Image of Gordale Scar by Paul Harris It's getting colder and wetter, the leaves are changing colour and dropping. The grass is less the gorgeous green of Spring, more a murky non-colour. The evenings are drawing in, getting darker and darker.
And it's just lovely to be inside, perhaps by an open fire, with books, and maps open, thinking about the Spring.
It's natural to think of Winter as a time for hibernation, just popping out on longer walks on those lovely bright crisp days but otherwise hunkering down and retreating from the world.
There's something else you can do now: plan for the Spring, and make 2020 the year you stride out in search of different views. Imagine the satisfaction of completing a long distance route across the Yorkshire Dales? There are plenty to choose from, the most famous being the Pennine Way, and Coast to Coast, both of which intersect the Dales landscape as part of longer routes. Alternatively you might consider the 100-mile long route of Lady Anne's Way stretching from Skipton to Penrith following in the footsteps of the remarkable Lady Anne Clifford of Skipton Castle, or the 90-mile Dales High Way from Saltaire to Appleby-in-Westmorland.
This year there were celebrations to mark the 50 years since the creation of the 80-mile long Dales Way from Ilkley to Bowness-on-Windermere. If you'd prefer something shorter the Six Peaks Trail from Settle to Kirkby Stephen stretches 'just' 48 miles, while the Yorkshire Three Peaks route is 'only' 24 miles long.
Luckily there's a wonderful source of help to plan and complete these routes,, in the form of Skyware Press, a small publishing business, started by Chris and Tony Grogan. In 2007 they had the idea of creating their own long distance route and spent much of that year walking in the Western Dales. In 2008 they published the Dales High Way Route Guide, leading to future publications and many miles covered. Take a look at their website for details of the long distance routes their guidebooks cover. Handily they also have films online to show you some of the highlights of the walks, and help you choose your next adventure.
Route map below is from Skyware's website.
And it's just lovely to be inside, perhaps by an open fire, with books, and maps open, thinking about the Spring.
It's natural to think of Winter as a time for hibernation, just popping out on longer walks on those lovely bright crisp days but otherwise hunkering down and retreating from the world.
There's something else you can do now: plan for the Spring, and make 2020 the year you stride out in search of different views. Imagine the satisfaction of completing a long distance route across the Yorkshire Dales? There are plenty to choose from, the most famous being the Pennine Way, and Coast to Coast, both of which intersect the Dales landscape as part of longer routes. Alternatively you might consider the 100-mile long route of Lady Anne's Way stretching from Skipton to Penrith following in the footsteps of the remarkable Lady Anne Clifford of Skipton Castle, or the 90-mile Dales High Way from Saltaire to Appleby-in-Westmorland.
This year there were celebrations to mark the 50 years since the creation of the 80-mile long Dales Way from Ilkley to Bowness-on-Windermere. If you'd prefer something shorter the Six Peaks Trail from Settle to Kirkby Stephen stretches 'just' 48 miles, while the Yorkshire Three Peaks route is 'only' 24 miles long.
Luckily there's a wonderful source of help to plan and complete these routes,, in the form of Skyware Press, a small publishing business, started by Chris and Tony Grogan. In 2007 they had the idea of creating their own long distance route and spent much of that year walking in the Western Dales. In 2008 they published the Dales High Way Route Guide, leading to future publications and many miles covered. Take a look at their website for details of the long distance routes their guidebooks cover. Handily they also have films online to show you some of the highlights of the walks, and help you choose your next adventure.
Route map below is from Skyware's website.
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