The Dales 30

The ‘Dales 30’ are the mountains in the Yorkshire and Cumbrian Dales (defined by the new National Park Boundary) which are over 2,000 foot high with a drop of a minimum of 30 metres (98.4 ft) in each direction.

They are defined as Hewitts in the Official classification of Mountains. As well as a good challenge they also provide an excellent reason to visit many of the popular, and less popular, areas in the Dales.

Header photo is of the trig next to Great Coum, one of the finest views in the Dales. Howgills in the background.

The Official Book of the ‘Dales 30’

The book is a 120 page, full colour, guide to the mountains of the Dales.

The main features of the book are described below

  • Each of the 30 mountains includes the following:
    • A full description of the Best Route
    • In addition alternative routes are also described
    • A personal view of the mountain from the author
    • High quality, colour photography
    • A sketch map showing the route & alternatives
    • Facts and anecdotes about the mountain and the nearby area.
  • A description of excellent hills in the Dales which do not make the magic 2,000 foot.
  • Local experts give their view on alternative aspects of the Dales 30 such as the 3 Peaks Challenge, the maintenance of the paths and public transport in the area.

Reviews

Don’t just take my word for it though. Please also read the reviews in the Independent, Guardian and the Craven Herald

For more about the ‘Dales 30’ visit its own website which has all the information in one place

To Buy the Book

Full List of the Dales 30


Click on the names of each mountain for more information on the best walks to the summits.

      Height (ft) Height (ms) 1/25,000 Map Trig point
 
1 Whernside Western Dales 2,415 736 OL2 SD 739 814
2 Ingleborough Western Dales 2,375 724 OL 2 SD 741 746
3 Great Shunner Fell Northern Dales 2,349 716 OL 30 SD 849 973
4 High Seat Cumbrian Pennines 2,326 709 OL19 NY 802 013
5 Wild Boar Fell  Cumbrian Pennines 2,323 708 OL19 SD 758 988
6 Great Whernside Upper Wharfedale 2,310 704 OL 2 SE 002 739
7 Buckden Pike Upper Wharfedale 2,303 702 OL 30 SD 961 788
8 Pen y Ghent Western Dales 2,277 694 OL 2 SD 839 734
9 Great Coum Western Dales 2,254 687 OL 2 SD  701 836
10 Swarth Fell Cumbrian Pennines 2,234 681 OL19 SD 755 967
11 Plover Fell Western Dales 2,231 680 OL 2 SD 848 753
12 Baugh Fell, Tarn Rigg Cumbrian Pennines 2,224 678 OL19 SD 714 917
13 The Calf The Howgills 2,218 676 OL19 SD 667 971
14 Lovely Seat Northern Dales 2,215 675 OL 30 SD 879 951
15 Calders The Howgills 2,212 674 OL19 SD 671 961
16 Great Knoutberry Hill Northern Dales 2,205 672 OL 2 SD 789 872
17 Rogan’s Seat Northern Dales 2,205 672 OL 30 NY 920 031
18 Dodd Fell Hill Northern Dales 2,192 668 OL 30 SD 841 846
19 Fountain’s Fell Western Dales 2,192 668 OL 30 SD 864 716
20 Little Fell Cumbrian Pennines 2,188 667 OL19 SD 809 966
21 Simon’s Fell, Ingleborough Western Dales 2,133 656 OL 2 SD 754 751
22 Yockenthwaite Moor Upper Wharfedale 2,110 643 OL 30 SD 909 811
23 Fell Head The Howgills 2,100 640 OL19 SD 649 982
24 Yarlside The Howgills 2,096 639 OL19 SD 686 985
25 Gragareth Western Dales 2,060 628 OL 2 SD 688 793
26 Darnbrook Fell Western Dales 2,047 624 OL 30 SD 885 728
27 Randy Gill Top The Howgills 2,047 624 OL19 NY 687 001
28 Drumaldrace, Wether Fell Northern Dales 2,014 614 OL 30 SD 874 867
29 Birks Fell Upper Wharfedale 2,001 610 OL 30 SD 919 764
30 Calf Top Western Dales 2,000 610 OL 2 SD 664 857

 

Your Stories on the “Dales 30”

I have added some peoples experiences on completing the Dales 30. Please feel free to send through your own stories (and a photo if possible) and I will add them to those below:

Patrick & Sally

I just wanted to let you know that over the last 18 months or so, my partner and I have been gradually working our way through the mountains in your Dales 30 book, and finished earlier today after a lovely trip up Randygill Top from Weasdale. Hence not a bad one to leave until last!

We have both tried very hard to achieve “The 30 Before 30” – I unfortunately had my birthday a few months ago but she’s managed it with almost a year to spare!

It was firstly your website, and later your book, which have inspired us to do this, as well as getting us into hill walking in general, from the Lakes to the Snowdonia, the Scottish Highlands and even the Polish Tatras. I didn’t see that coming a few years ago.

Thanks for starting something

Jackie & Karen

We finished on Rogan’s Seat, a walk from Keld as your book. Although I had done many of the mountains before but Karen hadn’t so we did them all over the last year or so. The highlight/lowlight was getting lost in the snow on High Seat. My favourite was the day we had on Pen y Ghent and Plovers, we came over from the Malham side up the Pennine Way in great sunshine. No sign of the bog you mentioned!

As an example look at this photo of Darnbrook before it collapses!

Joe

I really enjoyed these although I couldn’t persuade the boys in the photo to do many. However they enjoyed the walk up Pen y Ghent. I finished on Fell Head in the Howgills, I combined it with the Calf from the Cross Keys pub. This is not the best route but I wanted to finish. I’ll come back and do it again, like you I loved walking in the Howgills…no-one there why? I have a lot of the Wainwrights but now inspired to complete them.