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More
than 200,000 walkers have completed the 3 Peaks challenge walk in
the Yorkshire Dales in the last 35 years.
That
figure is according to records kept at the starting point, the Pen-y-Ghent
café in Horton-in-Ribblesdale. But it’s still probably
a conservative estimate.
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| Some
of the team |
Four
of us attempted to add to that number. Myself, Ben Cryer, Colin
Hazelden and Michelle Lyons set off at 6.04am to walk the 25 miles,
including the summits of Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough,
and be back at the café within 12 hours.
We
were on the top of Pen-y-Ghent, 2,273ft high, just over an hour
later. But it would be another five hours before we reached the
second summit of Whernside, itself the biggest of the three at 2,419ft.
It
feels a long way between the two hills, passing Hull Pot on the
way, walking short sections of the Ribble Way, crossing difficult
limestone terrain, before reaching the path by the Settle to Carlisle
railway line which takes you, eventually, to the top.
 Listen
to the BBC team with Mike Kemp on the walk
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| Clear
skies stunning views |
On
the day we walked the circuit we were blessed for the most part
with clear skies and stunning views of each of the hills. So we
could see where we’d been and where we still had to go.
The
next section to the top of Ingleborough, 2,373ft high, passes a
wayside café and a pub. Don’t dawdle too long at either
or you’ll lose time because, tired as you are by now, it’s
a long way to the foot of Ingleborough. Then it’s straight
up.
Even
when you’ve reached the top of Ingleborough you still have
another five miles to go to return to the café. And on the
way ignore a weathered finger-post which says it’s one-and-a-half
miles to Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
It’s
not, it’s probably about double that. Back at the café
you can clock back in as long as you registered with them before
you left.
Hopefully
you’ll have done it within the time of 12 hours. We did. Ten
hours, 34 minutes. In so doing we raised a goodly sum for BBC North
Yorkshire’s Follow the Rainbow Appeal.
Discuss
your favourite walks on our Message Board
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It
is essential for both the success and safety of the walk that
an up-to-date weather forecast is obtained before setting
out.
