Isobaa's 10th Birthday Hike Event

10 years, 10k: our birthday hike in the Yorkshire Dales

On Saturday 10th October, 30 of you joined us in Malham to celebrate 10 years of Isobaa the best way we know how: a 10k walk through some of the finest scenery in the Yorkshire Dales. We had waterfalls, limestone, coffee, cake, a fair bit of rain and a lot of good company.

Here's how the day went.

Coffee, pastries and a quick briefing

The team set off early from the lovely Green Grove Country House and were set up in the village hall by 8:15am, just as the first walkers started to arrive. Tea and coffee were on, alongside some seriously big pastries from Ambry Bakery. Nobody was setting off hungry.

Once everyone had arrived, our mountain leader Eva Outram talked us through the plan for the day, what to expect underfoot and how to get kitted out properly. Our Flock Leaders, Richard and Jackie from Early Retirement Wanderlust, were on hand too, ready to share a few tips and set the pace.

A little friendly competition

Before heading out, we split everyone into groups and handed each one a digital camera and a spot-the-attraction sheet. The challenge was simply to find and photograph the landmarks along the route. It turned out to be a great way to get chatting with new people, and nothing breaks the ice quite like a bit of competition.

Janet's Foss and Gordale Scar

We set off at 9:15am under sunny skies, with not a drop of rain in sight. Yet.

Following the National Trust sign for Janet's Foss, the path took us into the woodland and down to the waterfall. It's a hugely popular spot, so a quick reminder if you visit: leave no trace, and if you see any litter, pick it up and take it with you, even if it isn't yours.

From there we followed the path alongside the wall, with the waterfall on our right, and climbed up out of the woods. It gets rocky and a little scrambly here before reaching a gate onto the road towards Gordale Bridge.

Then came Gordale Scar. We stopped for a good 10 minutes just taking it all in. The towering limestone is even more impressive in person, and it was a real highlight of the day.

Rain, limestone and Malham Cove

This is where the rain arrived, and it didn't really stop. Undeterred, we climbed higher over the hills and across rocky ground to the top of Malham Cove.

The limestone pavement up here is unlike anywhere else: flat white blocks called clints, split by deep cracks called grikes. The view from the top was stunning, and we were even treated to a few spells of sunshine between the showers.

We then made our way down to the foot of the cove and wandered over to the water to look for peregrine falcons, which are often spotted nesting on the cliffs.

With around 30 minutes of walking left, we grabbed a few words with Eva about the day and the route.

Drying off and lunch at Beck Hall

We made it back to the village hall thoroughly soaked, so more tea and coffee were very welcome. It was a proper test for merino, which keeps you warm even when it's wet.

At 2pm we headed to Beck Hall for a lovely lunch. Everyone rewarded themselves with a drink, and a few chose a bottle of red. Purely to warm up, of course.

Over lunch, conversation flowed about favourite walks, future adventures and, naturally, merino. Seeing people who'd arrived as strangers that morning swapping hiking plans by the afternoon was the best part of the day for us.

Supporting the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust

50% of every ticket went to our charity partner, the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT), who do brilliant work caring for the landscape and supporting communities across the Dales. The places we walked through are exactly the kind they help protect. Stay tuned to hear more about our partnership with them and how we can all support them to look after one of the UK's most beautiful landscapes.

Find out more about YDMT

Thank you

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, rain and all. Thanks also to Eva for leading the way, to Richard and Jackie for being brilliant Flock Leaders, to Ambry Bakery and Beck Hall for keeping us fed, and to Emma and Simone for organising the day.

The feedback was clear: everyone had a great time and wants to do it again. We'd love that too. Keep an eye on our emails and socials for what comes next.