On the 4th July of 2026 I completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks with a group of friends and strangers supported by Elite Adventures. It was my first time walking with a guided group, which I found a mixed experience, the mountin guides did a fantastic job while the weather did it’s best to make the day a washout.
Rough Weather
The day was grey and overcast, later developing into what my friend would term type 2 fun with persistent heavy rain above the valleys. After the first peak we were already soaked through, my waterproof coat wet out. Thankfully it remained fairly warm, so with the exertion of walking we didn’t get too chilled and a hot chocolate at Chapel-le-Dale was very welcome as well.
Mixed Team
There was a real mix of abilities in the team and on the climb up Whernside the group was broken into faster and slower members. My friends and I had signed up with were pleased to be included in the faster group. It was something I was really happy with having spent a significant amount of time in training ahead of the walk. On my previous completion of the Yorkshire Three Peaks Whernside was a particular challenge, so I had made sure to both fuel better and specifically train for hill climbs ahead of the walk. It still proved tough as you would expect for the highest peak and I was happy to reach the summit roughly on time for a 10 hour completion.
Silver Lining
A major advantage of the terrible weather and limited visibility was that my worry about heights was curtailed. Only being able to see a short distance ahead made the imposing descent off Whernside and the steep climb at Ingleborough far more manageable.
At the top of Ingleborough the wind was fierce and the visibility so poor it was a genuine challenge to find the trig point marking the summit. It was like nothing I had ever experienced. Working together in small groups we managed to make it across the plateau for a quick photo before heading back down towards Horton in Ribblesdale.
The Final Tally
Sadly due to a combination of injuries in the group ascending and descending Ingleborough our speed dropped from near 10 hour completion time to 11 hours, the last portion of rough track proving to be a challenge all of its own. It did mean we crossed the foot bridge at the Horton in Ribblesdale station just in time to get a celebratory honk from a passing train driver, which brightened our spirits for the last stretch down to the village where we collected our medals and set off for a very well deserved burger on the way home.