If you are going to be taking on the Three Peaks of Yorkshire then chances are that you will be heading to Horton in Ribblesdale.
The village is the traditional starting point for the challenge that sees walkers ascend to the summits of Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough.
The challenge began in 1887 and took ten hours to complete. Now those that can manage the task in 12 hours or less are able to join the exclusive Three Peaks of Yorkshire Club that is operated by the Pen-y-Ghent Café in Horton.
Ribblehead viaduct is a major attraction nearby as it makes for great photos no matter the weather. It has 24 huge arches, rises 165 feet above the valley and spans almost a quarter of a mile.
Its construction took nearly four years to complete, with scores of people losing their lives. At the foot of the viaduct are some trenches which are the only remains of Batty Green, a wooden village that was home to around 2,000 navvies who worked on the railway during the 1870s.
The village was said to be like something from the American Wild West with saloons, ladies of the night and regular fighting. While many men perished constructing the railway, the most tragic story about Batty Green was the death of 80 people after the village was hit with a smallpox epidemic.
Caving is a popular pursuit in the area with the Long Churn cave system located to the north of Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Hunt Pot to the west. Those that want to explore underground without having to climb through small gaps wearing a wire can visit the tourist-friendly White Scar Cave near Ingleton. Running under Ingleborough, it claims to be the longest show cave in England. It was first explored in 1923 and includes a subterranean waterfall, helictites and stalactites
The village is part of three major rambling routes – the Ribble Way, the Dales Way and the Pennine Way.
The Ribble Way follows the river from the Irish sea to its source in the Dales and covers around 70 miles. The Dales Way is an 80 mile hike running from Ilkley to Bowness-on-Windermere, and the Pennine Way is a challenging 268 miles from Kirk Yetholm in Scotland to Edale in the Derbyshire Peak District.
Horton in Ribblesdale has two pubs which offer accommodation. There are also a number of bed and breakfasts, a campsite and several rental cottages.