It’s a warm, dry day, a blessing in this terrain, as limestone, with its extensive network of underground drainage, sheds water far more efficiently than most other types of ground. Even after prolonged periods of rain, the surface often remains surprisingly passable, a characteristic that has both fascinated geologists and aided generations of Dales walkers. For a long while, the landscape unfolds before us, broad, flat, and almost hallucinatory in its endless, pale expanse, reminiscent of an alien planet. Then, with an abruptness that catches the breath, this rocky sea collapses like a mighty waterfall, and we find ourselves poised at the precipice of a huge, dramatic fault line. The mental image of the Yorkshire Dales might typically evoke postcard scenes of idyllic villages nestled in green valleys, crisscrossed by dry-stone walls and dotted with grazing sheep. However, this particular realm is a raw, untamed wilderness, a profound testament to nature’s formidable power, echoing the kind of natural grandeur that inspired WH Auden to celebrate its austere beauty in his poignant poem, "In Praise of Limestone." This is a landscape that not only prompts profound geological speculation but also encourages deep inward ruminations, fostering a sense of perspective and solitude rarely found in our increasingly crowded world. To cap it all, there are just three of us, mere specks against an infinite canvas, with nothing much and no one else visible all the way to the far horizons, enhancing the feeling of being utterly immersed in an ancient, enduring world. This excursion marks my first truly decent "yomp" of the spring, a much-anticipated return to vigorous outdoor activity after a long, often sodden, winter. I’ve embarked on this adventure with two trusted walking pals, united by our shared love for the wild uplands and a common appreciation for the convenience of sustainable travel. Our chosen mode of transport is the egregiously under-promoted direct train service, the Yorkshire Dales Explorer, which provides a vital, albeit limited, connection between the urban hubs of Rochdale and Manchester and the very heart of the national park, gateway to Yorkshire’s iconic Three Peaks. While the historic Leeds-Settle-Carlisle service, which recently celebrated its impressive 150th birthday, enjoys deserved fame for its breathtaking engineering feats and dramatic scenery, the Yorkshire Dales Explorer, a relatively nascent initiative having commenced in June 2024, remains a far less celebrated secret. Its infrequent schedule – trains run between Manchester Victoria and Settle on Saturdays only, with just one service in the morning each way and another in the late afternoon – starkly contrasts with the Settle-Carlisle line’s twenty daily services Monday to Saturday, and eleven on Sundays, continuing to Carlisle or Morecambe. This limited frequency of the Explorer service, operated by Northern, presents both a challenge and an opportunity. While it requires meticulous planning, it also fosters a sense of exclusivity and helps manage visitor numbers, promoting a more tranquil experience for those who make the effort. The service is a crucial step towards making the Dales more accessible via public transport, aligning with national park goals for sustainable tourism and reducing carbon footprints. We alight at Horton-in-Ribblesdale, a picturesque village that serves as the quintessential starting point for many Three Peaks aspirants. It is the penultimate station before the terminus at Ribblehead, home to the magnificent Ribblehead Viaduct – an architectural marvel of Victorian engineering comprising 24 arches, stretching over 400 metres across Batty Moss. Both Horton and Ribblehead are exceptional bases for walkers, but our chosen route immediately plunges us into the very heart of the Three Peaks territory. Pen-y-ghent, with its distinctive profile, looms behind us as we depart the station, while the commanding presence of Ingleborough lies directly ahead. To the north, on our far right, the long, whale-backed ridge of Whernside completes the trio. All three summits ascend to approximately 700 metres above sea level, presenting a formidable challenge for even the fittest. For the super-fit, it is possible to conquer all three in a single day – indeed, an ambitious few even attempt to complete the circuit between the two train services if they seek the ultimate challenge. The current men’s running record for the Three Peaks Race stands at an astonishing 2 hours, 46 minutes, and 3 seconds, set by Andy Peace of Bingley Harriers in 1996. Victoria Wilkinson, also from Bingley Harriers, holds the women’s record at 3 hours, 9 minutes, and 19 seconds, achieved in 2017. For well-trained and fit walkers, completing the more than 23-mile (37km) circuit typically takes between 8 to 10 hours, demanding significant endurance, navigation skills, and mental fortitude. Our mission on this occasion, however, is a less daunting, more leisurely exploration: a scenic walk across a high plateau nestled between the peaks, ultimately descending to the charming market town of Settle for a well-earned pub lunch. Yet, despite its more modest ambitions, the walk retains an undeniable sense of adventure. There are very few clearly marked footpaths indicated on our OS app (Ordnance Survey Explorer Map OL2, "Yorkshire Dales – Southern & Western Area," is the essential printed map for this region), but this is "open access land" under the Countryside and Rights of Way (CRoW) Act 2000. This legislation grants the public a right to roam freely on mapped areas of mountain, moor, heath, down, and registered common land, allowing us the freedom to forge our own path, albeit with responsibility. We rely on the guidance of ancient cairns – human-made stacks of stones – and our navigational expertise to chart our course. Our ascent from the station platform, situated at approximately 250 metres above sea level, leads us steadily upwards to the Moughton trig point, a surveying station marking 427 metres. From this elevated vantage point, we are rewarded with a sweeping panoramic vista encompassing the majestic Yorkshire Three Peaks to our north and east, and the undulating contours of the Bowland Fells stretching away to our south and west. This is an ideal spot for a refreshing cuppa, allowing us to absorb the grandeur of the landscape. The crisp spring air, while still cool at this altitude, carries the uplifting melody of my first skylarks of the season, their joyous song a harbinger of warmer days. Yet, this delicate chorus is punctuated by the deeper, guttural gurgling croak of ravens, a sound that resonates with the wild, untamed spirit of these hills. The limestone pavement underfoot is intermittently broken by numerous shake holes – sudden, bowl-shaped depressions in the ground. These are formed when the soluble limestone dissolves, and the overlying soil or glacial till collapses into the newly formed void, often connecting to extensive underground cave systems. One must remain alert to these natural hazards, as a misstep could lead to a minor tumble. However, the only truly significant obstacle on our route is the descent of the "scars" – the dramatic, cliff-like escarpments where the elevation suddenly drops by tens of feet. At Long Scar, we pause to carefully plot our path down the steep incline, taking in the sheer vertical edge and the expansive view. In the middle distance, an intriguing geological spectacle captures our attention: the Norber Erratics. These are more than 100 colossal boulders, composed of hard Silurian gritstone, transported long ago by immense glaciers and abandoned seemingly wantonly on top of the softer Carboniferous Limestone pavement above the picturesque village of Austwick. Their presence is a stark reminder of the immense forces that shaped this landscape during the last Ice Age. The edge of the escarpment is utterly enthralling, a place where geological history is written in stone. One can easily imagine this dramatic formation as an underwater cliff face, aeons ago, when ancient seas covered this land, teeming with the marine life whose remains now form the very rock beneath our feet. Since then, successive periods of tectonic uplift, relentless glaciation, and ceaseless weathering have played their part in creating this static, yet profoundly dramatic, tableau. The scale and ruggedness evoke comparisons to distant, exotic lands – it could easily be a rift in the Patagonian steppe, or a section of Arizona’s Monument Valley, albeit painted with a distinctly Yorkshire palette of greens, greys, and pale whites. We sight a distant obelisk, a solitary marker on the horizon, and set our course towards it, a natural beacon in the vastness. Soon, we find ourselves at the edge of another spectacular drop, Moughton Scar, where we begin our final descent from the high plateau. Our path takes us past a massive quarry, a visible testament to the region’s industrial heritage. Here, the material hewed out of the ancient strata is not the pure white limestone, but a tough, resilient gritstone known as greywacke, its colour resembling the grey tones of cement, a material historically used for construction and road building. From this point onwards, the landscape gradually softens, becoming greener and distinctly more agricultural, a gentle transition from the wild uplands to the cultivated valleys. By now, we are hitting the 10-mile stage of our walk, and it’s perfectly acceptable to feel a pleasant wobble in our legs, especially now that we’re off the tricky, uneven limestone pavement. The air is rich with the earthy scent of wild garlic, which is bursting through the verges in verdant swathes. Newborn lambs, impossibly white and fluffy, doze contentedly in the spring sunshine, while cheerful daffodils bob their heads around the tiny, idyllic hamlet of Feizor. Once primarily a destination for weary walkers, Feizor’s charming teashop now seems to attract a growing number of car tourists, reflecting the changing patterns of rural tourism. We plough on, over two final, small rises, our destination drawing ever closer, and finally reach the meandering banks of the River Ribble. This ancient waterway begins its long journey close to where we commenced ours, flowing through picturesque valleys and eventually emptying into the Irish Sea. Settle itself is a bustling market town, a vibrant hub of activity filled with a diverse mix of bikers, shoppers, and sightseers, all drawn to its charm and amenities. For us, however, the primary attraction is the promise of a well-deserved reward: pints of local ale and late lunches in one of its welcoming pubs. We are utterly contented, our bodies tired but our spirits invigorated, having truly earned our pies and refreshing drinks. From Settle, we have several convenient options for our return journey. We can catch the late train back on the Yorkshire Dales Explorer service, or for those heading further afield, hop on the number 11 minibus service to Clitheroe, which offers onward connections. Travellers from farther afield also have the invaluable backup option of later trains to Leeds or Lancaster, ensuring flexibility and ease of travel. Our expedition was an ideal first long walk for anyone seeking to re-engage with exercise and nature after the long, often dreary, wet winter months. The Dales, with their varied terrain and stunning vistas, offer a multitude of possibilities. If the ambition to tackle the formidable Three Peaks calls, I would strongly recommend splitting the hikes over a weekend to fully appreciate each one and ensure a more enjoyable, less arduous experience. For instance, a rewarding day’s jaunt could involve walking from Horton to Pen-y-ghent, then continuing on to Ribblehead, covering approximately 10 miles in total. The following day, you could conquer Whernside and Ingleborough, covering a similar distance, and concluding your adventure back at Horton. Convenient accommodation options abound in the area, including several campsites for the more adventurous, and the welcoming Station Inn at Ribblehead, a historic pub with comfortable rooms, offering stunning views of the viaduct. Each of the three hills possesses its own unique character and allure. Pen-y-ghent is a proper, formidable lump of a mountain, distinguished by its dramatically steep southern face which necessitates a short, exhilarating scramble to reach its summit. Ingleborough, while similar in its overall shape, exudes a more haughty and spread-out presence, almost mesa-like in its broad, flat-topped appearance, offering expansive views. Whernside, by contrast, is a long, elevated whale-back ridge, gracefully running north to south, its gentle slopes often making for a less strenuous ascent than its companions, yet equally rewarding in its panoramic vistas. From my kitchen window, a mere 22 miles away as the raven flies, I can clearly see the Three Peaks, their silhouettes a familiar comfort on the horizon. The day before our hike, rain had fallen steadily at home, but on the exposed summits of the peaks, it had transformed into a dusting of snow, making them look oddly out of place, like distant, frosted giants. This phenomenon underscores the unique micro-climate of the Dales. These elevated peaks bear the full brunt of cold westerly winds and are significantly higher than any surrounding terrain, consequently creating their own distinct micro-season. This is a crucial consideration for any aspiring Dales explorer: always be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions, even when the valleys seem benign. Pack layers, waterproofs, and a sense of adventure if you’re aiming to bag these magnificent peaks on your next weekend outing. The Dales, in all their wild, ancient glory, await. Post navigation Time Travel in Naples’ Subterranean Depths and Volcanic Shadows.
