Q&A: Climbing every mountain in the Yorkshire Dales

Q&A: Climbing every mountain in the Yorkshire Dales

Between lockdowns, I completed a challenge that started almost two years ago: climbing every mountain in the Yorkshire Dales National Park

A little over a year ago I stood on Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America and the highest outside of Asia. It was my third – probably fourth – summit of the Seven Summits. As I descended the scree slopes, I was in high spirits and full of optimism for the coming year.

On the way home I was already thinking about Denali in Alaska and whether I could afford to try it in the summer of 2020.

Well, I didn't climb Denali in 2020. In fact, like most people around the world, I have done very little over the past year. There is no need to edit the point. We've written about this before and everyone is all too aware of how difficult the last 12 months (and counting) have been.

One positive thing from last year is that I used the time between lockdowns to complete a challenge I had been working on for a while: climbing all the mountains in the Yorkshire Dales.

Climb every mountain in the Yorkshire Dales

The Yorkshire Dales National Park (YDNP) is home to one of England's classic outdoor landscapes. The park's glacial valleys - or valleys - are defined by a unique terrain of high heath moorland, rolling hills and dramatic waterfalls. With 41 mountains and an excellent network of trails, the Dales are ripe for hiking.

During the challenge, I received countless questions about the experience. I've compiled them into a Q&A below that covers everything from the idea to which cards to use.

Atlas & BootsA typical Dales view

How did you come up with the idea?

When we first moved to the Dales, I attended an evening at the Richmond Walking & Book Festival, where a local walking guide gave a presentation about the highest mountains in the area.

I thought, “What better way to get to know my new neighborhood than to climb all of its mountains?” Next, I listed all the mountains and created a personalized Google map so I could plan the order of climbing them.

What was your first mountain in YDNP?

I started with a walk to Great Shunner Fell in the Northern Dales between Wensleydale and Swaledale. At 716 m (2,340 ft), it is the third highest peak in the national park.

Atlas & BootsThe view from Great Shunner Fell, my first mountain

Despite its height, the summit is a reasonably gentle climb along a well-trodden path with little room for error. A great starting point.

And your last?

I finished with the park's newest mountain, Calf Top. In Britain, 2,000 feet is widely accepted as a benchmark for the height of a mountain.

Until 2016, the Yorkshire Dales was home to 40 peaks, but following a recalculation by the Ordnance Survey, Calf Top – with an updated elevation of 2000.02 feet (609.606 m) – was recategorised as the park's 41st mountain.

Atlas & BootsAt the summit of Calf Top

I thought about leaving Whernside – the highest peak in the park at 736m – until last. But at the start of the challenge I found myself in the Western Dales and just couldn't resist ticking it off. In the end, Calf Top seemed like the appropriate place to complete the challenge.

How long did it take?

I climbed my first YDNP mountain over two years ago. I didn't set out with a time frame; I just wanted an excuse to go hiking regularly. Of course, running this blog means that I travel a lot and am often abroad for long periods of time.

Atlas & BootsAt the summit of Great Whernside

However, when the pandemic hit I was unable to travel, so it was the perfect opportunity to complete the challenge. In the summer I started bagging peaks much quicker.

I tried to get into the Dales as often as possible and cross a few peaks at once. I managed to climb a maximum of seven in one day when I spent a long day hiking in the Howgill Fells near Sedbergh.

What was your favorite peak?

It's hard to choose, but I really enjoyed Ingleborough when I was up there in February when the weather was unseasonably warm. Ingleborough is a real little mountain with some fun climbing, a beautiful summit plateau and some of the best views in the Dales. I combined the peak with Simon’s Fell, a nearby peak that few others seem to visit.

Atlas & BootsThe Howgills or a “herd of sleeping elephants”?

However, if you ask what I would recommend most, I would say one of the peaks in the Howgills. It is a much quieter corner of the Dales and has some beautiful scenery, including deep gorges, rugged cliffs and dramatic waterfalls. Alfred Wainwright famously described the Howgill Fells as a “herd of sleeping elephants”.

Finally, despite being the lowest, Calf Top has some of the best views in the entire national park. On England's west coast you can see all the way to the sea.

Where did you camp?

I tackled several of the peaks on day hikes where I drove into the park from home and checked off one or two peaks at a time. However, on a few occasions I have camped in the park for a night or two.

Atlas & BootsCamping under the stars in the Dales

If possible, I would wild camp, making sure to follow etiquette: I wait until late in the day to pitch my tent, usually around sunset, and then leave early in the morning. I pitch pretty high up in the hills, far away from farms or settlements, and always follow the seven principles of Leave No Trace.

I have also used some local campsites and recommend the following:

• Usha Lücke, Muker
• Askrigg Camping, Askrigg
• Stablefell Camping, Marsett
• Kettlewell Camping, Kettlewell

Which cards did you use?

I used the following Ordnance Survey Explorer maps at 1:25,000 scale.

• OL 2 Yorkshire Dales: Südlicher und westlicher Bereich
• OL 19 Yorkshire Dales: Howgill Fells und Upper Eden Valley
• OL 30 Yorkshire Dales: Nördlicher und zentraler Bereich

The following 1:50,000 scale Landranger maps also cover the area:

• 98 Wensleydale & Upper Wharfedale
• 91 Appleby-in-Westmorland

All Ordnance Survey maps come with a mobile download version for the OS Maps app, the UK's best walking app.

Atas & BootsUsing the OS Maps app

Why the YDNP 41?

For me, climbing every mountain in the Yorkshire Dales was just a great way to spend time outside and get to know my area during lockdown. Engaging with and accessing nature has proven benefits for mental and physical health, which is particularly relevant during lockdown.

I would strongly encourage anyone who is finding life difficult during these times to look around their surroundings and choose a micro-adventure or create a micro-challenge to complete.

alt="Eskholme Pike near Calf Top">Atlas & BootsEskholme Pike near Calf Top

This could be “10 local trails” or “20 hills over 500m”. It doesn't matter what it is or how long it lasts. With normal life so restricted at the moment, it's more important than ever to get outside, get into nature and unwind.

Take a look at some of the following articles to find hikes near you:

• Englands 100 beliebteste Wanderwege
• Die 12 besten Wanderungen im Yorkshire Dales National Park
• Die 12 besten Wanderungen im North York Moors National Park
• Die 12 besten Wanderungen im Northumberland National Park
• Die 12 besten Wanderungen im Peak District National Park
• Die 10 besten Wanderungen im Dartmoor National Park

If you're looking for further inspiration, I wrote an article for the Independent about how to add a sense of adventure to lockdown exercises.

What's next?

As mentioned, I'm currently working my way through a challenge to climb the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on every continent. So far I have climbed Kilimanjaro in Africa, Elbrus in Europe, Kosciuszko in Oceania and most recently Aconcagua in South America.

The row of cairns on the legendary Nine Standards Rigg

My plans have been put on hold due to the pandemic, so I'm not sure when I'll get the chance to crack the next one. I still have Denali in North America, Vinson in Antarctica and Everest in Asia.

I also intend to climb Puncak Jaya in Indonesia to complete the two separate versions of the seven summit lists, the first of which limits Oceania to Australia, while the second includes the islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Closer to home, England has 180 mountains over 2,000 feet. I've climbed about 60 of them, so maybe I'll start with the rest. With around 95% of these located in the north of England, most are relatively easy to get to.

The mountains of the Yorkshire Dales

There are numerous methods of categorizing mountains in the UK, using various combinations of height, prominence and isolation. In general I like the method known as Hewitts (hills in England, Wales and Ireland above 2000 feet).

Hewitts are mountains over 609.6 m (2,000 feet) that have a drop (ledge) of at least 30 m (98.4 feet) on all sides. There are 30 such mountains in the Yorkshire Dales, shown in green on the map below.

Show/hide layers by clicking the top left icon

However, I wanted to climb a few more than 30, so I chose the Nuttalls, named by Anne and John Nuttall in their 1990 book The Mountains of England and Wales.

As with the Hewitts, Nuttalls are over 609.6 m (2,000 ft) tall, but only have a prominence of 15 m (49.2 ft) or more. There are 41 Nuttalls in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, shown in red in the map above.

The list below shows all 41 Nuttalls and can be sorted to show only the Hewitts.

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

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