At the start of this year I had 12 summits remaining to be activated in NP, and I want to start getting them ticked-off. I completed a long walk in 2023 that covered most of the summits that could be chained-together to make a good walking route (a total of eleven), and added a few more as part of a winter cycle Tour. I thought I would try another cycle tour in order to activate a few more.
My touring cycle is very much a setup for the road, with 28mm slick tyres (continental grand-prix 4-season) and panniers on both the front and rear. So my usual plan is to leave the bicycle at the roadside (or a short distance along a track if it has a solid surface) and complete the rest on foot.
Most of the SOTA summits I have ever activated have been completed as part of overnight walking or cycling routes. When overnight walking I have my heavy pack to carry to the summit. Itās a nice change when cycle touring to be able to leave most of my gear on the bicycle, and just jog up to the summit with a lightly loaded, small backpack. I carry a pair of fell running shoes in my panniers to wear during the summit walks, as although I wear mountain-bike style cycle shoes , they have carbon soles and cleats and would not be suitable for walking more than a couple of hundred metres on soft ground.
So after work on Friday 11 April, I headed across to Kirkby Stephen ready to cycle over the Pennines and activate Nine Standards Rigg (G/NP-018) before heading down into Swaledale in Saturday morning. . The route out of Kirkby Stephen, through Nateby and over the fell road to Swaledale is a glorious cycle ride. This Friday evening had come after a spell of about two weeks of wall-to-wall sunshine, and was a lovely warm, still evening. I have cycled this way several times, and camped next to the fell road before, so I knew I would easily find a good spot for my tent.
Leaving Nateby
Leaving Nateby, there is a sign warning motorists that the next petrol pumps are 22 miles distant, in Reeth, where I intended to pass the following day on my way to most wonderfully named Arkengarthdale, and the SOTA summit of Hoove (G/NP-024) .
As I cycled up the road, gradually gaining height I could feel my cleat slipping, and had to stop to tighten it up. This was product of last minute changes to my bike setup before setting off, and not wanted to overtighten (and round-off) the cleat machine screws. As paused to carry out the maintenance, I could hear lapwings, curlews and the odd oyster catcher calling across the hill side. The birds give the Pennines a distinctive sounding backdrop.
The riding was relatively easy, the climbing is steady with no really steep parts. It was a relaxing evening, knowing that I would easily find a spot for my tent, and the weather would be fine; there was absolutely no concern this evening about where I would site my camp.
Entering Richmondshire at the summit of the pass
Cresting the summit of the pass I took a quick photograph of my bicycle next to the Richmondshire road sign, and then turned off road. The route here is well troddcen, and the path is carpeted with turf that would be fit for a bowling green. I was able to cycle for about 1km, before reaching some limestone pavement, and had to wheel the cycle a short distance.
My goal was to get as close as possible to a small straem (Rigg Beck) marked on my map. I had about 2 litres of water in my bottles, but I always feel less thirsty if I know there is an abundant supply on hand. I tied my cycle to a convenient wooden post at a point a few hundred metres short of the Rigg Beck. Switching to walking mode took a few minutes, including double checking all the radio gear was in my pack.
I headed off from the cycle, with fingers crossed that the stream bed would not have run dry in this warm weather. I passed a couple of shake holes, one of which was filled with bog water and would provide a back-up plan, but I was pleased to find a dribble of water running in the stream , which meant I would now drink freely from my existing supply with no need to ration it.
The clear path up to the summit of Nine Standards Rigg (G/NP-018) went by quickly, it was now about 1930hrs, and the sun was rapidly making its way to the horizon. I would quite like to be back at my bike while some daylight remained, so I was hurrying along at a fair pace. Reaching the summit I found a couple of JCBs and piles of paving slabs, it looks like some paving is being laid. The summit was still fairly mild, and the clear sky afforded great viewers across to Lakeland and down to the towns of the Eden valley. Dusk was upon me, and house lights were starting to twinkle in Kirkby Stephen.
Activating nine standards rig
I quickly set-about calling CQ on 2m, after raising a spot. I made a couple of contacts, with G0TDM and 2E0LBI but then things dried up, so I started getting set up for HF. Just as I was almost getting my EFHW aloft, I heard a call on my handheld. Geoff GM4WHA was calling on 2m FM, and we spent some time having a good chat.
A number of times recently I had spoken to Geoff from the summit of Seatallan (G/LD-025) , on the western edge of the Lake District. Despite now being around 100km further inlands, and away from Geoffās QTH, he was a much stringer signal. We chatted a while about my plans for the weekend, as I watched the sun approach the horizon and then disappear behind Great Shunner Fell (G/NP-006). With the air starting to get chilly I still needed my fourth contact, so I bade farewell to Geoff after making a quick Digital Voice QSO with him.
I called CQ on 40m CW, and although RBN was picking me up with some good reports, I was not getting any chasers, a similar situation occurred on 20m. Eventually, after about 10 minutes I got a call on 40m from PA5KM, and then suddenly a decent pile-up followed - maybe everyone had been having their dinner?
Once the pileup subsided I quickly took down the antenna and started jogging back down the hill, pleased that I had qualified the first summit of this journey. This also marked my 100th unique summit sine joining SOTA (with 240 activations in total, so just under 1 in 2 are uniques) so I was particularly pleased.
I stopped at the stream to fill my water bottle. I use a sawyer squeeze to filter water, so if the stream had been dry I would have been happy to take from the pools of bog water that pock-marked the hillside.
Back at the bicycle I started getting my tent sorted. This was my first use of a new tent, a 3FUL Gear Lanshan-1 Pro (4 season) in brown colour. Despite the name it is not a 4-season mountain tent; the ā4 seasonā version simply means that some of the bug netting on the inner is replaced with solid fabric. I prefer the solid fabric as the Lanshan fly-sheet leaves a large gap to the ground, so not only does the solid fabric provide greater draught protection, but you also get more privacy. Privacy was not a problem here though, in the darkness and loneliness of a Pennine night.
It wasnāt actually that dark, an almost full moon cast a shadow of the tent as I cooked my dinner. It was about 2130hrs and I was re-hydrating a meal of spicy pork noodles - very tasty. Once fed, I got inside the tent ready for a good nights sleep. Unfortunately, as I rolled-over in my sleeping bag, I leant upon my sleeping mat with my elbow, and the mat burst with a bang.
The mat is (was!) a Themorest NeoAir Xlight that was purchased in about 2010, not long after they were first released. So it has done good service. The mat burst with a bang that had left two 10cm rips at right angles, and no amount of duct tape would hold in the air. I carry some general purpose repair patches that require ironing with a pan of boiling water, but didnāt bother to try them. I spent a very uncomfortable night on the hard and frosty ground.
A cold morning after a poor nights sleep, but glorious suroundings
Next morning, as I was packing away my kit I noticed that the sole of my fell running shoes (was about 50% detached form the upper. I was furious to note that the sole was only glued around the edge, what a total load of rubbish (this model, the Soil Shaker 2 is known for issues)! I would have to try and pickup some new fell running shoes, as well as some sort of sleeping mat, during my journey. I toyed with cycling back down to Kirkby Stephen but felt I would rather try and keep going since there was not much prosect a good outdoor shop in Kirkby.
top of Swaledale
The next few miles were wonderful rolling hilltops, the pass from Nateby to Keld is a most wonderful cycle ride. Arriving at Keld at a little past 0930 I changed into walking mode again, but also packed my cycling shoes in my backpack in case my fell runners became unusable.
The walk up to Roganās Seat (G/NP-014) was good fun at first, with plenty of interest as the path weaves through abandoned mine workings and climbs a hush. I had read before that taking water from streams above Swaledale can be risky, due to the number of old lead workings. Iām not quite sure how much a problem it really is, but I avoided taking any water.
Weaving through mine workings up to Roganās Seat
Climbing out on to the summit plateau the path becomes less interesting, following a 4x4 trail built to serve the grouse moor. The terrain reminded my of the hills lying to the west of Stonehaven in Scotland. At least the easy track would be less harsh on my fell running shoe which was getting gradually worse and worse.
Grouse moorland of Roganās Seat
I reached the summit of Roganās Seat with the sole of my shoe hanging on by the toe and heel only. I quickly made a couple of contacts on 2m FM, and then broke into an ongoing ragchew to make my last two to qualify. I really didnāt want to have to make the additional footsteps required to setup for HF.
Before heading down I wrapped my shoe in the last of my available duct tape, the rest of my tape supply had been put to futile use in trying to seal my sleeping pad. The duct tape kept me going for a little while, and I spent most of the decent trying to concoct methodds of restoring my shoes with whatever i had in may panniers. Combinations of innertubes, a spare tyre, slipping a sock over the outside of the shoe etc. didnāt seem likely to produce a lasting repair. By the time I got back to my bike the sole was hanging off my shoe, and I declared it dead,
My plan had been to climb Kisdon (G/NP-026) and then cycle on to Hoove, followed by camp on the moorland near Hoove. In order to activate any more summits I needed new shoes, so I changed my plans and headed over Buttertubs pass, rising to 526m between Swaledale and Wensleydale, towards the small town of Hawes.
Buttertubs Pass
It felt like a shame to pass just below the summit of Great Shunner Fell (G/NP-006) (which I have not yet activated), without jogging to the top, but I eagerly wanted to reach Hawes and sort out new shoes and a sleeping mat.
I was certain that the two outdoor shops in Hawes would cater for my needs, but what I ended up with was a pair of folding sit mats (each measuring about 30cm square, one purple and one bright pink) and some massively overpriced trail running shoes.
I was pleased to get the shoe situation sorted to some extent, and the sit mats would certainly give me a comfier night than previously. Iām still amazed that it is not possible to get a cheap roll mat in Hawes. All that was available was caravan style blowup mats.
I celebrated my new purchases with a fish-and-chip lunch and started to plan my onward route. I didnāt like the idea of backtracking my route to get Great Shunner Fell, and could see that the remaining fells I needed around Swaledale would make a good cycle tour later in the year. It also looked like good camping might be found on the side of Dodd Fell Hill (G/NP-016) lying to the south of Hawes, so I decided to continue my southerly trajectory.
The climb out of Hawes along the road towards Kettlewell was superb, although a little steep on a full stomach. This is the Fleet Moss Road and is generally listed as the highest paved road in Yorskshire, rising to 589m.
I turned off the road at its summit, onto a gated road (marked as a Roman road on OS maps), with marvelously smooth tarmac. I had sufficient water with me to last the night, but again would like to find somewhere I coulld refill if needed. I eventually reached the intersection with the Pennine way, where I locked my bike to a post and changed into walking mode again. The road had taken me up most of the elevation gain for the hill, and I now had less than 100m more ascent to climb.
I followed the Pennine way for a 2km before turning due east to head steeply up the side of Dodd Fell Hill along an almost dry stream. A dribble of water was flowing, which along with a patch of flat grass indicated a great potential camping spot. Even better, the spot was sheltered from the brisk southerly breeze that was blowing.
The fine weather of the past couple of weeks was ending, and rain clouds were moving-in as I reached the summit.
Bike safely locked to signpost
Dodd Fell Hill
I very quickly made four contacts on 2m FM, and decided to head down to my bike. I unlocked the bike, and wheeled it along the Pennine way to my new found camping spot. I chose a patch of ground for my tent with thick grass and moss, hoping it would be a good surrogate for my lack of proper sleeping mat.
This camp spot, at abn elevation of 600m, gave great views across of Ingleborough, Wherneside and the road that runs from Ribblehead to Hawes. I had a lovely evening watching the weather turn to rain, providing an opportunity to test out my new tent. The sit mats worked as well as could be hoped, but I was pleased to get a very good nights sleep, not waking until first light.
A wonderfully restful camping spot
After dozing for a while into the morning , I took-down the tent and cycled back to the gated entrance to the road before starting a long descent towards Wharfedale. The road passed north of Birks Fell (G/NP-031) Fell before arriving at Buckden at the foot of Buckden Pike (G/NP-009); both summits that I recalled from my Dales Walk in 2023.
Super smooth tarmac at 589m elevation
Gliding down into Wharfedale
https://photos.app.goo.gl/3VV2BXFBa2NpGDb49
Wharfedale
More of Wharfedale - I enjoyed this ride immensely
I paused in Kettlewell for tea and a sausage sandwich, and then continued along the road to Cracoe village. The day had started on a deserted road, but it was now getting quite busy as I headed towards the outskirts of the Dales. Cracoe fell (G/NP-032) was an easy climb, and I was impressed by the War Memorial obelisk on the summit. Contacts came very quickly and I noted that this smaller summit seemed to have been easier to activate on 2m FM that the two larger summits I had done.
Cracoe Fell
I was back at my bike very quickly and then cycled the short distance to the start of the moderate climb up to Sharp Haw crossing a large sheep pasture (G/NP-029). There was a steady stream of walkers taking a Sunday afternoon stroll. I rushed up to the summit and back, as I wanted to reach Skipton by 3pm in order to have chance to buy a proper camping mat. As with Crocoe fell, this was an easy activation ā much more so that the higher fells I had done yesterday,.
Sharp Haw
Skipton supplied me exactly what I needed, a cheap roll mat. I had checked the online price of Themorest NeoAir Xlites, and they now sell for GPB200, so will need to give that purchase some thought! After Skipton I headed along the Leeds and Liverpool canal (a milepost informed me Liverpool was 100 miles distant) to reach Silsden, where I dawdled for a while, having a pizza for an early dinner. I was planning to camp atop Rombalds Moor, and wanted to arrive only a short time before dusk.
Easy riding along a canal
The ride to Rombalds Moor was fairly uneventful, spent mostly on the A629. AS the A road passed into the heavily built-up Keighley I started to question whether camping atop the nearby moor was a good idea.
The road wound up through Riddlesden and then out onto a moor, still only around 2km from the bustle of Keighley. Near the top of the fell road stopped to refill my water from a garden tap (I tried the doorbell first to ask permission, but nobody was home). Near the road-head a group of men were gathered with telescopes, they were bird watchers who had gathered following a recent sighting of a short eared owl (relatively rare apparently).
At the road head, my hopes of a summit camp were dashed. A group of fly campers had setup a generator and a PA system (two huge speaker on stands, a person playing a keyboard and a mixing desk) and were playing excruciatingly loud music. I dashed up to the summit and bagged my four contacts, and then starting looking at a map to devise a plan.
The surrounding area had not given me good vibe when it came to wild camping, and I felt it was better to head back west. The time was 1930hrs, and dusk was approaching. I readied my bike for riding in the dark, and then set off back down the hill. My goal was to reach Gargrave, not only would this shorted my cycle ride the following day, but I would be guaranteed that the campsite in Gargrave accepted tents, as the village lies on the Pennine way. I donāt usually like to use campsites, but this was a good option to assure a nights sleep.
Bike tied up on Rombalds more before heading off for a quick activation
I raced back down the hill and joined the main A road, back to Skipton. As I left Skipton on the A65, the entire vibe changed again, and I felt more relaxed. The scenery became more rural, and I started to enjoy the ride into the night. Sure enough, the campsite in Gargrave had a warm welcome for small tents, and I was greeted my two walkers who were already camped there.
After a quiet night, making use of my new camping mat I continued heading west, stopping at Skipton for a most magnificent hot chocolate with Marshmallows, Cream and a Flake. I was heading to the Cartmell area of Cumbria for a family holiday, leaving the Dales behind. I couldnāt resist one last SOTA as I passed Arnside, hopping to the top to work G3LKB.
Mega hot chocolate in Settle
This was a great adventure, and I now have only six hills left to complete in NP:
Kisden
Great Shunner Fell
Hoove
Mickle Fell
Dufton Pike
Cold Fell
Iām currently working on my plans for how to activate them as part of a cycle tour.
Not sure what the longest āno fuelā run in VK is, but suspect that itās north of 500 km 
