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When to walk the Ribble Way is also a matter of personal choice. Spring and autumn are perhaps the best times of year to enjoy the colours of the landscape, while a good summer can be idyllic. Winters are generally mild, although the higher reaches of the walk are subject to the extremes of British hill weather, and excessive rainfall can be a problem at any time of year. Very heavy downfalls or prolonged wet periods will raise the water level of the river, sometimes to the extent that the path in some of the middle sections becomes impassably flooded.

When planning any long walk it is a good idea to build in some flexibility, and as the countryside surrounding the Ribble Way offers many possibilities for exploration, you will have little difficulty in finding something satisfying to occupy a spare day. The way is also very well suited to day walking, as it enjoys good public transport connections and many sections offer a wide choice of other paths from which to create a range of circular walks. Suggestions for day walkers, highlighting available transport and possible return routes, are given at the end of each chapter, and ‘end to enders’ might find this information useful in allowing them to extend their stay to see some of the countryside beyond the way. Longridge Fell, Pendle Hill, Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside are obvious attractions, all readily accessible from the route, while any number of uncrowded paths range across the lesser hills.