Fountains Fell, Pen-y-ghent, Malham and Pennine Way from Skipton

The route

This is a true ultra: 83.6km from the market town of Skipton out into the high Dales and back. The line heads north past Gordale Scar and onto the Pennine Way, climbing Fountains Fell and the summit of Pen-y-ghent before dropping to Horton in Ribblesdale, then working back via the Ribble Way and Malham Tarn to follow the River Aire home. It is a route measured in a long day on the feet, mixing high moorland, limestone and river path across some of the finest ground in the Dales.

The high ground

The centrepiece is the Pennine Way section over Fountains Fell and Pen-y-ghent, one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks at 694m, with its distinctive stepped profile and airy summit. Gordale Scar, a colossal limestone gorge, and the still water of Malham Tarn add drama at either end of the high section, while the River Aire threads the gentler country back to Skipton. It is a route that shows the range of the southern Dales, from wild fell to pastoral valley, in a single continuous line.

Why it works

This is a route for experienced ultra runners only. The distance, the climb and the exposure on the high fells make it a serious undertaking that demands full kit, fuelling, navigation and a big fitness base. Weather on Fountains Fell and Pen-y-ghent can be severe, and the ground ranges from boggy moor to slick limestone. Navigation is largely on well-known trails but needs care in cloud on the tops. Skipton is a proper base with everything you need at either end. Done in a single push, this is one of the most complete tours of the southern Dales you can run.