Ingleton and traverses the Dales, with the winners finishing the 61 miles in Grassington, just over ten hours later.
Runners competing in the Pen-y-ghent race
Tracks and trails
Trail running has recently become a popular addition to our sport, and the Dales provides an extensive network of paths, bridleways, tracks, trails and roads, offering some of the finest fell and trail running. Many of these routes follow ancient drove roads that were once used for transporting vital supplies between one dale and another. The rise in popularity of trail running has led to an increase in organised events covering a range of distances, from 10km to over 50km; many of which are low-key, non-competitive events. Participants navigate the course using a map and a written route description, via well-stocked checkpoints, to the finish.
In recent years walking, mountain biking and running for leisure have grown enormously, with many more people taking up the sport of running and visiting the Yorkshire Dales to pursue their hobby. The popular tourist centres of Settle, Sedbergh, Hawes and Reeth cater for outdoor sports and increasingly for runners, with shops and guiding services readily available.
Crossing the Dales are several long distance trails; the most well known of which are the Pennine Way and the Dales Way. The Pennine Way runs from Edale in the Peak District to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish borders. The Spine Race, which is held each January, runs the length of the Pennine Way, the completion of which is a fantastic achievement. The Dales Way, which runs through the Dales, traverses Wharfedale from Ilkley before crossing the Cam High Road into Dentdale, finishing at a point overlooking Lake Windermere at Bowness. At 81 miles, this route makes a good multi-day running (otherwise known as ‘fastpacking’) trip.
Signpost: ‘Hawes’
Three Peaks race
The most famous long race in the Dales is the Three Peaks Race. Held annually in April, the race comprises the Yorkshire Three Peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, starting and finishing in Horton in Ribblesdale. In common with most races, the winners complete the course in superhuman times. The current women’s record stands at 3hr 9min (Victoria Wilkinson, 2017), while the men’s record is 2hr 46min (Andy Peace, 1996). The mid-pack usually takes between four to five hours to reach the finish. Route 4 in the South-West Dales and Three Peaks section of this book describes a route that takes in these three famous peaks. Be aware it does not describe the classic Three Peaks race route. Sometimes criticised as more of a trail race by fell runners, the Three Peaks Race is a hard route with fast running on good tracks, many of which have recently been improved, between each of the peaks. The final run-off, from the summit of Ingleborough, seems much longer than normal, even though from early on the finish marquee can be seen in the distance. The final run-in, across the field, under the railway, around someone’s garden, across the road and over the final few metres of grass, is accompanied by cheers from the large crowd and the announcement of your name over the tannoy system. This is markedly different to other fell races. As a local runner, the support you receive throughout the race is unbelievable and well worth all the hard miles of training.
The badge of the Three Peaks Club (Image trademark of the 'Three Peaks Cafe')
Other events
The Yorkshire Dales offers a wide range of different races, from the short and fast races at Burnsall and Kilnsey Shows to the longer classic events like the Three Peaks Race. Equally, many challenge events are held in the Dales each year, often raising money for charities, such as mountain rescue teams, allowing them to continue their superb work.
For details of other races and events, visit the following websites: FRA (www.fellrunner.org.uk), BOFRA (www.bofra.org.uk), the Trail Running Association (TRA) (www.tra-uk.org) or YDNP (www.yorkshiredales.org.uk).
Running clubs
The Dales offers many well-attended running clubs. Most of the larger towns have a club that trains on the fells, and they are always open to new members and visitors. For further details visit www.fellrunner.org.uk.
The author representing Settle Harriers in the FRA Relays Kettlewell (photo: Alex Pilkington)
Equipment
Running, at its heart, is about a pair of trainers, a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. This simplicity is what many runners crave and partly why many of us choose to run.
The weather, the time of year and the length and difficulty of the route often make this simple approach more complex. A runner’s equipment and clothing are a personal choice that reflects experience, ability and general mindset. Suggestions of what to wear or carry (depending on the weather) in summer conditions include the following: a waterproof or windproof top; fell or trail-running shoes; long or short-sleeved base layer; shorts; socks; buff or hat; gloves; whistle; simple first aid kit; food; a map of the area; a compass; and, of course, the ability to use the last two.
A selection of winter running kit
Consideration should also be given to the weather conditions on the day. Always bear in mind that the weather on the top of the mountain can be much windier and colder than in the valley bottom. A long-sleeved top and bottoms should be worn or carried, just in case.
A route that can be run in shorts and a short-sleeved base layer (with a windproof just in case) in summer can be completely different in winter, when the weather conditions can be much more difficult and the visibility much poorer.
Extra winter kit could include spare clothing, thicker base layers, hats and gloves, extra food, a head torch, a survival bag and possibly micro crampons and running poles. These days, a fully charged mobile phone is a useful piece of additional kit; although this should never replace a map due to unreliable mobile coverage and limited battery life.
And finally, footwear. Everyone has their favourite running shoe. Again, your choice of shoe depends on the route, the weather conditions and, of course, personal preference. A good pair of trail or fell shoes with substantial grip should be enough for the routes in this book, most of which are on paths and tracks. All good outdoor shops should be able to advise as to which shoe type is best for different terrains.
A selection of trainers showing the type of grip needed
Navigation
The ability to use a map and compass is essential. There are a multitude of courses, books and websites that can teach you how to navigate safely and effectively. The most important aspect is to be able to understand the information provided by the map and relate it to what you see around you; this allows you to accurately fix your position.
How you choose to navigate is a personal choice. The rise in popularity of digital mapping and navigation apps on smartphones has led to runners taking a mixed approach to navigation. When researching the runs in this book, I always carried a physical map and compass, having been brought up in the days before such technology was invented. At the same time, I would record the run on a GPS watch while running a navigation app on my phone. I found this combination to be the most useful.
Runners should carry an appropriate map, in a waterproof bag, and be able to use it to