The 3 Peaks Walk

43km with over 1600 meters of total ascent in the Yorkshire Dales – England

A very nice run including the 3 highest peaks of the Yorkshire Dales.

Happily unloading my stuff from my car which I had parked half an hour before I spotted a bird stuck on the edge of a bag of earth lying on the ground. I called Frank who came out and picked it up. It was shivering so he kept it in his hands a few minutes to warm it up. Being a great bird watcher Frank immediately identified the bird as being a swift. I’ll have to wait to come back to France to have the French translation! Glenda had prepared a really good Chinese for us and for my 30th birthday I blew out the candles nicely set on the cheese cake we had as a dessert.

I was pleased to be back in England and soon concentrated on my challenge of the next day. 11 years ago when we were on holiday in Ingelton, a nearby village in North Yorkshire I went up Ingleborough, one of the 3 highest peaks, and bought a book describing the 3 Peaks Walk which includes all of the 3 highest peaks. Since then I’ve always fancied doing it. It’s a very well know circuit and lots of races take place there including bicycle races. The record is just over 2 hours, but the itinerary has changed a bit since then and is slightly longer. As for me, I just want to finish it and appreciate a nice run in the Dales alongside the sheep on these lovely moors.

After tea Frank explained the route to me in detail, comparing it with the GPS route I had downloaded on a very good website. He has already done it so he knows the tricky parts. He pointed out the boggy parts, the sharp turns to look out for and also the really steep parts! Glenda kindly prepared the special cake I had brought for my breakfast that digests easily. I’m putting all the chances on my side!

The next morning I leave the house at 6:45 am and arrive at the start point in Horton in Ribblesdale 45 minutes later. I first pay the 3 pounds 50 fee for the car park. By gum, England is expensive! Frank had mentioned to me the Pen-y-Ghent Café where I could book out and in again after completing the walk, and so become part of the 3 Peaks Walk Yorkshire Club with a certificate to prove it. Unfortunately the Café is not open but I still go and have a look at it. A notice says we can book out by leaving a note in the letter box below with our name and time of departure. I dash back to the car and prepare the note before finally leaving at 7h50.

I follow the road for 200 meters before taking a track east towards Pen-y-Ghent. It soon becomes steep and near the top I have to scramble a bit. That is hard going for a start. I am not on my own and already I overtake 2 guys walking up. I am lucky the weather is very good and the visibility fine. I am in shorts and tee shirt even though Frank helped me to get rid of the ice on my windscreen before leaving! I am facing the north winds and I wonder if I’m should stop to put my jacket on. A single track leads me from the summit to a ridge with lovely views over the dales. It’s fantastic but I am pleased when I next lose height and the wind drops a bit. As Frank said I soon find myself in a boggy part and select my route, just relying on the GPS and jumping from one faint path to another.

The next bit is more or less flat even if there are quite a few bumps to negotiate. In the distance I can see several hills and I try to figure out which are Whernside and Ingleborough. Getting quite warmed up now it’s a great run along lovely lanes, past the early walkers, crossing fields among the sheep, going over bridges, stiles and cattle grids. I stop again, banged the handle from right to left to open another gate before carefully making sure it’s closed again once I’ve gone through.

I finally come to the railway line at Ribblehead. Frank told me there might be quite a few cars here as it’s the place where runners in organized races can stop for drink and food supply. But there is no support party today only a coffee van and it’s shut!

I follow the railway line for a while and eventually cross it to the west before starting going up a bit. I don’t feel as good now as before but I steadily keep going up. However as I’m not concentrating so well on the route. I miss the turn to the west heading to the north ridge of Whernside. I cut across the field to join the correct track. I walk for a few seconds to have a snack. A lady falls just in front of me. I stop to see if she’s all right Eating obviously did me good and I find the regular track up the Whernside ridge easy. It’s true that the view over the superb tarn on the left as I going up helps me a lot! From the top I can see Ingleborough not far south.

The descent is very steep and I understand why Frank said his way up was hard! I go a bit wrong again and have to cross a field covered of patches of snow. I join a tiny country road leading to a few farms that I go through. It’s great! I cross the main road to Ingleton and follow a sign post to Ingleborough. I’m now running on short grass which is very enjoyable. I say hello to a farmer working on a quad bike. The south side of Ingleborough is really close now and I’m wondering where on earth I’ll manage to go up to the east ridge, it’s so steep everywhere. It’s a good job Ingleborough is the most famous of the 3 and a lot of walkers come here. I would have had a job going across this very boggy field without the very good wooden path built over it. Stones are nicely laid so as to form steps up the hills too. I come to the foot of the very steep path Frank had talked about. Up on the ridge I turn right to the top of Ingleborough. “A nice day for it, isn’t it” says a guy enjoying a sandwich on the other side of the cross shelter I’m peeping over at the top. It sure is! Ingleborough is very different from the 2 others. It’s wide with no vegetation and only stones. I turn back before the wind, still fiercely blowing, gets at me. There are still 7 km to go but it’s in a straight line, mostly down hill. Leaping from stone to stone, from path to path, it’s fun and I can go faster now. As I’m arriving in Horton I am surprised by a strange noise on my right. It’s a strange sort of Highland cow I’ve never seen before with long grey hair.

I go through the tiny railway station and get to the Café at 12h26. I’m pleased to have done it and in only 4h36 too. The GPS shows 43 km and over 1600 m of total ascent. I enter the Café which is open now and explain to a very welcoming guy that I’ve just finished the 3 Peaks walk. He asks me to punch a yellow card in the old machine in the middle of the room. I insert it and move a handle down and it fills in the time of arrival in the correct place. I then hand it back to him and he writes my name and departure time on it. I have to check all 3 of the Peaks and sign it. He suggests that I can join the Club for 6 pounds and of course I accept. I get a badge and a certificate for that. I fill in a form and wander around the Café while I am waiting for my certificate to be printed out. A few people are there enjoying tea and biscuits or a well deserved meal after their walk. Newspaper cuttings of the 3 Peaks Walk are pinned up on the wall with the old records. Walking gear and documents in the corners and hanging over the counter give the place a very special character.

Back with Frank and Glenda we go out for a very good pub meal at the Devonshire in Cracoe where I enjoy a fine Cumberland beer brewed by Jennings.