About us
Welcome to West Yorkshire 25s-45s Hiking Group. We are a friendly group of people from across the county and surrounding areas, hosting walks, trips away and social events. The group is accessible to people of all fitness levels. Our walks vary in difficulty ranging from a walk around reservoirs to the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge.
We also do weekend & week trips. We are looking at organising trips abroad in the future. These trips can vary from staying in a B&B to wild camping.
Group Rules
- Everyone must have a recent photo of themselves as their profile picture.
- Let the walk/event leader know in advance you can no longer attend. Please have the courtesy to do so in good time.
- Zero tolerance for discrimination of any type.
- No advertising.
- Make everyone feel welcome.
- All members are accountable for their own safety and wellbeing. Ensure you come with the necessary clothing and footwear for the conditions.
Difficulty Scale
We mark our walks with a difficulty scale so you can judge if you are fit enough for the walk. Please bear in mind the difficulty of a walk comes down to a person's own personal fitness and how steady they are on their feet on rough terrain. The conditions can also factor and would not be known until the day, such as boggy terrain. If not sure, check the walks itinerary or ask the walks leader for confirmation.
Easy - Short flat walk or minimal overall ascent. Less than 7.5 miles in length and less than 300 metres of ascent.
Moderate = Moderate distance and/or small to medium amount of ascent. 7.5 miles - 12.5 miles and/or 300 - 599 metres of ascent.
Hard = Long distance hikes and/or a lot of ascent. 12.5 - 20 miles and/or 600 - 999 metres of ascent.
Strenuous = Challenge walk distances and/or proper mountain height amount of ascent. 20+ miles or more and/or 1,000+ metres of ascent.
Technical = Any walk which requires exposed ridge walking (Crib Goch, Striding Edge), scrambling, ice pick, torch or anything extra required.
FAQs
I do not live in West Yorkshire. Can I join the group?
Yes! Anyone is welcome to join the group.
Do I have to leave the group when I reach the age limit?
Of course not! Stay for as long as you feel comfortable.
I have paid for the walk but I now cannot attend, can I get a refund?
No. We have a no refund policy. The money will go towards future group events and charities.
How do I become a leader and host walks?
Send me (Jamie) a message and I will make you an organiser.
Upcoming events
4

Loop - Kettlewell & Arncliffe - Pub & Swim - 7mi/11km
Kettlewell NT carpark, Behind Garage, Kettlewell, Skipton, GBStart Time: 11:20am (as soon as the bus arrives)
Miles/Kilometres: 7mi/11km (Approx)
Total ascent: 500m (Approx)
Difficulty: Moderate/Easy
Estimated length of time: ~6 hours (including a lunch break)
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Public Transport: YES! The 875 (route) bus from Leeds at 09:20. The return bus leaves at 17:35 from Kettlewell - timetable here
Parking: I recommend parking in the National Park carpark, just as you enter Kettlewell on the left
Payment: £1 for the walk - Use this link to pay - https://settleup.starlingbank.com/jamiepope1?amount=1.00- please put "kettlewell" as reference.Overview
Come join me on one of my favourite walks in the Yorkshire Dales!Starting in the idyllic village of Kettlewell, we'll head up over the moors with magical views down into Littondale, before descending to the charming village of Arncliffe, where we'll stop at the Falcon Inn for a drink — grab a quick bite if you like, or tuck into anything you've brought along. From there we follow the River Skirfare through the valley, passing through Hawkswick before heading back up over the moors — this time with sweeping views down Wharfedale — and descending back into Kettlewell. We'll finish with a dip in the River Wharfe, then ice cream and drinks at the pub — or bring your own food and drink to enjoy by the river! If the weather's good we'll aim to be back in Kettlewell around 4:30pm, giving us a good hour to enjoy the river and/or pub before the end of the day!
A couple of things to note:
- 🌦️ Weather: The itinerary is quite weather-dependent. If it's a miserable day I'll look to tweak the route and times accordingly.
- 🏊 Swimming: If it's good enough for a dip, I'll send a message beforehand as a reminder to bring your swimming stuff — if you want!
- 🚶 Pace: This will be more of a leisurely walk — so there will be plenty of time to take it all in!
- 🚌 Bus: Kettlewell is accessible via the 875 (route) bus from Leeds, Ilkley, York and in-between — timetable here.
Disclaimers
The walk organisers do not have training or insurance. Therefore, anyone who joins the walk is accountable for their own safety and anyone they bring with them. By signing up you accept this.
Check the weather (on multiple websites) before leaving your residence. Bring clothing & footwear suitable for the forecast. We advise you to bring walking boots for any medium or harder walk. Trainers are only recommended for leisurely and easy walks. Bring a coat just in case (this is Britain after all...) and extra layers if it is going to be cold.
All proceeds go towards equipment for leading walks, group events & trips. A percentage will go to charities.
Bring a packed lunch and snacks. Bring enough food & water to last the estimated time.
We recommend bringing some cash just in case. Especially if parking. Not everywhere is contactless yet.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the walks organiser.15 attendees
Dent to Ribblehead - Settle-Carlisle Railway - 12mi/19.5km
Dent Station, Coal Road, Cowgill, GBStart Time: 10:45am (as soon as the train arrives)
Miles/Kilometres: 12mi/19.5km (Approx)
Total ascent: 750m (Approx)
Difficulty: Hard
Estimated length of time: 6 - 7 hours (including a lunch break)
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Public Transport: Yes, the 09:18 train from Leeds to Dent
Parking: I recommend parking at the end (in Ribblehead) and catching the 10:37 train 1 stop to Dent
Payment: £1 for the walk - Use this link to pay - https://settleup.starlingbank.com/jamiepope1?amount=1.00- please put "dent" as reference.Overview
I'm planning to run a series of stop-to-stop walks along the Settle–Carlisle Railway, taking in some of the best scenery of the Yorkshire Dales. The idea is to start each stage further up the line, so anyone driving can park at the finish and hop on the Leeds train to the start.Starting from Dent, the highest train station in England, we begin with a steep descent into Cowgill, before picking up the Dales Way and following the beautiful River Dee through the valley. We'll then join the Dales High Way for a slow and steady ascent up to Whernside — one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks and the highest point in Yorkshire — picking up the Three Peaks route to the summit, with sweeping views across the Dales on a clear day. From there we follow the route down and trace the foot of Whernside towards the iconic Ribblehead Viaduct, finishing with a well-earned stop at the Station Inn — cold drink in hand with views back across the dale to Whernside!
A couple of things to note:
- 🕐 Start time: We're starting a bit later and finishing later to make the most of the longer days — no need to rush, there's plenty of daylight to enjoy!
- 🌅 Summer Solstice: It's the night of the summer solstice — the longest day of the year! If the weather's decent I may camp at a campsite near the finish. If it's really good, wild camp on one of the tops to catch both the sunset and sunrise. Anyone is welcome to join for what could be a pretty special night!
Disclaimers
The walk organisers do not have training or insurance. Therefore, anyone who joins the walk is accountable for their own safety and anyone they bring with them. By signing up you accept this.
Check the weather (on multiple websites) before leaving your residence. Bring clothing & footwear suitable for the forecast. We advise you to bring walking boots for any medium or harder walk. Trainers are only recommended for leisurely and easy walks. Bring a coat just in case (this is Britain after all...) and extra layers if it is going to be cold.
All proceeds go towards equipment for leading walks, group events & trips. A percentage will go to charities.
Bring a packed lunch and snacks. Bring enough food & water to last the estimated time.
We recommend bringing some cash just in case. Especially if parking. Not everywhere is contactless yet.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the walks organiser.10 attendees
Ilkley Cycle Race - FREE EVENT
Ilkley Town Centre, 4 The Grove, Ilkley LS29 9EG, Ilkley, GBCome join us to watch professional cyclists fly around the streets of Ilkley as part of the British Cycling National Circuit Series — and best of all, it's completely free to attend!
The circuit is just 1.5km, so the riders will come flying past many times, making it a brilliant spectator event. The two main races not to miss are:
- 🚴♀️ Elite Women's Race – 7:40pm
- 🚴 Elite Men's Race – 8:40pm
Full schedule and event details: ilkleycycleraces.co.uk
I'll aim to be there from just before 6pm — feel free to arrive and leave whenever suits you. I'll share my location on here so you can hopefully find me easily.
Bring whatever food and drink you like; there are no restrictions, so make a night of it!
Weather note: This one is weather-dependent. If heavy rain or miserable conditions are forecast, I'll cancel and let everyone know in advance.
Hope to see you there!
5 attendees
Past events
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