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NORTH YORKSHIRE (DALES): Whernside (8 miles)


Saturday, 26th March 2022

After a “bit of a hiccup” getting to the parking spot I finally met up with Paul for a wander up Whernside. 

 

The weather was absolutely gorgeous – almost too warm and I’m soooo glad I didn’t take the big thick fleece jacket I was planning on wearing.  Absolutely no need for it whatsoever.  It really was t-shirt weather.

 

We trotted off down the road a little way before joining the main path, along with a million other people.

 

The task ahead:  


Getting a little nearer to Ribblehead Viaduct: 


Navigation definitely isn’t an issue on this walk.

We get to the iconic Blea Moor signal station/box: 



It could do with a bit of a spruce up and lick of paint.

 

It’s a fairly featureless landscape in some respects – vast moorland views although the skyline is dominated with views of Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent and it was a bit of a surprise to me to see how close they seem.

 

Hazy Ingleborough: 


I did take some more pics but the views were hazy and they didn’t turn out very well at all, but the views were better in real life. 

 

An unimaginatively named “waterfall” on Force Gill: 


To be honest, I could have got a better pic of this too but we were too busy yakking!

 

We reached a crossroads: 

By this point we were looking for a likely place for Snack Stop Number 1 and Paul suggested carrying on towards Deepdale to get away from the crowds a bit.  So that’s what we did.  The path gets noticeably rougher at this point but still easy enough underfoot.

 

We found a suitable tumbledown wall to perch on and stare at the even more impressive views of Ingleborough and PyG now that we were a bit higher up.  But again, the haze made the pics rubbish.

 

We bog-hopped along the (wrong side of the) fence, looking for a suitably bendy/saggy bit of wire fence to clamber over to re-join the main path. I was quite happy with this bog-trotting adventure, Paul, less so, I think

 

Another attempt at a pic of the views: 


I used the “wide” function on my phone’s camera and, well, yeh.  It flattens the two most prominent hill in view somewhat.

 

A little further along and we got a frog chorus. Or, as Paul called it frogpawn: 


The little dark lumps in the water are all frogs, all ribbeting away.  It was just like being in the Serangeti (or somewhere!). I took a little vid of it too, more for the frog chorus than anything (turn up the volume):

 

We’re heading onto the “nose” of Whernside now and I’m realising that, although I’ve been walking almost daily, doing yoga, tai chi and using the gym, there is nothing NOTHING that gets you hill fit other than walking up hills.  Something I’ve not had chance to do since November last year.  I stopped to admire the views.  A lot.  It’s not even a particularly steep gradient.  I was reassured by Paul that it gets dark around 6pm but not to worry, he’d brought a headtorch!

 

The tarn on Greensett Moss: 


With Ingleborough looking pretty impressive beyond.

 

After what seemed like ages (probably was) we reached the trig. I tapped the top and took this shot quickly before more people appeared:


There’s a squeeze-stile to get through coming the way we came and it’s not very forgiving!

 

There are also a couple of little shelters either side and I sat in one of them to tend to a blister that was making an appearance on my heel – thanks Paul for the Compeed – I’m now a convert and think these are a viable workaround for my shoe stitching issue.

 

We didn’t stop long here as there was lots of people drifting past. Including three blokes, one of whom was on his first ever hill walk – he looked a bit tired!  Paul offered to take a pic of the three of them at the trig and one of the guys clambered up and stood on the top of it.  Rather him than me!

 

But oh, the views from the top were gorgeous.  Although we were under cloud, the surrounding hills were dappled with sunlight and cloud shadows and it looked gorgeous.  The Howgills looking all lumpy and bumpy and inviting to the north.  Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent looking pretty imposing to the east.  The Lake District mountains were just visible through the haze to the west.  The vast flatness (in comparison) of the rest of England to the south and Morecambe Bay just visible in between.

 

We trotted off on the easy (at the moment) descent before taking a left turn down the hillside to join The Pennine Journey path.

 

Before we dropped too far down, we found some convenient rocks for Snack Stop Number 2.  Paul pointed out the path we were to follow back to the viaduct.  It still looked a long way away!

 

Fed and watered for a second time, we continued steeply down the hillside, made somewhat easier by the newly laid stone steps – a weird green colour and definitely not native.  I hope they weather a bit.

 

The gradient eased after we reached the gate and it was a pleasant meander through farmland where I saw lambsies:




My first of the year.  Awwwwwww

 

And so back to the viaduct again: 


An attempt at an arty-farty pic: 


Plaque: 



I had a brief rest here as my legs were sore now but it really wasn’t far back to the cars.

 

Back at the cars we checked the scores on the doors.  I was interested to know how my new mapping app had fared I got a splidge over 8 miles, Paul got a splidge over 9 miles. It felt like a splidge over 20 miles.

 

But whether it was 8 or 9 miles, it was a smashing walk and not bad going (for me) as the longest walk I’ve done this year so far.  Anyway, it’s given me restless legs and wanderlust again.

 

Cheers to Paul for organising.  A smashing day out in the hills and that's my final Y3P ticked off...

.... Now for the N3P (eeeeek). 

 

Thanks for reading 😊