terrified

AS I sit on the train from London Kings Cross to Skipton, my stomach lurches.

I am about to spend the weekend with 16 complete strangers and I’m nervous. In fact, I’m really nervous. The introvert in me wants to fake a stomach bug and slope off home.  

But as soon as I stumble out of my carriage to meet the first arrivals from Outdoor Adventure Girls, a community for women who love hiking, adventure and getting alfresco, my nerves calm as upbeat chatter fills the space.

And by the time dinner rolls around – a tasty veggie lasagne served with garlic bread, at our digs The Kettlewell Hostel – the women are already starting to feel like friends, which is lucky really considering I’m sharing a room with one of them (Thekettlewellhostel.co.uk). 

Hill Start 

The next morning, we don’t let the rain dampen our enthusiasm as we head off to quaint Malham village, 40 minutes’ drive away, to begin our guided 5-mile circular hike.

We’re led by a fully qualified hill leader, the knowledgeable Ginette, and as we walk, we get to know each other better – the youngest in the group is in her early 20s, the eldest in her 60s, and many are trying a walking weekend for the first time.  

LISTEN UP

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STELLAR SPOT

Inside £740million spaceship-like museum that’s FINALLY opening after 16 years

The hike, with its breathtaking vistas across the Yorkshire Dales National Park, takes us around four hours, snaking up past Malham Cove, a 70-metre high, gently curving cliff of white limestone made famous by Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1, and on to Gordale Scar, a magical hidden limestone gorge.

And for the hardy among us – I am the only taker – there is an opportunity to take a refreshing and invigorating dip in Janet’s Foss, an idyllic waterfall along the route (Yorkshiredales.org.uk). 

By early afternoon, we are all puffed out and head back to the hostel for a chilled paint-and-sip session where we tap into our inner artists to turn canvases into masterpieces.

I create a picture of my new kitten, Siggi, as a take-home present for my fiancé – with the help of a few glasses of prosecco.

Later, we round off the evening with a fun general knowledge quiz night and, for those who are game, a trip to the local pub The King’s Head just three minutes’ stroll away for a last glass of malbec (Kingsheadkettlewell.co.uk).  

The Grassington is greener 

The next morning, an early breakfast of yoghurt, fresh berries and toast with jam kicks things off, before we drive to the nearby market town of Grassington, home to bustling shops, cafes and a farmers market, to begin our second walk of the weekend: a 7km hike through rolling fields and past the picturesque River Wharfe.  

Handily, we finish up at The Fountaine Inn in Linton, where we tuck into a comforting roast of honey roast gammon with garlic and rosemary roast potatoes, maple roast carrots and parsnips, seasonal greens and a hefty Yorkshire pudding, £18.95 (Fountaine innatlinton.co.uk). 

Some 48 hours and a bunch of new friends later, I’m a hiking-weekend convert and make a promise to push myself out of my comfort zone more often. After all, that’s where all the best adventures start, isn’t it?