- The Yorkshire Three Peaks is a popular hike in England's Yorkshire Dales National Park.
- I took part in the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge to complete the 24-mile hike in under 12 hours.
The Yorkshire Three Peaks is a popular hike in England's Yorkshire Dales National Park. Thousands of people travel each year to take on the Ingleborough, Pen-y-ghent, and Whernside mountains — a hike that covers 24 miles.
Along with my husband and two friends, I participated in the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, which calls on hikers to complete the 24-mile hike in under 12 hours.
The experience was an endurance challenge that offered spectacular views, beautiful hill walking, and an incredible sense of achievement.
Here's what hiking the Yorkshire Three Peaks was like.
We began our journey in Yorkshire after meeting up with our group
To start our journey, we headed to Yorkshire, about a three-hour drive from my home in Oxfordshire. After spending a night at The Old Hill Inn near the start of the hike, we began our quest at 6 a.m.
We met up with a group of about 100 people who would be participating in the challenge with us. Though we could've done a self-guided hike, we booked an organized walk so we wouldn't have to worry about navigation.
After a kit check, where our hiking gear was checked for suitability, we started climbing Ingleborough just as the sun was rising and the clouds were clearing.
The route is circular, meaning you can start from any point and walk in either direction. Starting with Ingleborough meant no time to ease into the walk — we ascended immediately. Even though I hike often, I was worried the whole route would be this steep.
After a beautiful walk up the first half, there was a steep incline to the summit. The path became a one-person-wide set of rocky steps, which required some light scrambling — full-body crawling using our hands and feet.
With people ahead of and behind us at all times, we couldn't stop for longer than a quick moment.
We made it up to the top, with one peak in the bag before 8 a.m. Thankfully, our next path was gentler and opened to a calmer, more relaxed descent.
We made a quick stop in the village of Horton in Ribblesdale.
The path led us to the village of Horton in Ribblesdale. I was devastated to discover there would be no designated snack stops and that we'd have to eat on the go.
Luckily, I learned to put food in the outside pockets of my backpack so I could reach in and eat as I walked.
At times, I found the pace of the organized hike a bit quick. I would've liked more time to stop and admire the views, but I knew we had to keep the momentum going.
The climb up Pen-y-ghent started more slowly, and we walked in stages, with walls acting as markers. The path changed again, becoming steeper and requiring us to scramble up rock formations.
We reached the summit before midday, with a quick chance for photos at the top.
Next, we headed to Whernside to hike the final peak
The descent began a mammoth three-hour stretch to Whernside.
The group had really spread out by this point, and we walked with a smaller group of 10 people the rest of the way. I was tired, but knowing we had completed most of the climbing made me determined to finish.
With no immediate hills to climb or places to reach, it was harder to stay focused on the flatter sections of the hike, but we were able to chat and focus on the beautiful views.
Eventually, we reached Ribblehead Viaduct, an incredible Victorian railway bridge. We watched in awe as a steam train made its way across as we arrived.
At this point, we'd learned that a thunderstorm was coming and were advised to take a low pass around the final mountain rather than the high pass to the summit.
I was disappointed, but after walking over 18 miles for nine hours, we listened to our heads and feet and opted for the lower pass.
We snaked around Whernside and began the final stretch back to the start. I was tired by this point, but the end was in sight.
We ended the day at a pub
After completing the hike, we headed to the pub. I can't overstate the pure joy I felt taking off my hiking boots, sitting down, and having a drink in the sunshine.
The Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge is a brilliant endurance test that combines exertion with nature and serenity with popularity.
Having done the group-guided challenge once, I'm tempted to try the route again as a self-paced walk. I'd also love to try to make it up the final hill — and make more time to appreciate the views along the way.