Following the Nidd Valley Railway

I had the idea for this walk when I was studying a map of Nidderdale, trying to work out an interesting walk that both went somewhere I had not been before and which might be suitable for a day with a weather forecast of constant rain. I noticed a footpath running along a section of the embankment of the disused Nidd Valley Railway, and wondered if it would be possible to do a walk that followed as much of this old railway line as was possible.

the Severe climberNovember 28, 2025November 28, 20258 Comments

Climbing the problem Fe at High Crag (Stump Cross)

Rock climbing

Father and Son Bouldering at High Crag (Stump Cross)

A long period of dry weather recently gave my son and me a chance to go climbing at High Crag, on the moors not that far from Stump Cross Caverns. We did some fun climbing, on a glorious day, and on a great crag that we had to ourselves.

the Severe climberSeptember 14, 2025October 21, 20252 Comments

Hiking

Along and Around Whernside – Part Two

The second day of my two-day walk in the Yorkshire Dales started with a sudden change of plans. My new plan led to me traversing quiet dales and to a truly stunning view.

the Severe climberAugust 26, 202517 Comments

Hiking

Along and Around Whernside – Part One

On the first day of a two-day walk in the Yorkshire Dales, I walked from Ribblehead to the summit of Whernside and then down the length of Whernside’s superlative SW ridge.

I was studying a map of the Yorkshire Dales a couple of years ago, looking for ideas for walks, when the SW ridge of Whernside caught my eye. This rounded ridge gradually descends from the summit of Whernside all the way to the outskirts of the village of Ingleton. It runs along one side of a small dale opposite the imposing mass of Ingleborough. When I did the Yorkshire Three Peaks many years ago, I had walked the start of this ridge before dropping off it after about a kilometre to descend to Chapel-le-Dale. If I had carried on going, I would have had miles of gentle walking over the moors and through the karst landscape of the Dales, all the while with sweeping views across the dales. I found the idea of walking along this ridge compelling, but I put this idea to one side because the most obvious ways to do it were either a long loop walk, or a linear walk with a car at each end, and these were not appealing. Last year, another way to walk the length of the SW ridge of Whernside occurred to me.

the Severe climberAugust 1, 2025August 26, 20254 Comments

Rock climbing, What they don't tell you in the guidebook

Traversing at Low Roof

In the run-up to Christmas last year, I went bouldering at the Low Roof sector of Brimham Rocks for the first time. It was a good trip, but I unfortunately ran out of time before I could try a couple of intriguing traverses. I don’t often climb traverses, but I decided that I should try to come back to Low Roof to climb these two because they looked so engaging and fun. I realised at the beginning of March that I needed to do this within the next few weeks, otherwise the bracken would soon have regrown and enclosed the boulders. So last week I made a short and intense trip to Low Roof to go traversing.

the Severe climberMarch 30, 2025October 21, 20258 Comments

Rock climbing

Father and Son Bouldering at Almscliff

My son and I had a great bouldering trip to Almscliff last weekend. He had fun playing among the rocks and skilfully climbing up some relatively challenging lines. I enjoyed trying a few problems that I had found challenging on previous attempts and some problems I had not come across before. Moreover, I loved spending time with him sharing an activity that has been such a large part of my life. Continue reading Father and Son Bouldering at Almscliff

the Severe climberMarch 7, 2025October 21, 202510 Comments

Hiking

Along the Wharfe and Over Hare Head

This was a great circular walk that took me from Bolton Abbey, past the ruins of Bolton Priory, along the River Wharfe, by the raging Strid, and up to Hare Head on Barden Moor. While the cold, grey, rainy weather did literally dampen my day, it didn’t stop me enjoying some of the best sights in the Yorkshire Dales. If I ever get around to writing my guidebook of walks to do in poor weather, then this walk will certainly be included. Continue reading Along the Wharfe and Over Hare Head

the Severe climberFebruary 20, 2025August 26, 202515 Comments

Hiking

To Simon’s Seat and Through Trollers Gill

Simon’s Seat is a large outcrop of millstone grit in a commanding position on the edge of Barden Fell. I’d been to Simon’s Seat a couple of times before and was mulling over walking up it again. It occurred to me that I’d never approached Simon’s Seat from the north via the pretty hamlet of Skyreholme. As I looked over my map, I realised that if I walked up Barden Fell from that direction, then I could extend my walk into a loop so that it also took in Trollers Gill. This is a fantastic limestone gorge and one of my favourite places in the Yorkshire Dales. I was excited about trying this walk out and, although the weather was not the best when I came to do this walk, it was still a good day in great scenery. Continue reading To Simon’s Seat and Through Trollers Gill

the Severe climberJanuary 30, 2025August 1, 20258 Comments

Rock climbing

A Short Trip to Low Roof

Brimham Rocks is best known for its jumble of amazing, bizarrely-shaped pinnacles, cliffs and boulders. This gritstone wonderland was always what I pictured when I thought of Brimham Rocks, and always where I climbed when I went there. I vaguely knew that there is climbing elsewhere on Brimham Moor, but I kept returning to this honeypot because I felt that nothing else on the Moor could match it. However, I recently felt the need to try somewhere new, and so looked in a bit more detail at some of Brimham’s bouldering outliers. That’s when I decided that I might have been missing something good and should visit Brimham Rocks’ Low Roof sector. However, it was only in the run-up to Christmas that I had the time, and the weather I needed, for a short trip there. Continue reading A Short Trip to Low Roof

the Severe climberDecember 27, 2024October 21, 20258 Comments

Rock climbing

Just a Little Bit is Enough

On my last bouldering trip, I succeeded in completing just one problem that I had failed to climb on several earlier visits. That might not seem like much, but it was enough. After a long period in which my climbing had been stuck in a cycle that alternated between knock-backs and slow recoveries, even this small achievement felt good and like progress. It was what I needed to feed my optimism about my climbing.

the Severe climberNovember 28, 2024October 21, 20254 Comments

Hiking

My Two-Day Walk from Settle to Grassington – Part Two

I’d enjoyed my wild camp near Malham. It had been in a fantastic setting and had gone well. I’d pitched my little tent and had my dinner in golden sunshine, under a blue sky. My mood wasn’t dampened by the clouds that formed as the sun began to set, nor by the wind growing stronger and colder. I simply accepted that I wouldn’t be doing any stargazing that evening, and went to bed early. Yet in the early hours of the next day, I woke up to find my tent full of silver light. I peeked out to see a full moon shining through in an opening in fast-moving black clouds. When the moon sank out of sight, I zipped my tent up against a raw wind and huddled back in my sleeping bag. A few hours later, I opened the tent again to find a low, slate-grey sky and a dank, sharp wind. This day was going to be different from the sunshine, crags and valleys of the first day of this walk.

the Severe climberNovember 23, 202413 Comments

Hiking

My Two-Day Walk from Settle to Grassington – Part One

My plan was to walk across the south of the Yorkshire Dales National Park from Settle to Grassington. I’d get the train to Settle, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. I would then follow the Dales High Way past limestone scars, along a secluded valley, up onto Kirkby Fell, and then through Malham’s karst landscape. A wild camp near Malham would break up my journey and allow me to have a night under the stars. The next day I’d follow the old Roman and mediaeval road of Mastiles Lane eastwards over the moors. I’d then leave Mastiles Lane to head down to Grassington and a bus towards home. I was excited by the prospect of walking this linear route across the Dales, and the first day of this trip proved to be one of my best ever days in the hills. Continue reading My Two-Day Walk from Settle to Grassington – Part One

the Severe climberOctober 20, 2024February 20, 202510 Comments

Hiking

A Two-Day Walk from the Settle-Carlisle Railway – Part Two

I didn’t get any sleep. Strong winds had pummelled my little tent all night while rain had beaten down on it. The noise and the violent movement of the tent walls were too much, and sleep didn’t come. By about 5am, I was wondering if I might as well get up. After about another half an hour of procrastinating about getting out of my warm sleeping bag, I managed to motivate myself to start getting ready for the second day of my walk. Apart from a navigation mistake, the first day had been enjoyable. Despite my lack of sleep and the longer distance I would have to go, I was optimistic about this second day of walking. Unfortunately, this would turn out not to be the best start to a day of walking and this morning involved the main challenges of my two-day trip. Continue reading A Two-Day Walk from the Settle-Carlisle Railway – Part Two

the Severe climberOctober 8, 2024January 30, 202510 Comments

Hiking

A Two-Day Walk from the Settle-Carlisle Railway – Part One

My idea was to base a two-day walk around the Settle-Carlisle Railway that runs through the Yorkshire Dales and the North Pennines. This is one of the most famous and scenic rail routes in the UK, and I’d been wanting to take a journey on it for some time. By taking a train to one of the stations on the Settle-Carlisle line, I could get into the heart of the Yorkshire Dales without needing a car. I could then walk into the Dales for an overnight camp in an attractive, remote spot, with the possibility of some great stargazing. The next day I’d walk to another station on the Settle-Carlisle line to catch a train towards home. After some research, I decided that I would head to Ribblehead station in Ribblesdale and then walk over the moor to Nethergill Farm campsite in Langstrothdale. The following day I’d carry on down Langstrothdale as far as the hamlet of Beckermonds, where I’d turn west to traverse the Greenfield valley, go over Birkwith Moor, and then along the Pennine Way to Horton-in-Ribblesdale station. It seemed like a good plan, but, as can happen, things did not go entirely as I had hoped.

the Severe climberSeptember 28, 2024October 9, 20248 Comments