Drow 'n' Smirr

8.04 miles 5h 3min ascent 473m

Ribblehead-Viaduct-Dales High Way-Cable Rake-Whernside-Skelside-Broadrake-The Scar- Gunnersfleet-Ribblehead

Whernside was the third of our Yorkshire Three Peaks walk. It takes its name from the OE cweorn ‘Quern, millstone’ and at 736m it is the highest of Yorkshire’s three peaks, and the highest summit in Yorkshire – at least since the 1974 boundary changes kicked its rival, Mickle Fell (literally Great Hill), into County Durham.

Our walk is summed up pretty well by The Yorkshire Dales website description of the route from Ribblehead…

Starting from the impressive Ribblehead Viaduct this route takes you to the highest point in Yorkshire – Whernside. On a clear day there are great views out to the Howgills, the Lake District and Morecambe Bay. The ascent of Whernside involves a long steady climb and a lovely high-level ridge. The descent is steeper with a final flat section through the fields to finish underneath the spectacular Ribblehead viaduct.

9.28 miles 6h 22min ascent 470m

Ribblehead-Gauber quarry-Park Fell-Souther Scales Fell-Swine Tail-Ingleborough-Sulber Nick-Horton

Ingleborough is the second highest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks and the second of our Three Peaks’ walks. After a very wet outing the day before, we were expecting a better day, but the weather was actually better than had been forecast.. We decided to park in Horton-in-Ribblesdale, take the train to Ribblehead and walk back to Horton via Ingleborough. The long ridge walk had looked quite daunting from the road but wasn’t too bad.

8.73 miles 5h 56min ascent 533m

Horton-Brackenbottom-Pen y Ghent-Plover Hill-Foxup Moor-Horton Moor

As soon as we arrived in Horton it was obvious we would be walking in waterproofs. We began with drizzle (which my mother claimed would wet you more than any other type of rain), but did have some proper heavy rain though much of the day featured drizzle fine enough to be regarded as “not raining”. I would like to congratulate my jacket and waterproof trousers on a successful day. I cannot say the same for my boots, which have had the football manager treatment – sacked and replaced at the end of the week.