Three Peaks of Yorkshire. 3-6 July 1996
It rained heavily most
of Wednesday. Mine host at the Station Inn, Ribblehead, said it was the best in
Yorkshire for 12 months. Good news for those suffering from drought, hose-pipe
bans and the inefficiency of Yorkshire Water. But not so for the Meths reunion,
with more rain forecast for Thursday and no let-up on Friday. So it was decided
to go ahead with the main walk as planned on Thursday and start it at 5.30am to
accommodate the old crocks in the party and get one peak done before breakfast.
The new landlord at
the Station Inn has turned it into a cross between Fawlty Towers and Colditz.
However, a mass breakout took place and the walk actually started at 5.30am in
less than promising conditions. A halt was called at Gunnerfleet under a tree
giving scanty protection from the torrential downpour and rising wind. Our
leader the Mad Axeman outlined his master-plan for the walk: 'No one get in
front of me and no one fall behind Eric bringing up the rear.' And woe betide
anyone not obeying those simple guidelines.
It was then off into
the swirling mist on an ever steepening ascent of Whernside (2,418ft). Little
time was spent in the atrocious conditions at the summit; our leader was
scarcely able to pull the ring on a tin of McEwan's Export. The party was kept
close together to make sure everyone got on the correct path off the summit
ridge. Then it was full speed ahead for the Hill Inn where cars met us to ferry
us to breakfast at Ribblehead.
Unaccustomed to the
subtleties of the Yorkshire weather, two retired after Whernside suffering from
mild hypothermia, thus reducing the walking party to 19.
The walk restarted at 9.30am in
depressing conditions and the relentless downpour increased as the ascent of
Ingleborough (2,373ft) took place. A quick regroup at Swine's Tail and then on
to the summit in thick mist and a full gale. Nothing was seen of the
Romano-British hut settlement on the featureless summit plateau. Only accurate
work with the compass got the party on and off the plateau. If anything, even
less time was spent on the summit of Ingleborough than on Whernside.
It was then the leg to
Horton-in-Ribblesdale and lunch. Our leader was having difficulty with his
umbrella in the gale, but at least it reduced the stream of water going down
inside his anorak to a trickle. Daphne's blue cape, first seen in eastern Switzerland and so effective in
counteracting Suswa washes in Slovenia,
was totally useless billowing out in the gale as she tried to negotiate a stile.
By common consent a Naafi break did not take place at the shooting hut and the
sheep were left to enjoy what meagre protection it offered. The party went on
full steam ahead for The Crown, lunch and liquid refreshment.
With morale and
spirits much uplifted by a most pleasant sojourn at The Crown, Pen-y-Ghent
(2,273ft) was tackled. Rain was now easing, but the gale increased further and
greatly assisted our ascent. The noise of the wind battering the summit cliffs
was unbelievable. People were being blown over, but we struggled on to the
summit, unlike other parties — notably of school children — that were turning
back. There was a view at the summit and this was briefly enjoyed looking out
to leeward from a wall.
Now on to the final
leg, detouring via Hull Pot to avoid the swollen Hull Pot Beck and the
unspeakable horrors of the bog at Black Dub Moss. It is here, it may be
recalled, that Brian took his celebrated swim in liquid peat two years ago.
At Hull Pot people
were given the option to continue the monotonous trudge to Ribblehead or cut
the walk short by making for The Crown. Unfortunately only two opted for the
comforts of The Crown and made their way there to further chat up the barmaid.
Although she was Welsh, she was unfamiliar with the ancient Welsh verb 'wydfo'.
She had also visited Malawi — small world. The remaining 17 made their way at
various speeds back to Ribblehead in what increasingly became quite a pleasant
afternoon.
The weather conditions
on the Three Peaks Walk were undoubtedly the most atrocious that our leader has
ever experienced during half a century of walking in the Pennines.
Even so, several
people came up to him afterwards to thank him for a grand day on the fells. We
really should all be locked up. Or perhaps, as Mr Churchill reminded us in one
of his famous wartime speeches: 'We are not made of candy floss.'
In true Sod's Law
fashion, Friday turned out to be quite a pleasant day. Cars were parked at the
Buttertubs Pass (1,726ft). From there it was a pleasant stroll to Great Shunner
Fell (2,340ft). The party stopped to admire the graceful collection of cairns
at Pickersett (origins unknown, but attributed by the locals to T'awd Man). The
all-round view at Great Shunner was fantastic. From there it was an easy
five-mile amble downhill to The Green Dragon at Hardraw for an excellent lunch.
By common consent everyone decided not to do the return leg via Lovely Seat
(2,213ft) to the cars. Some made it to Hardraw Force waterfall behind the pub;
others festered in the flesh-pots of Hawes. Ian "Axeman" Mason
Participants: Ian "Mad Axeman" Mason
(leader), Robert Mason, Mike "Mad Mike" Petzold, Verena
"Muesli" Petzold, Sadie Mason, Brian "AMLH" Sayers, Jane
Sayers, Eric "Polevault" Scott, Valerie Scott, Stuart "Socks"
Leslie, Rhoda Leslie, Chris "El Puerco" Leslie, Katie Hick, John
"Koenig von Mulanje" Killick, Anne Killick, Richard Killick, Stephen
"Hagar" Ward, Pauline Ward, Huw Williams, John Cullison, Diana
Kissil, Rupert "Westface" Roschnik, Daphne "DM³" Martin,
Bruce "Legs" Martin, Jan "Duke of York" Frøseth, Goerild
Raundal.
Three Peaks Walk
website: www.threepeaks.net
National Park Website:
www.yorkshiredales.org.uk
©
WDYFO, 2001