The Great Outdoors – July 2019

Always take a map and compass with you. ©Crown copyright 2019 Ordnance Survey. Media 051/19

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Start/Finish

Ribblehead

GR: SD765793

From the car park area near the

road T-junction at Ribblehead,

head towards the viaduct then

follow the track to the R of the

viaduct. Keep on the main path

as it sweeps R, staying on the R of

the railway track.

(^2)
Cross the bridge over the
railway and follow the track
Whernside
Yorkshire Dales ENGLAND
12km/7.5 miles/4-5 hours
Ascent 634m/2080ft^6

I TEND TO PUT OFF

doing classic routes that

I’ve completed often in

the past because I feel I

should be looking for new,

unexplored hills and fells.

Whernside would be such a

classic route. As one of the

Yorkshire 3 peaks, it’s a hill

I spent a lot of time on, both

running and walking, in the

days when I felt the need to

race around the hills (this

will never happen again).

Some quick calculating

confirmed that it had been

about 10 years since my last

ascent of the Dales’ highest

peak, so I reckoned it was

time to return, although

I supposed not much had

changed.

The sun was shining

uphill over Slack Hill and Grain

Ings. Veer L to reach Whernside

ridge then turn L along the ridge

path to the summit trig point.

(^3)
Continue on the ridge track
then turn L downhill just
below High Pike. Stay on the main
track leading directly downhill to
the bottom of the open fells.
(^4)
Turn L onto the track leading
to Broadrake (don’t be
tempted to follow the main
body of walkers straight ahead at
this point as they’re probably
going to Ingleborough on the
3 Peaks route). Take the grassy
track through Broadrake, Ivescar
and Winterscales.
(^5)
From Winterscales follow
the path that leads under
the railway near Blea Moor,
then turn R to retrace your steps
to Ribblehead.
Gradient profile Metres above sea level
Paul
Richardson
revisits a
gentle giant
The Great Outdoors July 2019 95