Day out in the Dales

[Tractorboy]

With family away, I may have a free Saturday coming up and fancy some proper running on hills. The problem is I don't have a car so was thinking I might get the Settle-Carlisle line up north somewhere (Dent?) and then do a good 5 hour route. So:
- Anyone got any suggestions for routes along the Railway line? Say 10-15 miles. (PS I don't really fancy the 3 Peaks and would prefer somewhere a little off the beaten track, but to give you an idea of my abilities, I normally do the 3P race in about 5 hours, i.e. no great shakes)
- Alternatively, has anyone got any good runs in the Dales reachable by bus? (Including bus back at the end of the day). I'm based in York so reckon I could get to Skipton, Darlington or Harrogate easily enough. I always like Swaledale since it usually quite quiet.
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

[Stolly]

Hehe I don't know where to start.........

(I'll post some routes tomorrow if that's okay)

[mr brightside]

What about that skyline run you and Softie did Stolly? Out of Ingleton along the ridge from Twistleton Scar, Whernside, Park Fell, Ingleborough etc...

[Stolly]

Here's a few suggestions, sticking to stations on the Settle Carlisle line:

Settle

Settle Loop with Rye Loaf Hill thrown in - 11 miles

Rye Loaf Hill, kirkby fell, Malham and Gordale Scar loop - 17 miles

Malham Tarn, Fountains Fell, Pen y Ghent and Stainforth (long) loop - 24 miles

Horton

Plover Hill and Pen y Ghent - 10 miles

Pen Y Ghent, Plover Hill, Foxup, Eller Carr and langstrothdale loop - 16 miles

Pen Y Ghent, Lodge hall, Park Fell, Ingleborough - 17 miles

Ribblehead

Whernside and Blea Moorr - 10 miles

Whernside, Ingleborough and Park Fell - 12 miles


Dent

Whernside and Great Coum from Dent - 12 miles (route of the Whernside Fell Race)

Kingsdale Skyline - 19 miles

I can also cobble together a couple of routes of say Dent to Horton or Horton to Dent if you want and if you're able to travel away from the railway line, I have loads of routes starting from Ingleton, Clapham, Austwick, Arncliffe, Kettlwell, Malham and all stops in between. If there's one you fancy trying or you're unsure as to how hard/easy a route might be let me kinow and I'll fill in a few gaps

[plodding bear]

If you could get a bus from Skipton up to Kettlewell, there's some good stuff round there. Up onto Firth Fell, along and down to Buckden, up Buckden Pike, along and over Gt Whernside, and back via a choice of routes to Kettlewell.
Check the bus times though! Allow about 4.5 hrs for the run, sounds like for you it will be plenty of time.

[Tractorboy]

Thanks a million Stolly! Some great looking routes.
I reckon I will try out the "langstrothdale" 16 miler from Horton (PYG, Plover Hill etc.).
Looking forward to it!

[Stolly]

Thanks a million Stolly! Some great looking routes.
I reckon I will try out the "langstrothdale" 16 miler from Horton (PYG, Plover Hill etc.).
Looking forward to it!

Once you start to drop down into Langstrothdale there are two routes you can take - the easiest is to follow the tarmac lane smack in the centre of the valley which eventually turns back into a track but, if your feeling more adventurous, you can hop over a fence and zip through a small fire break in the pine forest to follow a forest trail that runs a bit higher but parallel to the valley bottom. There both lovely either way. Have a good un

[Tractorboy]

Well, did the Langtrothdale route, pretty much as planned.
Started out from Horton at 10.15 ish, having got the 7.40 from York (for train buffs). First up PYG. This was a new ascent for me, since I have done it via the 3 Peaks Fell Race route before. Quite hard work getting up the various "shelves" and I kind of feel the race route is easier. Quite a few people on way up but then lost crowds for rest of day as moved onto Plover Hill, down to Foxup (quite rainy by then!). From Foxup I made a slight change to the route. Rather than clim and drop down in Langstrothdale, I stayed high, running the moor above the valley, basically following the wall along the top of the moor until it dropped into the Forestry Plantation.
Saw buzzards, a vole and got an electric shock from a fence! All in all a great day out and a good work out. I was back at Horton by about 2.45, ready for the 3.15 train!!