32 Hiking
Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge
Enjoyment - 95%
Success - 80%
Will try again - Yes
First timer’s recommendation – Check the weather and give yourself two possible days to attempt the challenge. Only stop for breaks on the summit and keep up a good pace and you should easily complete it in less than 10 hours.
The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge takes in the three highest peaks of Yorkshire; Pen-y-Ghent (691m), Whernside (728m) and Ingleborough (723m), with the walking in-between taking the challenge to 24.5 miles, with a very achievable target finish time of 12 hours. We had completed the National Three Peaks Challenge in 2010, which is arguably more difficult, certainly from a planning point of view, but with breaks between the climbs, unlike the Yorkshire version. After spending the night in the Golden Lion Hotel in Horton-in-Ribblesdale, we started at 7am on a warm, dry, windless Saturday, and soon found out that Macmillan, the cancer charity were running a charity climb on the same day.
This meant that any concerns over navigation were put to bed, we thought, but it also meant it was quite congested on the first peak, before spreading out later on in the walk. We reached the summit of Pen-Y-Ghent in just under an hour, with a steady climb then a steep incline up well-defined steps to the top. We then walked over the other side, to begin the long walk to Whernside. This is the easiest section of the challenge, where those choosing to run can make up a lot of time. The magnificent Ribblehead Viaduct is often in sight, as is the outline of the next two mountains, when the day is as clear as ours was. Macmillan had kindly laid out waymarkers as well probably too many pit stops for food and drink, and as we approached the base of Whernside, I followed the pink markers of their trail, which meant we added around three miles to our original route.
The book we were following advised a steeper, quicker ascent of the second peak, but the official route is around the side of Whernside, on a much gentler, if longer path. We reached the top in around 5hrs 30 mins and then followed the steep, but wide steps down Whernside and towards Ingleborough. After a stop at a snack bar which was well placed by a couple of opportunistic locals, we passed the Hill Inn pub and began probably the toughest climb, up the steep steps to the top of the third and final peak. This was reached in around 7hrs 40mins, before the final section back to our start point. This was the most boring, featureless part of the walk, and next time I would be tempted to run, if just to get back for a pint earlier. We reached the Pen-y-Ghent Café after 9hrs 25mins which was a respectable, and comfortably within the allotted time.