Whernside

Whernside is the highest of the Yorkshire Dale’s Three Peaks at 2,415 feet (736 metres). There are good paths to the top from most directions, the most popular being from Ribblehead via the famous viaduct, where you can learn a bit about the shanty towns that existed when the railway was being built. The path takes past what is allegedly the most remote railway signal box in Britain at Blea Moor and the unusual Force Gill aqueduct. Whernside looks like a whale and has been the scene of a number of aircraft crashes. The summit is on a ridge, with views of Ingleborough, Dentdale, the Howgill Fells, the Lake District and the Irish Sea. It is probably the easiest of the Three Peaks to walk, but is still a serious and often strenuous walk to the top, necessitating proper clothing and footwear as well as a supply of water and something to eat. It should be pointed out that, once you start the ascent, there is no shelter and either side of the path can get decidedly soggy. The post code is for the Station Inn at Ribblehead. The Three Peaks of the Yorkshire Dales (Whernside, Pen-y-Ghent and Ingleborough) are often tackled by the very fit for fun or charity in a time of +/- 12 hours covering a distance of approx 24 miles.