Yorkshire Extreme Points
Whilst most Yorkshire folk have been tucked up at home trying to keep warm, I have been experiencing sub zero temperatures and sleeping overnight on each of the four extreme points of Yorkshire in addition to spending a night on top of each of the three Ridings’ summits.
My extreme training schedule reads:-
North – Tyke’s Way (Bank of the River Tees) – 30/31 October 2010
Yorkshire and North Riding Summit – Mickle Fell – 6/7 November 2010
West – Greave Clough Head (Pennine Watershed) – 13/14 November 2010
West Riding Summit – Whernside – 23/24 November 2010
East Riding Summit – Bishop Wilton Wold – 28/29 January 2011
East – Spurn Point – 29/30 January 2011
South – Holt’s Syke (Grange Farm) – 5/6 February 2011
However, braving such wintry conditions has brought its own rewards because, by doing so, I have have become the first person to not only sleep on the summits of the three Ridings but also the first person to sleep on the seven extreme points of Yorkshire.
Whilst undertaking my research for this extreme adventure, I discovered that very few could actually name the locations of each the four extreme points of Yorkshire. Perhaps this was due to the local government changes in 1974 and many other administration changes since?
This raises an interesting debate about the erosion of our Yorkshire culture and identity. Is it right that Yorkshire children are taught about the states of Australia and USA yet not taught about the 39 counties of England and especially the great county of Yorkshire?
Yorkshire is still the county it has been for over 1100 years. It has never been abolished and the Ridings also still exist. Although new administrative areas were created and came into effect in 1974, they never replaced our counties. I am pleased that my latest adventure will serve to highlight this fact.
For further information about Yorkshire please see: Yorkshire Ridings Society: http://www.yorkshireridings.org/
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