Morris with owner Sabena Martin and the dog's favourite fell Ingleborough in the background. Photo: Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority

A dog with a yearning for the hilltops has been made an honorary member of a national park support group.

Morris, a 13-year-old collie-spaniel cross regularly escapes from his home at a Yorkshire Dales pub to join walkers heading for one of the area’s best loved peaks. Now, bosses at the national park authority have presented the pooch with a medal in recognition of his love of the fells.

Morris is renowned for sneaking off from the Old Hill Inn at Chapel-le-Dale to accompany walkers heading for Ingleborough, one of the Three Peaks and national park staff decided to reward the four-legged fellwalker with a medal and membership of the Friends of the Three Peaks, a support group launched this year to help maintain the heavily used routes on the three Yorkshire fells.

The dog has made the ascent to Ingleborough’s summit an incredible 32 times since Easter. The dog’s owners, Sabena and Colin Martin have often found the animal miles away.

Three Peaks project manager Steve Hastie said: “We saw the story about Morris in some of the local weekly newspapers and we wanted to reward him for his enthusiasm. There are medals available for climbing each of the Three Peaks, so we might yet be back to celebrate Morris’s further achievements.

“The Old Hill Inn is on the Three Peaks Challenge route and sees a fair share of walkers passing through. We want to get the message out to as many people as possible so it’s great that businesses are interested in helping. As well as raising income we are working to promote sustainable use of the area, and supporting local businesses is part of that.”

Morris’s owners have also signed up as corporate Friends of the Three Peaks. Ms Martin said: “The Three Peaks Project is a pretty good idea. If it helps the area than I’m all for it.”

But Alan Hulme, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s ranger services manager, warned of the dangers of other dogs roaming the fells. He said: “Morris is a professional escapologist but, generally, if you are planning to take your dog on a walk in the area, we would recommend that it is kept on a lead. It is especially important for the next few months because there will be a lot of pregnant ewes on the fells.”

The Friends of the Three Peaks was launched by WI Calendar Girl Angela Barker in August this year.