mapping extracts (1:50,000) accompanying each walk are provided to indicate the general outline of the route and are not intended as a substitute for the map itself. The context of the wider area will not only add to the enjoyment of identifying neighbouring hills and other features, but is vital should you wander off course or need to find a quick way back. The area is covered by Ordnance Survey maps at both 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scales, the larger scale showing a greater detail that is often invaluable. Learn how to read the map and use it on the ground with a compass. A GPS receiver can be a useful additional aid, but you should know how to use it, be aware of its limitations and ensure you have spare batteries. The key maps for the walks in this guide are: Explorer OL2 – Yorkshire Dales (Southern & Western areas); Explorer OL30 – Yorkshire Dales (Northern & Central areas).
Careful planning
Plan your walk in advance, bearing in mind your party’s capabilities and the anticipated weather conditions for the day. The times given for each walk are based on Naismith’s Rule and are given merely as a guide. They make no allowance for stops along the way and in practice, your time may be significantly more, since it will depend upon your own level of fitness, ability to cope with the particular terrain and other factors such as weather.
The upper reaches of Ings Beck from Fell Lane (Walk 24)
The amount of height gain, poor conditions underfoot and lousy weather can add considerably to both the time necessary and the effort needed, and it is a good idea to make your own estimate adapting Naismith’s Rule to match your own performance. The basic rule takes into account distance and height gain, allowing one hour for every five kilometres (three miles) and a further half hour for each 300m ascended. By monitoring your own performance over a period to determine appropriate personal times for each element of the calculation, you can achieve a reasonably reliable formula that suits your own level of capability. Having said that, particularly if you are out alone, it is also a good idea to leave a note of your intended route and return time with someone, not sitting on the dashboard of your car as an open invitation to a thief.
Clothing and footwear
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear and carry a comfortable rucksack. The variability of British weather can pack all four seasons into a single day – sun, rain, wind and snow, with the temperature bobbing up and down like a yo-yo. All this makes deciding what to wear for a day on the hills potentially worse than picking out a new outfit for a wedding. The comprehensive advice is to be prepared for everything and with today’s technical fabrics, this is not as daft as it may seem.
Lightweight jackets and trousers can be both effectively wind and waterproof without being too cumbersome should the weather improve. Efficient underlayers wick away the damp to keep you warm and dry, and throwing in a fleece takes up little extra room. Good quality socks will help keep feet comfortable and warm, and don’t forget gloves and a hat. In summer, a sun hat and lotion offer necessary protection against UV, but shorts aren’t always a good idea, particularly where there are nettles and brambles.
Whether you choose leather or fabric boots is a matter of personal preference, but you should ensure that they are waterproof rather than merely water resistant. They should, of course, be comfortable as well as offering good ankle support and grip underfoot. Finally, note that mobile phone coverage is at best patchy.
Food and drink
A number of these walks take you past a pub or a café at some stage, but if you intend to rely on them for a snack or meal, do check in advance that they will be open. It is, in any case, always advisable to pack emergency rations, in case your walk takes longer than anticipated. Also carry plenty to drink, particularly when the weather is warmer, as dehydration can be a significant problem. Drinking from streams is not always a good idea, and in limestone country they can be something of a rarity in any case.
Taking your car
If you travel to the start of the walk by car, remember that the roads, never intended for today’s traffic volumes, are generally narrow, have many bends and several very steep hills. Extra care is needed as slow-moving farm vehicles, animals, pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists may lie around any corner. And, while you might be enjoying a leisurely drive soaking up the beauty of the countryside, the car behind could contain a local just going about his daily business, so be a courteous driver and pull over as soon as it is convenient to allow faster-moving traffic to safely pass. Wherever possible, use the official car parks. This helps to reduce congestion, avoid obstruction and protect verges, and gives a measure of protection against car crime. The revenue from National Park car parks is used to improve services for visitors to the park. If there is no car park available, please park considerately and ensure that you do not obstruct field or farm accesses or cause damage.
The distant Howgills beckoning from Barkin Top (Walk 30)
Leaving your car behind
However, leaving the car behind not only helps the environment, but opens a wealth of other opportunities for your visit. Instead of confining yourself to circular walks, which most of us accept as the norm for a day out, you can broaden your horizons in walking from one dale to the next. Combined with an overnight stay or two you can truly become a traveller and begin to appreciate the relationships between the different valleys. The Dales offers several real alternatives to using the car. There is a frequent rail service along the Settle– Carlisle line serving the upper Ribble Valley, Dent Head and Garsdale. Regular bus services run into most of the popular dales, with additional services at weekends and during the summer. Full details are available from the Travel Dales website (www.traveldales.org.uk).
Cycling is another environmentally friendly way of getting about. Take your own bike, perhaps leaving the car at one of the fringe car parks, or hire a machine when you get there. You will find useful information on the Cycle The Yorkshire Dales website (www.cyclethedales.org.uk). If you have the time, spend a couple of relaxing days in the area rather than stressfully travelling back and forth on day visits. There is a wealth of inviting bed and breakfast, hotel and inn accommodation available as well as campsites, and the area has a wonderful reputation for its food. Check out www.yorkshiredales.org/accommodation.
USING THIS GUIDE
The walks in this book are for everyone, from novices to experienced ramblers, although newcomers to walking are advised to develop their abilities and confidence on the shorter walks before progressing onto the more demanding routes. However, none of the walks in this book are technically difficult and, in good weather, pose few navigational problems. Simple skills such as the ability to use a map and compass will help keep you on the right track, and are essential in poor visibility. The network of public footpaths and tracks is extensive and signposts and waymarks are generally well positioned to confirm the route. On the upper moors and indeed across many of the valley meadows, the actual line of the path is not always distinct, but the way is often discernible along a ‘trod’. Defined as a ‘mark made by treading’ a trod, by its nature, becomes more obvious the more it is walked, and indeed may develop over time as a path. But on the upper slopes, it is a less tangible thing, a slight flattening of the grass or reeds punctuated with an occasional boot print. It may differ from a sheep track only in that it has purposeful direction and requires an element of concentration to stay on the right course.
With the exception of famous The Three Peaks walk which is 23 miles long, the walks described in detail here range in distance from three and a half to 13 miles (5.6 to 20.9km), with a few suggestions for devising longer walks
