Skipton Skedaddle 50
You string together the greatest hits of the southern Dales in one enormous loop: Gordale Scar, the summit of Pen-y-ghent, Fountains Fell and Malham Tarn, all on foot from Skipton.
Effort: Ultra distance and major ascent
Underfoot: Open fell or rough terrain
E5·T3 — how we grade routesYou string together the greatest hits of the southern Dales in one enormous loop: Gordale Scar, the summit of Pen-y-ghent, Fountains Fell and Malham Tarn, all on foot from Skipton.
An 83.6km ultra from Skipton into the high Dales, linking Gordale Scar, Fountains Fell, Pen-y-ghent and Malham Tarn before the River Aire leads home. A huge day taking in the best of Craven and Ribblesdale.
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.
A serious ultra with exposed high fells (Fountains Fell, Pen-y-ghent) where weather turns severe, so full kit, fuelling and navigation are essential. Boggy moor and slick limestone throughout, with a long way between escape points. Grouse shooting affects the moors from August to December.
Summits on this route
Safety on this route
- No signal? Text 999 — pre-register first: text register to 999
- Tell someone your route and expected return time before you head out
Leave No Trace
- Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories.
- Please respect the countryside and all its inhabitants.
- Dogs on leads near livestock, and around ground-nesting birds from March to July.
- Gates as you find them — open or closed, leave it that way for the farmer and the next runner.
- Take it all home — wrappers, peel, tissue, the lot. It doesn't count as biodegradable if you can still see it.
- Stick to the path where the ground either side is wet, planted, or nesting habitat.
Common questions
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