Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire, God's own country. This is a phrase that epitomises the reality that the vast areas of the Yorkshire countryside are absolutely stunning. None more so than the Yorkshire Dales, which are the crowning jewel for not just the North, but possibly the entirety of England's natural beauty.
Over the year spent in Leeds, Madie found himself venturing out to Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Yorkshire's famous three-peaks on many an occasion, taking friends out of the city, going on hikes and enjoying the great outdoors. This cumulated with his successful attempt at the three-peak challenge, which saw him tackle Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-ghent all in 8-hours.
Location:
Forms part of the Pennines, Northern England
64km NW of Leeds & 100km N of Manchester
Our Experience:
Our experiences of the Dales was generally concentrated around Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Ribblehead, primarily due to our transport limited to trains. However, that didn't stop our attempts to visit the area, where over our four attempts, we covered a wide range of experiences in the Yorkshire Dales.
1st Attempt (October):
With an Aussie friend (Orey) coming to stay for a few nights in Leeds, we first decided to venture to the Dales late 2017. Along with another friend of ours (Sarah), who is from the same high school as us and on exchange at Leeds, the four of us set out in the morning despite the weather conditions offering a very dreary Autumn morning.
The train journey out only allowed time for this weather to gradually worsen, greeting us on arrival in Ribbleheads with sheer sideways rain and biting wind gusts. To our credit, we persevered enough to get off the train and walk around the Ribblehead Viaduct despite the elements going right through us.
However, common-sense quickly kicked in and for a solid 4-hours we took refuge in the warm and well-stocked Station Inn, which was conveniently right next to the Ribblehead station. After a solid feed of massive Yorkshire puddings, a few pints and more than enough rounds of cards, we felt satisfied of our effort and decided to catch the afternoon train home, thus ending our first visit.
2nd Attempt (November):
With another bunch of friends coming to stay (Alice, Lucy and Stu, some Aussie legends that Madie met while travelling in 2017), came another attempt to visit the countryside. This time however, with Ruby working, Madie and the gang caught the weather off guard and enjoyed some very pleasant conditions.
Again, we started our day-out at the Ribblehead station, where the viaduct this time was quite impressive bathed in sunlight. From there we spent the day walking South towards Pen-y-ghent, which became the 1st of the three-peaks climbed.
With no real rush, the walk was quite enjoyable and Pen-y-ghent offered a solid climb, without being completely exhausting. We finished our day in Horton-in-Ribblesdale in the Golden Lion, where we had a solid dinner and drinks to celebrate accomplishing a peak.
3rd Attempt (January):
With our third attempt, a bit of a theme took form as this time we both took another friend (Easty, a best bud and 2017 travel buddy to Madie) out to attempt another peak. Arriving in Ribbehead again, we set-off to attempt the snow-capped peak of Whernside.
Although cold, it wasn't bad going for much of the hike up and we made good time going via the Western face. But, as soon as we got on top of the ridge-line, we were exposed to sheer wind gusts, which drove small stinging pellets of snow into our exposed faces.
We pushed on, stayed lively and celebrated successfully making it to the summit. However, it was a tough slog coming down the Eastern-side as near blizzard conditions generally worried us and Ruby having numerous slips on the frozen ground in her hopelessly inadequate runners.
It was telling that we didn't see anyone at all the whole hike, which didn't reassure us with how under-prepared we were with our clothing and gear. It was definitely an achievement and something that was enjoyable despite the tough conditions, but we would recommend avoiding such conditions unless experienced or better prepared.
Three-Peak Challenge (June):
The final trip to the Dales, was my (Madie) solo attempt at the Yorkshire Dales three-peak challenge. Having accomplished two of the three individually, I decided that in the significantly better conditions summer was providing, I would attempt to hike up and down all three in a single day.
The challenge itself is to complete the circular route that climbs each of Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-ghent in under 12 hours. All told, this covers roughly 40km of hiking, at a total elevation of ~1,750m to be climbed within the time period.
I set off from the Pen-y-ghent cafe, which is the official starting and finishing point of the challenge at 10:30am. It was a very warm day, in full sunshine, which caught me off guard as I was missing suncream and additional fluids.
It was a rewarding and enjoyable experience and I would recommend it as a great way to test your fitness, get out in the country-side and view some amazing scenery.
I was able to vlog about my attempt, which you can check out here:
Additional Information about the Three-Peak Challenge:
If you are interested in having a go at the three peak challenge for yourself, I've put together a little guide for your attempt.
When should I do it?
Take it from our experience, summer is definitely the most logical time to attempt it. You'll have warmer and more likely drier weather conditions, as well as, an increased supply of daylight.
You can attempt it in our months (add more of a challenge), but, make sure you know what you are doing, you aren't alone and you have past experience in wilder conditions.
What to bring:
Water: Lots of water, especially in summer. Bring at least 2 bottles, which you can refill at various streams along the route.
Food and Snacks: You'll need plenty of snacks too keep your energy levels going, small high calorie bars or sandwiches are ideal to bring lots along.
Appropriate Footwear: Depending on the conditions, well fitting and comfortable boots or shoes are a must. Take my word, here's what happens when you don't.
Where to start:
The Pen-y-ghent Cafe in Horton-in-Ribblesdale offers official start and finishing times for your attempt (they do charge), as well as, maps for not just the 3-peaks, but, all Yorkshire Dale related sights and areas.
What's the route:
I did my route clockwise from Ingleborough->Whernside->Pen-y-ghent, purely because I'd done the other two and if something had happened, I was more likely to have done the one I hadn't climbed before.
Although, most people start with Pen-y-ghent and head the opposite direction. This is probably because it's actually a big hike after Pen-y-ghent to Whernside. Here is a basic idea of what it looks like:
How hard is it?:
It's a fair hike, but with reasonable fitness you can accomplish it within the 12 hours. However, if you are questioning your ability, it wouldn't hurt to do some training walks to prepare yourself for a long day on your feet.
Points of Interest:
Horton-in-Ribblesdale:
The small village is located in the middle of the three peaks and has a train station along the Leeds to Carlisle route. It has two pubs for beer and drink after your day hiking and also the Pen-y-ghent cafe for your morning coffee and map. Apart from that it is a very small country town.
Ribblehead Viaduct:
North of Horton, there is the even smaller settlement of Ribblehead, which between the train station & the Station Inn, there is literally nothing else. However, it is the location of the Ribblehead Viaduct that carriers the train line north and is a very impressive structure.
Built in the late 1800's, the viaduct is a draw-card for the region and is something not unkind to the realms of Harry Potter. In sunshine it is worth an hour of your time to walk around and have a beer from the Station Inn looking out at it. It is also along the route for the 3-peaks.
Yorkshire Three Peaks:
Ingleborough
Height: 723m (Prominence: 427m)
Is the second highest peak and is typically the last climbed in the challenge, if going in the traditional anti-clockwise route. It is often described as the most difficult because of this factor, with the ascent from Chapel-le-Dale on the Northern side being particularly steep and rocky.
Whernside
Height: 736m (Prominence: 408m)
Is the highest of the three peaks sits North of the Ribblehead Viaduct and offers spectacular views as far as the Lake District. It is the most gradual of the climbs, however, the Eastern path up or down is a long treck.
Pen-y-ghent
Height: 694m (Prominence: 306m)
Smallest of the three, it still offers a challenging climb, especially from its steep southern steps. It is a popular peak to climb individually, because of its proximity to the town of Horton.
Useful Information:
Getting to the Yorkshire Dales:
Train (to Horton-in-Ribblesdale):
From Leeds
Duration: ~1hr 10mins
Times: Train runs to Carlisle - 8 times a day on weekdays & 4 times on weekends
Price: ~£15 return (cheaper with railcard)
From Carlisle
Duration: ~1hr 30mins
Times: Train runs to Leeds - 8 times a day on weekdays & 4 times on weekends
Price: ~£18 return (cheaper with railcard)
For more info or train bookings see: https://www.thetrainline.com
Car:
Having access to a car would be the most convenient way to travel the Yorkshire Dales and anywhere in the UK to be honest. There are many spots to park in Horton-in-Ribblesdale to start the challenge or even at other points along the route.
You can arrive at the time you like and not rush yourself to make a certain train. Also, having a car would allow you to see other parts of the Dales, go at your own pace and stop of at points of interest.
Information Centre:
The Pen-y-ghent Cafe acts as the check-in point of those attempting an 'official' challenge attempt. It has a vast supply of maps and information on all things Yorkshire Dales, as well as, some supplies if you need the extra energy.
It's right on the main street (only real road in town), just South of the car-park and toilet facilities.