – Harvey Map
Guidebooks:
Summits and Places on this Route
- Pendle Hill (557 metres)
Places Nearby
- Great Britain - 56.4km
- Peak District National Park - 77.8km
- Lake District National Park - 85.6km
- Place Fell Wild Camp - 87.4km
- Clwydian Hills AONB - 101.9km
Routes Nearby
- A Ramble on Malham Moor - 27.4km
- Walk up Ingleborough from Clapham - 30.0km
- The Yorkshire Three Peak Challenge - 31.8km
- Walk up Pen-y-ghent from Horton in Ribblesdale - 31.9km
- Horse Head Moor and Birks Fell Walk - 38.9km
- Walk up Whernside from Ribblehead - 39.6km
- Dent to Aye Gill Pike Walk - 48.1km
- Wildboar Clough, Bleaklow, and Black Hill - 48.5km
Accommodation Nearby:
- Country Hideaways - 50.3km
- Your Peak District Tourism Business Here? - 62.3km
- Peak Cottages - 70.2km
- Field House Cottage, Peak District - 80.9km
- Willington Hall Hotel - 81.6km
Campsites Nearby:
- Your Lake District Tourism Business Here for free? - 99.9km
- Dol Gam Campsite and B&B - 135.7km
- Gwern Gôf Uchaf Campsite - 138.8km
- Gwern Gôf Isaf Campsite - 138.8km
- Your Snowdonia Business Here for free? - 143.5km
Pubs and Cafes Nearby:
- Your Peak District Tourism Business Here? - 62.3km
- Your Lake District Tourism Business Here for free? - 99.9km
- The Royal Oak Hotel - 132.5km
- Cynllwyd Cafe – Llyn Crafnant - 134.2km
- Pen y Gwryd Hotel - 143.5km
Other Businesses Nearby:
- Your Peak District Tourism Business Here? - 62.3km
- Keswick Boot Co - 99.8km
- Your Lake District Tourism Business Here for free? - 99.9km
- Velvethills.co.uk - 115.5km
- The Royal Oak Hotel - 132.5km
Pendle Hill in the Forest of Bowland AONB is a popular hill, and at 557 metres in height provides a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside. This walk from the village of Barley is one of the more popular routes up, but it can also be climbed from various other driections. From Barley, you can also ascend Pendle Hill via the Ogden Reservoirs and Ogden Clough. There’s also an 11km circular walk up Pendle Hill from Downham, with a downloadable pdf file at this link. You can also ascend from the Nick of Pendle – with a route available here.
Why is it called Pendle Hill? This is a rare triply tautological name – basically meaning Hill Hill Hill. It was known as Penhul in the 13th Century, with Pen from the old Cumbric, and hull being old english for hill. You can guess where the final Hill came from!
Pendle Hill is best known for the trials of the Pendle Witches in 1612. Twelve individuals were accused of murder by witchcraft with only one of the accused found not guilty, one died in prison while 10 were executed for witchcraft. The accused were not all women, with 2 men also among those tried. In 1652, the founder of the Quakers – George Fox reputedly had a vision on the summit that was instrumental in founding his religious movement.
It’s recommended that you start from the car park that can be found at BB12 9JX – which has ample room. This post code will take you to the village, but some common sense will then be required to find the actual car park which is well signposted. There’s a cafe here and toilets. Visitors to Barley aren’t short of choice of pubs either with the choice of the Barley Mow and the Pendle Inn both in the village.
The walk up Pendle Hill is a short, steep yomp with the initial section section following the Pendle Way and ascending steadily. You’ve then got a steeper ascent along the Pendle Hill Steps which bring you up to the flat summit plateau.
For more information, Download the Pendle Hill walk PDF that can be found on Visit Lancashire’s Walk Page.
