Trails & Inspiration

UK's Best Walks and Hikes Part 6: Yorkshire 3 Peaks

THE YORKSHIRE 3 PEAKS

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I think that most people have heard of the famous Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Directions and descriptions of the route can be found on numerous hiking websites and the path itself is well marked. However, after tackling the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge last year, I have some tips of my own that you may not have read before!

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Pictured: An early start at Horton-in-Ribblesdale. Photo by Gerda Lejasmeiere

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I was part of a large walking group for this challenge and we were dressed in Hawaiian style fancy dress clothing to raise money for two different charities, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Mind.

Before arriving at the start, we already knew that we might separate in smaller groups because of the varying levels of fitness. I have attempted this challenge before, however, the last time we stayed together in one large group, just to ensure that everyone returned safely to the campsite. On this occasion we finished in the dark and needless to say we did not complete the route in under 12 hours.

This walk for us was a chance to redeem ourselves, as we knew that we could do it under 12 hours providing we split into smaller groups of equal ability. Therefore, when signing up to the challenge we clearly stated that we would walk at our own pace and were pleased when the organisers agreed that there was no obligation to stick with the back of the group. The strategy was quite simple for us - just keep walking! As fast as we could and with minimal stops.

It was an early start, 4am to be precise, arriving in Horton-in-Ribblesdale after staying at a nearby campsite and ready to start the walk by 6am. This would allow us enough time to complete the route in daylight and to hopefully see the sunrise on top of the first peak, Pen-y-ghent (694 m). Spoiler alert! Unfortunately for us, it was overcast and we didn’t quite have the weather we expected.

The official route begins opposite the village café. Firstly, heading down a narrow alley between the houses until you reach a point where the road splits! You’ll need to head right until you cross a bridge, turn left and follow the road round. You will come to a point where you can see a sign advising you to head left onto the grassy hill, where the ascent begins. There are a series of gates here, head through the ones on the right. The walk up on this track can be hard work for many, but you can always take your time and have as many breaks as you think is necessary. Short but frequent stops are often the best way to go!

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Pictured: The climb to Pen-y-ghent. Photo by Gerda Lejasmeiere

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Pen-y-ghent is probably the easiest of the three Peaks to climb and in my opinion it’s also the most fun. Halfway up the ascent, bear left and there is an opportunity for some scrambling. If you follow the main path you will need to climb over some bigger rocks. Depending on the amount of people there may be a queue.

There is a way around it to get to the top of the scrambling path. This is just to your left of that path over the rocks and is slightly more difficult to negotiate. We decided not to take this way up and instead stuck to the main path! If you do decide to go this way, please be very careful! Scrambling is fun, but you are responsible for your own safety and it’s important to be vigilant at all times!

It took us just under an hour to get to the trig point of Pen-y-ghent and I must say that I am very pleased with this time! In fact, we were all quite happy. We took a short break at the top, waited for a few others from our group, took a picture together and then carried on further. The descent from Pen-y-ghent is not very hard. At this point in the walk, you’ll still be feeling fresh and should have plenty of strength left in your legs.

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Pictured: Pen-y-ghent. Photo by Tom Wheatley on Unsplash

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If, for whatever reason you think you can’t complete all three peaks, then this is your chance to bail out! Turn left and head back down to Horton-In-Ribblesdale. Carrying straight on will lead you towards the next peak – Whernside (736 M). However, if you are not pushed for time, I would strongly suggest heading right, as after just a short 5-10 minute walk you’ll find yourself by Hull Pot! First, you’ll be able to hear the sound of a stream and then just in front of you the earth will open up. If it has been raining in the days previous, Hull Pot waterfall will be magnificent! A definite must-see landmark in my opinion. You can also get some pretty cool pictures here too! Some people do climb down to the bottom of it, however, I would advise to do this only if you are an experienced climber and not alone!

After you’re done with admiring Hull Pot and perhaps enjoyed a quick break, you’ll need to return to the path and continue on the Three Peaks route. Usually, I wouldn’t skip past Hull Pot, but as we were trying to complete the walk as fast as possible, on this occasion we decided to press on towards Whernside.

Most people will tell you that the walk between Pen-y-ghent and Whernside is the least enjoyable section of the walk as it seems never-ending. It’s a long way through the rolling fields to get to the famous Ribblehead Viaduct which is located on the bottom of Whernside. Nearby there is a train station, ice cream vans and the Station Inn pub.

It is worth noting that if you carry on from here, you won’t really have a chance to turn back as Whernside will be the furthest point that you can go on this walk. If you are tapping out, then you have a few options. You can head back the way you came to retrace your steps back to Horton-In-Ribblesdale, head down the main road, or you can opt for the kindest way to travel for your legs and check the train times at the station.

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Pictured: Ribblehead Viaduct with Whernside in the distance. Photo by Sam Robbins on Unsplash

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If you’re still feeling up to it, then carry on and follow the path! The walk to the summit of Whernside will take a while, as you’ll be following the track around the peak instead of heading directly to the top of it! It will be a gradual incline, but nothing too severe! Once you’ve reached the furthest point, the path will swing left and towards the summit. I personally quite like this climb, as it’s not really that hard and I think it offers better views as you approach the summit from the side.

The Trig point will be hidden behind a rock wall with a tiny slit in it. We touched the summit cairn and enjoyed a well-earned snack break. We reached the top by 10:49am, which is incredible. At the top we also chatted to some race marshals, as the Yorkshire Three Peaks fell race was on that day! You can read more about running the Three Peaks Race here. The runners, however, didn't run up around to get to the top of Whernside, but rather were faced with the steeper and more direct ascent to the top! One of the volunteers told us that he holds the 3rd fastest time ever for this race. How amazing is that? We chatted a little more and gained insight as to when the first runners might reach the summit before heading off ourselves.

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Pictured: The summit of Whernside. Photo by Gerda Lejasmeiere

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The distance between Whernside and Ingleborough isn’t as long or daunting as the journey from Pen-y-ghent to Whernside. Once you’ve found yourself at the bottom of the latter, you can even enjoy a rest stop at the café next to the campsite. We took a quick break here, with a cup of hot soup and some crisps for the salt gains. During walks like these you have to make sure to have enough fuel for yourself and definitely remember to bring enough water/fluids. This little campsite also has a free water refill station!

I carried a 1.5L water bladder in my rucksack and two 0.7L water bottles of Smart water. I have started a habit of taking the Smart Water with me as it contains some electrolytes in it, which can help during exercise. Don’t get me wrong, it’s no magic potion, but maybe the placebo helps!

It’s onwards and upwards from here! Just follow the main track which will soon lead you onto the main road where you’ll need to head left. Make sure to keep an eye out for the Hill Inn. Keep the pub on your right and then almost immediately after passing it you will see a stile, also on the right-hand side of the road. The sign for the footpath is fairly obvious and usually plenty of people are doing this route, but precaution never hurts!

It was also here in this field that the first fell runners passed us on the route. I was so excited to cheer them on! And I kept doing so for pretty much every runner that we saw.

Most of the way to the third peak, Ingleborough (723 M) is a steady gradient. The path leads to a large set of stone slabs and eventually to the steepest section of this particular climb. But then, you’ll find yourself by a very steep wall in front of you! The steps zig-zag next to the wall line and even the fell runners were forced into a walk – which tells you everything you need to know about the change in gradient. It’s tough to climb, but lots of fun!

Take comfort from the fact that once you’ve conquered this section then you’re nearly at the summit. Just one last rocky climb to the top.

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Pictured: The final descent to Horton-in-Ribblesdale, with fell runners in the distance. Photo by Gerda Lejasmeiere

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The top of Ingleborough flattens off and you can hopefully enjoy the views from the summit. Unfortunately for us it was covered in mist - the feeling was quite atmospheric and surreal. I couldn’t see much else apart from the blanket of cloud that enveloped me. Where is the trig point? I thought. It’s easy to understand why quite a lot of people do get confused and disorientated on top of Ingleborough as the path is not clear in the mist.

Once you’ve reached the trig point you’ll need to head back down the same way you approached the summit on the final rocky section. But as you head down you’ll notice another path to your right. This is the path that will take you back to Horton-In-Ribblesdale! The way down is a little rough and technical in sections. On this particular day it was quite wet and muddy because of the inclement weather. The Mountain Rescue team was also called into action to deal with a walker or runner who had taken a tumble. A warning to take care on this tricky descent!

This section of trail feels like it will never end, which isn’t surprising considering it’s around 10K in distance from the summit of Ingleborough to Horton-In-Ribblesdale!

Finally we made it! It took us just under 9 hours to finish this challenge, which we were very happy with. We certainly felt like we had redeemed ourselves from our first attempt!

If you ever want to walk the Yorkshire Three Peaks, then I’d suggest perhaps starting with them one by one. Familiarise yourself with the trails, learn the routes and assess the difficulty level of each. Over the last 12 months, I have visited the wonderful Yorkshire Dales Park many times and hiked up and down the 3 Peaks individually, not to mention the surrounding hills and countryside. There are lots of other fabulous peaks to conquer! My advice is go and explore - you’ll never regret a day spent walking in any of the UK’s beautiful National Parks.

Follow Gerda and all her outdoor komoot adventures here.

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