This was my second visit to the Dales to see what the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge (July 16th) would actually mean to me. The Challenge includes the 25 miles over Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough within 12 hours, so I thought I'd better see what this actually meant! Readers will recall that I managed Pen-y-Ghent earlier in June and so this was the return leg to see what Whernside and Ingleborough were all about. Dominic came along with me to try this 15 miler which we hoped to do in around 8 hours.
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| Dominic, Viaduct & Whernside |
We traveled to Ribblehead via Leeds on Monday the 27th but got off to a bad start (Dominic's words) with train delays around Birmingham and this together with congestion at Leeds station meant that we missed our connection and had to wait another 3 hours for the next train! We eventually left Leeds at around 18:00 and reached the remote station of Ribblehead one hour and a bit later. We stayed at the Station Inn which was OK, but a bit scruffy, had a pint, a quick bite to eat and a game of pool before an early night ready for the walk ahead. I managed a few photos of the iconic viaduct in the mist but decided that daylight would provide a better photo.
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| Whernside |
We left the Station after a big breakfast at about 09:30 in bright sunshine and turned left onto a well worn track running alongside the viaduct. We followed the track past a junction under the tracks and a signal box, following signs for Dent until we reached an aqueduct/bridge over the tracks. We crossed the tracks and started to climb in a left arc, now following Whernside signposts for around 2 kms. We met a few other folks doing the walk and the climb to the summit was OK with a few stops for breath. Dominic was racing ahead of course - his strategy was based on speed then rests until I caught up. We reached the summit and stopped for photos and of course fuel intake for Dominic. The views were spectacular with the viaduct, Station Inn etc all clearly visible from our vantage point of 736 metres in altitude.
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| Ingleborough |
We then followed the track and began the descent which was quite steep in places with loose rock and boggy patches. As we made the descent, we could see clearly the next challenge - the rising peak of Ingleborough, across the valley. The track downwards snaked off into the distance and our knees & thighs ached with the constant pressure of the downhill, but eventually we left the moors and joined arable farmland and eventually the main road at Philpin - the farm here provides a snack/toilet stop for weekend walkers! Once at the road (B6255) we saw the Old Hill Inn and stopped for a quick intake of (non-alcoholic) liquids. This seemed an excellent pub and I noted it for a future visit in July.
The Old Hill Inn, Chapel le Dale
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| More food |
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| D ahead as usual |
Just after the pub, we turned right and followed in non too distinctive path, keeping close to the wall on the right. The track eventually became clear and we started uphill, passing a huge gaping pot hole, known as Braithwaite Wife Pot. The track here is well maintained with a series of flag stones to keep you out of the bogs. Onwards and upwards we progressed with Dominic out front as usual, until we reached a spot where the incline changed drastically with stone steps leading almost vertically to the next stage of the climb. Eventually I reached the top and we stopped for more fuel intake - this being a feature of the day.
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| Ingleborough |
We reached the summit plateau after another uphill stretch which was testing and precarious, but on the plateau we quickly reached the cairn, trig point (723 metres) and shelter, along with a half dozen other souls who had braved the climb, albeit from different directions. We stopped for photos and more food (!), before bracing ourselves for the 7 mile slog down to Horton in Ribblesdale where we had accommodation booked at the Crown.
We left in good spirits, having done two of the three peaks and the intention of mastering the third the following day! We could see Pen-y-Ghent in the distance and this provided a great navigation aid to reaching Horton.
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| Pen-y-Ghent |
The path down from Ingleborough summit was rough and steep with loose rocks and bogs again the feature, supplemented by a number of limestone obstacles built into the track to keep you on your toes. By this stage, I was developing a wonderful blister and getting some pain in my feet but we kept on with Dominic out front. We met other walkers doing the same trip and also farmers repairing dry stone walls and after what seemed a very long descent via Sulber Pot and Sulber Nick, we reached Horton and the Crown where it became clear that Dominic had bad sun burn as well as very tired legs after this 8 hour walk of which 6.5 hours was actually walking/scrambling/climbing.
We had a quiet but excellent dinner and collapsed, already probably realizing that Pen-y-Ghent the following day was a little optimistic. This proved to be correct when we talked next morning, both aching and Dominic with burnt neck and legs - he laughed at my buff, but did I have a burnt neck? This walk of 8 hours plus my previous Pen-y-Ghent of almost 6 hours does not bode well for a 12 hour total but we'll see...
An OS view of the start and end walk is below, courtesy of QUO digital mapping/OS - please let me know if you want all 8 pages:
We left the Station after a big breakfast at about 09:30 in bright sunshine and turned left onto a well worn track running alongside the viaduct. We followed the track past a junction under the tracks and a signal box, following signs for Dent until we reached an aqueduct/bridge over the tracks. We crossed the tracks and started to climb in a left arc, now following Whernside signposts for around 2 kms. We met a few other folks doing the walk and the climb to the summit was OK with a few stops for breath. Dominic was racing ahead of course - his strategy was based on speed then rests until I caught up. We reached the summit and stopped for photos and of course fuel intake for Dominic. The views were spectacular with the viaduct, Station Inn etc all clearly visible from our vantage point of 736 metres in altitude. 
