Bikepacking the Yorkshire 3 Peaks
Low winds, clear skies & the calling of the Yorkshire 3 peaks. With the glorious forecasts ahead of the 2019 Yorkshire 3 peaks cyclocross race, it seemed rude not to head out bikepacking the Yorkshire 3 Peaks route beforehand!
With the Yorkshire 3 peaks being as popular as they are, mountain biking the 24 mile route overnight seemed the only feasible way to complete the round, without causing too much obstruction and actually being able to enjoy the ride.
I dashed out of work in a mad rush on Friday afternoon, with a spring in my step at the thought of leaving monotony behind on the pursuit of adventure. Leaving work at 3.30pm, I had fast and light kit packed – which meant I was in Horton by 4.30 and stood on top of Ingleborough by 6.30. Efficient, organised and most unlike me!
The route to the top of Ingleborough is mostly hike-a-bike. Spurred on by the thought of a sweet evening descent & more so by the significantly shorter nights, I charged up there pretty quick, despite carrying a 15kg bike and several additional kg’s of overnight kit.
With the sunset due at 7.30 & I wanted to see if a summit camp on Whernside was possible. The Yorkshire Dale’s are a pretty damp place to camp low down, that and wild camping is generally unacceptable low down as you’re going to be camping and effectively trespassing on private land – a big no no when there are campsites nearby.
The beauty of wild camping is the freedom to pitch where you like & choose priority views – as long as you leave no trace and aren’t a nuisance basically. With minimal wind in the air, I figured the summit of Whernside would do nicely.
Descending off Ingleborough under the sunset was awesome – the kind of thing dreams are made of, the best way to end a hectic working week. Views for miles, temperatures getting cooler, but the most vibrant colours on display. It encapsulated everything I love about adventure cycling. Bikepacking the Yorkshire 3 Peaks was on my hit list all summer long, so to get such idyllic conditions made it even sweeter.
It did however mean the hike up Whernside was in near dark conditions, given the setting sun had long since shone its last light in Chapel le Dale. Fortunately the 3 peaks aren’t huge, each requires around 400m climbing over a pretty short distance, but often rocky and boggy terrain.
I topped out on Whernside just after 8 to a faint last orange glow one way and a full moon starting to rise to the other – and some Geordie lads also summit camping!
With the clear skies, low winds and early setting sun, it was getting cold and damp by 8.30pm. A top Whernside, there isn’t a great deal of entertainment. The views across the Dales were long gone & I was shattered. Gone are the days when I could party my Friday nights away – I love nothing more than an early night these days!
The simplicity of a dehydrated Firepot meal meant no matter how late I arrived, I could have a delicious meal knocked up in ten minutes. I was fed and bedded down in my sleeping bag by 9. After a hectic week this was a blissful relief, I got the best 10 hour sleep I’ve had in a while. Snug and warm all night, without the disturbance of wind or sheep.
I woke up feeling alive. Having done two of three ascents, I would be starting the day with a sweet descent of Whernside. Not before coffee and a sunrise over the Dale’s.
What a place to camp and what a view to wake up to. I love tranquil mornings like this, nothing else crosses my mind when taking in these views. It’s a simple, focussed way of life. Wake up, drink coffee, enjoy the view and fresh air. Then go bikepacking the Yorkshire 3 Peaks. What a way to live life!
I figured a Saturday morning after the school holidays were finished would be quieter on the peaks. Wrong. So very wrong. For the most part, the descent was unfortunately spent dodging pedestrians… at 7.30 in the morning. Did these people not have anything better to do?!
I figured doing Pen-Y-Ghent to finish off bikepacking the Yorkshire 3 Peaks wouldn’t be much fun. Over an hour of bike carrying, to descend dodging people and dogs. It didn’t seem worth an attempt, it wouldn’t have been much fun. I’ve had my bike on Pen-Y-Ghent before, I didn’t feel I was missing out. My suspicions were confirmed in Horton, car parks and lay bys full at 8.30am. It wasn’t worth it. I wanted breakfast and more coffee – sometimes I do stop and enjoy time to chill out!
By 9 am I felt fulfilled. I’d spent a night under the stars and ridden my mountain bike. It’s so weird to say I felt fulfilled by sleeping, but bikepacking and wild camping gives me this sensation of being most alive. Its difficult to explain the satisfaction it gives me, yet there I was, by 9am grinning from ear to ear – with my entire weekend still in front of me.
It’s worth noting the actual 3 peaks route isn’t all bridleway. Cyclist have no legal right to ride on footpaths – that and you’re going to p*ss people off, especially those with dogs and young children. I won’t encourage or discourage either way, just be responsible and conscious of your actions and repercussions. Cycling UK has a very informative article on this subject. Ride sensibly.
