A Path Less Traveled.

Sunday 14th & Monday 15th August.

Sunday 14th and I was out with Gemma and Jonathan on the Howgill Fells as a 'hill walking' taster/introduction trip.

I had chosen the Howgill Fells as they tend to be less busy than their neighbouring and more famous Lakeland Fells and Yorkshire Dales, but have an interesting landscape and offer great views of their neighbours (on a clear day!).

We took a circular route from Brunt Sike across Long Rigg, Fell Head, Bush Howe and up on to The Calf before descending down White Fell.

Monday - After a night spent camping in the small Dales town of Dent we took a route to the summit of Whernside from Dentdale.

Again this was a route less popular than the sometimes busy route from Ribblehead.

Following the The Dales Way before joining the The Dales Highway, then heading to the summit on the 'A Penine Journey' footpath we were rewarded by stunning views on all sides under a clear blue sky.

We descended into Deepdale and followed the footpath through farmland and past cottages back into Dentdale.

Summary - whilst I love my climbing, ridges, scrambling and mountain routes it was really good to get out and do some hillwalking with Gemma and Jonathan.

Whilst Jonathan has some previous hillwalking Gemma hadn't since the Duke of Edingburgh Award 'a couple' of years ago, hopefully being out in such stunning surroundings may see them getting out more frequently in the future.

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! 

In Gods Country

 Monday 16th of May I made a long overdue return to Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales.

 I have recently started taking friends and work mates out on hill/mountain routes as and when I have been available.

 Firstly it gives me an excuse to get out and do what I love but it also give people who I have known whilst I have been going through various Mountain Training schemes a chance to spend some time doing something they may not have otherwise tried to.

 Ryann had been 'peckering' me to take him out for years and Isabel had mentioned a couple of times that she would like to 'get outdoors', when the opportunity arose they jumped at it.

 I chose a route in Wharfedale in the magnificent Yorkshire Dales, we would leave Buckden village and head up to Buckden Pike before descending to Starbotton and making our way back to Buckden alongside the River Wharfe. The route would be manageable for my 'newbie' walkers whilst giving excellent views over the Dales due to the good weather.

 I also personally wanted to be in the Dales as it was here my love of the outdoors and the hills was first born. As I have progressed through training schemes and qualifications time has been spent away in other areas around the UK and foreign mountain ranges but, as I commented to Isabel and Ryann during the day, I was as happy to be walking in the Yorkshire Dales as I was to be walking in Patagonia - it's a 'Gods Own Country' thing!

They both seemed to be enjoying the day....

 Enjoying fine weather we made our way to Buckden Pike before climbing the 'broken stile' and passing the Polish War memorial to an aircrew that crashed on the hill in 1943, before heading to Starbotton.

 Isabel and Ryann were great company and having known them both for quite a few years the 'banter' was excellent.

 The route took us a little over 5hrs but seemed to go in a flash due in no small part to the excellent scenery, weather and the company!

Hope to see both Isabel and Ryann out on the hill again soon, thanks for making s great day X

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.