Along the way you can expect to witness some truly spectacular views of the gorgeous Yorkshire countryside. By the end of the trek, you’ll have walked and climbed an impressive 23.5 miles in total.
Whether you’re doing the three peaks trek for your favourite charity or perhaps just want to challenge yourself, completing the challenge is a rewarding experience. Taking time to train yourself before the challenge ensures that you’ll be able to take it on with ease once the day arrives.
Pen-y-Ghent
Pen-y-Ghent will be the first peak of your trek. The fell can be found east of Horton in Ribblesdale, a small village within the Yorkshire dales. You’ll begin your challenge in the village, typically very early in the morning to ensure the challenge is completed before it gets too dark. Make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before!
Pen-Y-Ghent is the smallest peak of the challenge, taking an average of around 2 hrs to complete and standing at 694m. Along the route and atop the summit you’ll experience fantastic views of the surrounding area, and after descending the peak you’ll reach the first check point of the challenge at the Ribblehead Viaduct. Once there, you can have a short rest and enjoy a much needed hot cup of tea before continuing the trek.
Whernside
2 miles from the Ribblehead Viaduct, Whernside will be your next challenge. This mountain is the tallest of the three peaks, standing at 736m, making it a little bit more of a challenge than the first. The peak of Whernside is the highest point in the county of North Yorkshire and on clear days boasts spectacular views of the Lake District and Morecambe Bay.
It’s a rather long yet gradual climb to the summit, and typically takes around 7.5 hours to complete. Reaching the summit marks a total walking distance of 14.5 miles. Once you’ve rested up and taken in the dramatic views, it’s time for a steep descent to Chapel-le-Dale, the final checkpoint of the challenge.
Ingleborough
By the time you begin the challenge of Ingleborough, it’s likely that you will have completed 19 miles and 10 hours of steady walking. To reach the peak of Ingleborough, it’s a zigzag path all the way up to the top.
Ingleborough is the second-highest mountain in the Yorkshire Dales, standing at 723 metres tall. This mountain is rich in history, with remains of round towers and Iron Age hill forts along the way.
Once you’ve conquered the summit, you’ll be rewarded with fantastic views across all three of the peaks. It’s likely to take around 1.5 hours to descend the mountain of Ingleborough and return back to the village of Horton in Ribblesdale, where you can celebrate your achievement with a refreshing glass of bubbly. You've then got the choice of continuing to celebrate...or find some much needed rest!
Choosing a Professional Guide
Choosing to take on the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge with an experienced guide makes the journey a lot safer. You’ll be accompanied by staff professionally trained in First Aid, so if any unlikely accidents happen along the way, you’ll be in safe hands.
Experienced guides are also likely to have done the route before. This means they know exactly where they’re going, so you won’t run the risk of getting lost during the trek. They’ll also have access to a support vehicle and driver, should it be needed.
Taking on the challenge with Adventurous Ewe means the whole trip will be organised for you, and you’ll also be able to take part in their 9 week training programme to make sure you’re ready for the challenge.
Your drinks and snacks are also included in the price, as well as a very handy 15% discount voucher for Cotswold Outdoor so you can be properly kitted out in preparation for the day.
You’ll need to bring your own personal meals and drinks and be able to travel to and from the challenge starting point. It’s best to book a B&B for the night before the journey, and perhaps one for the evening after the trek.
Remember - if you're feeling particularly fatigued, don't try to push on with the journey. Take time to stop and ensure that you're fit enough to go on.