3 Peaks Challenge

[craigb84]

I'm not sure if this is the right area but it'll have to do.

Has anyone done the 3 peaks challenge (Nevis, Scafell & Snowdon)? I'm organising a charity event for later in the year so could do with some hints / ideas / suggestions etc.

I've seen a company that do organised one for around £300 each but i think that's crazy for something that doesn't actually cost anything to do apart from travel.

[john2443]

I haven't done it, but friends have.

This is probably obvious, but take drivers(s) along who aren't climbing the mountains so that they can sleep while you walk and you sleep while they drive & plenty of spare clothes so you don't have to sit in damp kit for 4 hours on the drives.

No, I can't see what the point is of paying someone to organise it, it doesn't seem difficult to organise a map/satnav, car with mate to drive & a supply of food & drink.

I guess you're doing the 'easy' version, driving between mountains rather than the mans version of going by sea and doing the mtns all the way from sea level

[KrazyIvan]

I guess it depends on what you get for your £300.

If you have done a lot of mountain hiking/walking, then you will probably be ok doing it off your own backs with out issues, however if this is going to be your 1st crack at something like this, then I think you may end up being happy paying someone else to show you the way, Scafell in particular can be a pain to walk up, as some of the routes to the top can be pretty challenging.

Also if the is your 1st time, then you going to probably spend another £300 buying all the gear your going to need (proper boots/socks/coats/sticks/back packs and so on).

Either way good luck

[Melchett]

yep, I did it a few years back. It took 23.5 hrs from the start of Ben Nevis to the end at the bottom of Snowdon. I know quicker people have done it in 18-19 hrs.

The first thing to remember is that, ignoring travel either side of the event, it will be 10hrs of driving and 14hrs of walking, non stop. I would happily pay £300 for somebody to do the driving if I did it again. Even more so if you need to get to BN and back from Snowdon.

If you are organising it, I would suggest dedicated drivers that do nothing but drive. Dont even let them act as runners should some people want to give up half way up the mountain and need 'guiding' down. You will need to work on contingencies should lots of people want to give up at any point.

[anonymous-user]

craigb84 said:

I'm not sure if this is the right area but it'll have to do.

Has anyone done the 3 peaks challenge (Nevis, Scafell & Snowdon)? I'm organising a charity event for later in the year so could do with some hints / ideas / suggestions etc.

I've seen a company that do organised one for around £300 each but i think that's crazy for something that doesn't actually cost anything to do apart from travel.

havent done it as a "challenge" but I have climbed them all numerous times from numerous angles. personally i think the mass organised charity treks up the 3 peaks are dangerous, cause unnecessary damage to the paths, leave vast quantities of litter and create havoc for local residents.

in general, its not much of a challenge, you walk up the easiest paths that all three have to offer and they present very little in the way of technical walking. you should be up and down each one within five hours really and thats not at a particularly fast pace....

Due to the large numbers of people that complete them, they stray off the paths. it does very little for the local economies as the whole point is to spend as little time as possible in each location so other than petrol stations, no one really benefits. as an example there are no facilities at wasdale head but that doesnt stop people using residents driveways, gardens etc for parking and toilets.

people are opften poorly equipped and will take the bare minimum up the hills to keep the weight down and inevitbaly suffer if the weather turns, oh but its ok, thats what mountain rescue are for isnt it?? sorry to be grumpy but i hate them and they give every outdoor enthusiast a bad name...

For £300 you probably get a few hot meals and transport, a bed in fort william at the start and a bed in llanberis at the end.

my suggestion would be to stay in one place and spend some time climbing the local routes. glencoe is far more impressive and enjoyable that the donkey path up ben nevis, alternatively, the welsh 3000ers is a good challenge and snowdonia is a nice place to spend a few days, or tackle a couple of wainwrights fells in the lakes.

[craigb84]

I want a decent challenge that looks / sounds impressive to gain maximum sponsorship. I spent the vast part of last year in bed being treated at Christies and lost most of my working muscles so any long hikes going to be a major challenge.

I know a lot of people do the 3 peaks and I've heard about the bad press it gets so I could change the event but I want to make it open to friends.

I'm getting more into biking as are a few mates so I'm wondering whether to just change altogether to a monster bike ride.

[anonymous-user]

craigb84 said:

I want a decent challenge that looks / sounds impressive to gain maximum sponsorship. I spent the vast part of last year in bed being treated at Christies and lost most of my working muscles so any long hikes going to be a major challenge.

I know a lot of people do the 3 peaks and I've heard about the bad press it gets so I could change the event but I want to make it open to friends.

I'm getting more into biking as are a few mates so I'm wondering whether to just change altogether to a monster bike ride.

i do get cranky about the 3 peaks, sorry if it sounded a bit arsey. i have afirend who had a place at wasdale head and he said it was just chaos for 24 hours, i appreciate your event would be much smaller

how about a 24 hour relay cycle race around goodwood http://www.action.org.uk/ride24 yes you have to raise a minimum amount for action medical research but you can do stuff on the side too without much fuss. friends would probably want to get involved as you can do as long or as short a stint as they prefer, no riding friends would always want to be in the "pit crew" too.

the welsh 3000ers is basically climbing all the welsh 3000ft mountains, its a very tough challenge, especially if you give yourself a time limit. you will be on the go for a long time but plan it well and you can have a few cars full offood and drink waiting at strtegic points along the way...

[Laplace]

I'm doing this this year. 100miles on foot, bike and boat.

http://www.scotlandcoasttocoast.com/

[custardtart]

craigb84 said:

I want a decent challenge that looks / sounds impressive to gain maximum sponsorship. I spent the vast part of last year in bed being treated at Christies and lost most of my working muscles so any long hikes going to be a major challenge.

I know a lot of people do the 3 peaks and I've heard about the bad press it gets so I could change the event but I want to make it open to friends.

I'm getting more into biking as are a few mates so I'm wondering whether to just change altogether to a monster bike ride.

You could try cycling up a mountain like Skiddaw, a decent fitness challenge, great scenery and coming down is ballistic

[craigb84]

Coast to coast sounds really good but would probably do the UK event. Some great ideas here though so thanks.

[Melchett]

Here is an alternative coast to coast, 140 miles, run, cycle & kayak, 1 or 2 days.

http://www.endurancelife.com/event.asp?series=57&a...

I have done both and it was a good test. I would say it was more enjoyable than the 3 peaks becuase there was no driving during the event. You just set off and thats it.

[ScoobyDood]

Get a guide, he/she could save your life.

Did it 3 years ago, not all easy routes, started with Nevis at 8am, was a breeze, Scafell in the dark in 80mph winds and maelstrom rain was hell on earth - Without a guide we wouldn't have made it. Despite millions of kilowatts of head-torch light we might as well have had candles, it was extreme (and the middle of July!!). There were 8 of us, all well kitted out and only a couple of novices.

Also - The point about separate drivers is also a must. Do not walk and drive - It isn't just a sunday afternoon stroll.

[anonymous-user]

ScoobyDood said:

Get a guide, he/she could save your life.

Did it 3 years ago, not all easy routes, started with Nevis at 8am, was a breeze, Scafell in the dark in 80mph winds and maelstrom rain was hell on earth - Without a guide we wouldn't have made it. Despite millions of kilowatts of head-torch light we might as well have had candles, it was extreme (and the middle of July!!). There were 8 of us, all well kitted out and only a couple of novices.

Also - The point about separate drivers is also a must. Do not walk and drive - It isn't just a sunday afternoon stroll.

If you need a guide you shouldnt be doing it. you are either unprepared or have failed to appreciate the potential danger of the hills in bad weather.

This is the problem with the "challenge". people get it into their head that the hills in this country arent that big and thus dont take enough precautions. they dont prepare, learn the routes, do a recee, practice on similar hills at night or anything. Its just a case of "oh its Britain, the hills arent that big, we'll be fine with three bananas, a pac-a-mac and a motorway services pasty..."

Subsequently, once they start, they feel compelled to finish it, even in severe conditions risking their own safety to save face and reliant on Mountain Rescue...

I have to ask what on earth you were doing at Scafell in the dark in July? Logic would have you started on Ben Nevis around 1700 to be down for 2300, Snowdon for 0400 and down for 0900 and then Scafell for 1200 and down for 1700....

I appreciate these are intended as guidance for larger groups but the points remain true for groups of any size.

http://ben-nevis.com/three_peaks/three-peaks-criti...

http://ben-nevis.com/three_peaks/three-peaks-code-...

[ScoobyDood]

pablo said:

If you need a guide you shouldnt be doing it. you are either unprepared or have failed to appreciate the potential danger of the hills in bad weather.

^^Utter bks........

To recognise a guide would be of use is a sign of the ultimate preparation, a healthy absence of arrogance and obviously a decent appreciation of the potential dangers. The party (of 9) were all of different levels of experience but all keen to challenge themselves. The "Safety first" option of using a guide is the most sensible precaution even for those attempting to move up a level in experience.

[anonymous-user]

ScoobyDood said:

pablo said:

If you need a guide you shouldnt be doing it. you are either unprepared or have failed to appreciate the potential danger of the hills in bad weather.

^^Utter bks........

To recognise a guide would be of use is a sign of the ultimate preparation, a healthy absence of arrogance and obviously a decent appreciation of the potential dangers. The party (of 9) were all of different levels of experience but all keen to challenge themselves. The "Safety first" option of using a guide is the most sensible precaution even for those attempting to move up a level in experience.

No it isnt, the "ultimate preparation" would have been to recce the routes first, practicsed your navigation in bad weather, tested your gear/stamina in foul conditions, got everyone to a similar experience level before starting... what you did is simply shift the responsibilities from yourself onto a third party.

Furthermore, the "ultimate preparation" would not have had you up Scafell at night in July...

[ScoobyDood]

pablo said:

up Scafell at night in July...

Name a better month (I have done them all)

You come across as one of those selfish protectionists, the preserve is all yours, make it totally impossible for folk to experience the breathtaking wonders of our blessed isle. It doesn't need to be a full-time occupation, it is not the preserve of the elite - Share it and make it available to the masses. Get the bleeders out of the lounge........

[anonymous-user]

ScoobyDood said:

pablo said:

up Scafell at night in July...

Name a better month (I have done them all)

You come across as one of those selfish protectionists, the preserve is all yours, make it totally impossible for folk to experience the breathtaking wonders of our blessed isle. It doesn't need to be a full-time occupation, it is not the preserve of the elite - Share it and make it available to the masses. Get the bleeders out of the lounge........

Given the long hours of daylight, I would have suggested starting Ben Nevis around 1800 to be down for 2400, then drive to Scafell for about 0400 to get the early sunrise and be down for 0900, drive to Snowdon for 1300 and be down for 1800.

I've obviously given the wrong impression. My issue is people who complete this "challenge" without appreciating the effects it has on the local residents, the infrastructure and the hills themselves. They assume that there is sufficent parking and facilities in the vicinity of the paths.

If you go up to the hills the weekend after a big 3 Peaks event, the place looks trashed. Litter everywhere, banana skins, apple cores, lucozade bottles, toilet paper... etc and its frustrating when people who complete the 3 peaks dont then go on to walk other mountains, its this mentality that they have done the three highest and dont need to bother with the rest that annoys me. Places like Skye, Glencoe and the Caringorms are just as much of a challenge.

I dont have any issue with people climbing mountains and I do encourage it but there are other mountains, far harder to walk up, that arent part of this stupid challenge where people can experience the wilder parts of the UK.

[Melchett]

ScoobyDood said:

^^Utter bks........

To recognise a guide would be of use is a sign of the ultimate preparation, a healthy absence of arrogance and obviously a decent appreciation of the potential dangers. The party (of 9) were all of different levels of experience but all keen to challenge themselves. The "Safety first" option of using a guide is the most sensible precaution even for those attempting to move up a level in experience.

+1

[ScoobyDood]

pablo said:

Given the long hours of daylight, I would have suggested starting Ben Nevis around 1800 to be down for 2400, then drive to Scafell for about 0400 to get the early sunrise and be down for 0900, drive to Snowdon for 1300 and be down for 1800.

That might have been too easy for some of the experience with us but point taken.

pablo said:

I've obviously given the wrong impression. My issue is people who complete this "challenge" without appreciating the effects it has on the local residents, the infrastructure and the hills themselves. They assume that there is sufficent parking and facilities in the vicinity of the paths.

Believe me this is something we have been extremely sympathetic towards and all departure points were either official car parks or previously negotiated parking

pablo said:

Litter everywhere, banana skins, apple cores, lucozade bottles, toilet paper... etc and its frustrating when people who complete the 3 peaks dont then go on to walk other mountains, its this mentality that they have done the three highest and dont need to bother with the rest that annoys me. Places like Skye, Glencoe and the Caringorms are just as much of a challenge.

We have a strict litter policy which is well enforced. Can't say we've ever left anything on a mountain that didn't belong.

The thing with the challenge is that often it introduces folk to the activity and many I have accompanied go on to tackle the tougher challenges. 3 Peaks should be viewed as a great introduction to the outdoors for folk who otherwise didn't have the motivation to get out of the pub.....

[FranzKlampon]

It seems a shame to reduce what for me was one of the greatest achievements of my life, down to an argument. I'll be back to post further when I have a little time. But in a nut shell, if you have the desire and inclination, you most certainly have ability. But there are so many things to be learnt that will make your adventure so much more enjoyable!