Tackling the Yorkshire Three Peaks is, for some, a daunting prospect! Here’s a description of this awesome challenge to help you decide whether it’s for you! Start times for the walk are usually quite early – you don’t want to be walking in the dark if you are going to take more than 12 hours! We usually start from Horton at around 7am from either the main car park in the village or, if it’s a bigger event, from a suitable registration point. During registration you will be asked to do a kit check. The Yorkshire Three Peaks isn’t a walk in the park - it covers some fairly mountainous areas! Mostly the kit recommended is for comfort but we value your safety very highly so certain items are mandatory! The kit list is on the Yorkshire three Peaks information document you will have been forwarded after booking! After registration you will be given a short briefing and will have a chance to meet the guides for the day! All the guides are qualified and experienced mountaineers so you can rely on them for good advice and a kind word of support when you really need it. Then it’s time for the off! The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge starts by heading out through the village of Horton before heading uphill, gently at first, towards Pen Y Ghent. The hill dominates the view from Horton so it’s only on the worst weather days that you won’t be able to see your target. The track soon gets quite steep and it’s a short sharp ascent on to the summit plateau! Peak number one is soon in the bag! From the summit you veer leftwards before beginning the long, gently downhill descent towards Ribblehead Viaduct. The viaduct is one of the iconic sites on the Three Peaks walk and is a constant reminder of how far you have to go! The route here is quite often boggy – if it’s especially wet we will often veer from the shortest route to use a drier alternative! It’s a long walk to Ribblehead but when you get there you are close to ½ way round (distance not effort). After a quick stop (mobile cafe available) it’s off for your next target - Whernside. At first the good path takes you away from the mountain as you follow the railway track round to your right. Soon you cross the line and head up hill towards Whernside – the 2nd peak on the Yorkshire Three Peaks. You’re not there yet though and very quickly the track steepens before the final, flat, approach to the summit. Peak number 2 is now done! Most people don’t enjoy the descent off Whernside! It’s steep and can feel quite slippery in wet conditions. Fortunately though it’s over quite quickly and you soon find yourself heading gently downhill towards toilets and the very well positioned Phillpins Lane cafe. After a brief stop it’s across the road to start on the final ascent – Inglebrough! It starts quite gently but all that height has to be gained somehow and soon enough the final steep barrier looms ahead! It’s all over quite quickly but this section is difficult to forget if your legs are tired! It’s then a flat walk across the plateau to the final summit of the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge. Like all of the best challenges there’s plenty of time to savour the success as you walk the few miles back to Horton. At the end of a long day this section can feel like it goes on forever! However, it’s beautiful and you can see the line of the route you have walked as you descend! Spectacular! Then, before you know it, your back in Horton and it’s all over! 3 Peaks and 26 miles in less than 12 hours - that’s what it takes to be a successful Yorkshire Three Peaks bagger!!