Definitely not De Javu!

Monday 22nd August 16

Monday saw me meet up with long time friend Danny Bond.

Danny had wanted to complete the Yorkshire 3 Peaks for a while and we had set this date as mutually convenient and definitely not, as it turned out, for the weather!

This would be my 16th circuit of the 23mile route, taking in Ingleborough, Pen y Ghent and Whernside. It could have been a bit De Javu if it wasn't for the by far the worst conditions I have set off in!

Leaving from the *'Old Hill Inn' with dark, thick clouds above and rain bouncing down we set off towards Ingleborough to be met by a stream where the footpath should be! This would be the format for the day as we encountered torrents flowing down off the hills and streams having burst their natural courses.
The weather was forcast to lift a little during the afternoon and it was most welcome when it did!

*N.B starting from the 'Old Hill Inn' near Chapel-le-Dale and walking in an anti clockwise direction is my preferred route for a number of reasons -
1, it offers the option of a toilet stop at Horton in Ribblesdale, an important consideration when there are females in the group.
2, a second toilet stop is available at 'The Station Inn' at Ribblehead for a charity donation.
3, if unsupported by a vehicle there is a 'get out' option of not doing Whernside and walking from Ribblehead along the road to the starting point (or waiting at the 'Station Inn' whilst someone else goes for the car!
4, participants on already tired legs seeing the ascent up Ingleborough via the 'Devils Staircase' before them can become somewhat demoralised and a bit 'moany' when done as 3rd peak.
5, generally the majority of participants are surprised to find they suffer more with aches and pains of descent rather than the exertions of ascent so the shorter, sharp shock of descending Whernside with the finish in sight is a lesser evil than the near 7km/4mile drawn out descent of Ingleborough. 

The cloud base had been as low as 300m for most of the day but started to lift as we reached the road section of the route, personally this is the worst and most dangerous part. Worst as walking on the Tarmac takes it out on the feet and joints, dangerous because of the chance of being hit by a vehicle.

Hats off to Danny for digging in and getting to Ribblehead Viaduct in soaking wet boots. He was in good spirits as we chatted (which can be a giveaway of someone suffering) and physically seemed strong other than the soreness of his feet. I could hear the squelching of his wet boots as we neared the 'Station Inn' and decided it best to call an early finish and return to do the route another day rather than continuing on and risk Danny doing any long term damage to his feet, though the main reason was the annoying squelch, squelch, squelch that would have driven me insane (more so than presently) over a further 3hrs!!

Date already set!

That'll be the footpath/stream.

August on Pen y Ghent....

Summary - wet, damn wet!
This was one of those days when I speak to the client about reasons for possibly postponing until another time as I want them to have a good experience and not a day spent suffering. Despite the 'inclement' conditions and my suggestion of postponing Danny was unperturbed and keen to get on with it.
As somebody who spends a lot of time outdoors all year round I would grade this as 'sh*te' conditions so much respect to Danny for not being put off, surely has to be better next time....!?

The Yorkshire 2 Peaks.... & Pub!

Wednesday 1st June and myself, Clare, Sam and Owen decided to do part of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks route.

 Nothing better than a stroll around the route of the Yorkshire Three Peaks to make us Yorkshire folk feel reet proud so I'm always up for a day out in the Yorkshire Dales (Clare is nearly Yorkshire due to her having completed the route twice before, starting to lose the ability of saying 'the' in a sentence and being notoriously shy when it's her round!).

Sam, Owen and Clare had all completed the route in the past but were up for another trip around the 24 mile route.

 Leaving the 'Old Hill Inn' at 08:30am we made good progress towards Ingleborough and up the dreaded 'Devils Staircase' before being enveloped in low cloud on the summit plateau.

 With gales force winds, low cloud and the constant threat of a shower it was a typical British summer day in the hills as we headed towards Horton In Ribblesdale and on to Pen y Ghent (aptly meaning 'Hill of the Wind'.

 Stopping at Horton for a short break I set the challenge of making to the summit of Pen y Ghent with in 1.5hrs, as it went we made it in 1hr 5mins without a murmer about the steepness of the seemingly never ending ascent, what a team! 😳

 With a bit of a breeze blowing through we didn't hesitate for long on the summit and made our way down and along the route towards Ribblehead.

 It's some 8miles approximately between Pen y Ghent and Whernside and this part can really sap the moral and see the start of aches and pains in the joints.

 As we neared Ribblehead an injury appeared in our merry group and the best solution was thought to stop at the 'Station Inn' and assess the situation.

As it turned out the ankle I had gone over on at the start of the day decided that the stop was the right time give me a painful reminder that me decision to wear 'approach shoes' rather than walking boots may have been a poor one. After the compulsory 'Station Inn' pork pie and with an eye on the dark clouds over Whernside it was decided the day was to be a training day and we had done enough!

 We WILL be returning to complete the further route later in the year.

Summary - with approximately 18miles and 2 peaks completed it was a shame not to finish the route on the day but with 20 completions of the route between us and safe in the knowledge we will be back to do it again it didn't take too much debate, the pub may have helped a bit.

A great outing in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales with good friends can be nothing but good! 

Setting The Bar Higher - Bar Folks Yorkshire 3 Peaks.

 A chilly late September morning and the week started off in good style when I took a group of the 'glitterati' from the Leeds bar scene around the route of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks.  For Ross, Andy, Jenny and Owen this would be their first attempt of the famous challenge, Sam was a member of a group who I'd led on the route last year, Clare had completed the route some years ago whilst still in education and for myself this would my twelfth time.

All smiles as the day begins.

 An early start saw me travel to the Yorkshire Dales with Ross (Shears Yard), Clare, Sam & Owen (Mojo's) and Andy & Jenny (Blind Tyger) for a day in the outdoors. The assembled group were all willing participants and a world away from the view of bar folk as generally up all night and drinking as much as they serve......?

 After stashing water around at points around the route we set out from the 'Old Hill Inn' and made our way towards the first hurdle of the locally named 'Devils Staircase'. The groans that come from every group as they near the steep winding stone staircase were slightly delayed due to the heavy mist but were audible as soon as the ascent became visible. With everybody getting 'stuck in' we were soon above the staircase and making our way onto the gritstone plateau, we then made our way through the mist and buffeting side winds to Ingleborough summit.

Team Mojo get carried away with themselves.

Ingleborough Summit (723m) and no view of Morcambe Bay today.

Leaving Ingleborough

 A brief photo stop on Ingleborough and we headed down the 6mile/10km path through the limestone  landscape and on towards Horton In Ribblesdale where we made use of the conveniences, refilled our water bottles and had a bite to eat, Clare's version of a hard boiled caused some debate!

The mist had lifted and the late summer sun was over head as we made our way up Pen y Ghent. There are a couple of trains of thought as to where the name 'Pen y ghent' originated, in Cumbric language 'Pen y Ghent' may have meant 'hill on the edge or border' whilst a translation in a close Welsh dialect would have been 'hill of the wind'. In my experience I can easily see where the Welsh meaning is close to the mark.

The mist lifts heading up Pen y Ghent.

The path up to Pen y Ghent.

Clare nears the top of Pen y Ghent.

Pen y Ghent summit (694m)

 The walk up to Pen y Ghent summit I feel is often under estimated and can test the legs of those attempting the 3 Peaks route for the first time, this being our second summit it was a case of dig in a get it over, which every one did.

 From Pen y Ghent it is then the long 7.5mile walk to the Ribblehead Viaduct. We stopped at 'Gods Bridge' for a bite to eat and a welcome change of socks (the key to a comfortable completion of the route in my opinion) and the group 'banter' helped the miles go by.

Heading for Whernside.

looks 'like a bridge over Ribble water'!

 We had another brief stop to fill water bottles before setting off on the path up Whernside. Some of the knees and feet were starting to ache on the last ascent but spirits were high and we soon made the summit.

Whernside looms!

The always impressive Ribble Head viaduct.

The long path up to Whernside

Andy & Jenny with some of the locals

Whernside (736m) summit, nearly done.

 From Whernside summit it is a steep and sometimes tricky decent for fatigued legs down to Philpot Farm and onto the Old Hill Inn. Approaching the farm we stopped to speak to two farmers who scratched said they couldn't see the attraction of undertaking the route before informing us the pub was closed on a Monday, much to their amusement but not ours!

Descending Whernside

 All in all a good day which I believe every one enjoyed, some didn't enjoy getting out of the vehicles after returning to Leeds but there has to be a price to pay for completing 23.5miles and 5200ft of ascent in under 12hours, otherwise it wouldn't be a challenge!

Well done all!

Pen y Ghent Monsoon - May 2013

 Back in early May I met up with Clynt for a and trip into the Yorkshire Dales which would be a short, and very wet, introduction to hill walking for my long time good friend. With the weather forecast being less than favourble the trip could of brought a near thirty year friendship to a miserable end!

Early spring low cloud and monsoon in the Yorkshire Dales!

 After setting a convenient date for a number of people to meet up for a trip into the Yorkshire Dales the numbers started to dwindle leading up to the day out as it became clear the weather was going to be at best 'inclement', but more likely 'monsoon' like!
 I was happy to suggest postponing the day until under better conditions so as to try avoid a wet and miserable introduction to the hills and potentially putting an abrupt end to peoples interest in getting out into the outdoors, I was also happy to get out and Clynt was still up for it. With Scottish blood flowing through his veins torrential rain and gale force winds are regarded as 'the norm' for Clynt.

 Early Sunday morning the two of us drove towards the Yorkshire Dales intending to walk a route to the top of Ingleborough. With the weather deteriorating during the journey, and as there would be no views to enjoy, I decided we would instead head for Pen y Ghent.
 Pen y Ghent would enable us to complete a slightly shorter route but would include areas of ascent and descent over a number of terrain surfaces (+ we would miss the tedious, plodding sections around Ingleborough!).

Clynt heads up the stone steps of Pen y Ghent.

 Leaving 'Horton In Ribblesdale' we headed for Pen y Ghent following the same route as the 'Yorkshire 3 Peaks' and were soon enveloped in low cloud & mist. In rain from the outset we had donned waterproofs at the car and I was pleased to see Clynt had not underestimated the conditions and had brought his full golfing waterproofs, warm hat & gloves. As we started up the stoney steps, which ascend quickly up the shoulder of the peak, we were subject to gale force gusts of wind which chilled the uncovered wet skin on our faces.

Summit pose.

 Making good time we reached the summit where we enjoyed views of the inside of a cloud for a brief moment before heading off again.

Descending in the Spring wind & rain!

  Whilst descending we met a number of other people and small groups some of who were wearing jeans, tracksuits and cotton leggings. Rather them than us as it was 'Baltic' in the wind along with horizontal rain stinging our cheeks!

Fortunately Clynt hadn't come just to enjoy the views!

The first time the golfing waterproofs hadn't been used on a 'waste of a good walk'!

  Following the path and bridleway, down below the cloud back to 'Horton in Ribblesdale', we agreed it had been a good and worthwhile day though were glad we had opted for the shorter Pen y Ghent route as the conditions would have been a challenge for the best waterproofs and we were becoming 'slightly moist'!

This is what it occasionally looks like when descending Pen y Ghent.