View Full Version : Three Peaks Challenge
PikeKing
16-12-2007, 18:16
Has anyone here done this?
I've the opportunity to join a team to do it in 2008.
I'm considering it as it would be good to do something completely different, just unsure if my back could take the training. :017:
not done it, but it really is just 3 long hikes in one day. i believe the worst part is cramping up in the car while you drive from each peak.
Yeah pretty sure Ginge did it.
BengDogg
16-12-2007, 19:37
I keep thinking about it but then dont :)
CheeseOnToast
17-12-2007, 00:35
yeah ginge did it with some peeps of AFS, you'll be fine I reckon mate, its hard walking at the end of the day...
I know some right pussies who have done it round here so il'l give you 50/50 :046:
Bullneck Pacifist Gimboid
17-12-2007, 03:43
It's really not as tough as it looks - me, Kirsty and Lloydmav from Affs did it in 2004, nailed it in 23hr 53min which we were pretty chuffed with.
There were 6 of us in the team (Ryan from Affs, and also my mates Jamie and Jo) but Ryan and Jamie both went down with twisted knees so didn't finish.
Top tips
1) Get a driver - I had to drive for all of this, and believe me it was a bitch. Pay someone else to do it if necessary, but even shift-driving is a pain in the rocks.
2) Ben Nevis first, then Scafell Pike, then Snowdon - sounds obvious but still a point worth making
3) Allow for traffic / roadworks in your timings - we got bad traffic on the way into Wales on the A55 (?) which really held us up.
4) Assuming you have a driver, get them to drop you at the North of Scafell, then drive round and pick you up at the South side - this saves a couple of hours as road access to the place is hellish and if you have to be picked up / dropped off at the same point it makes it tougher. To give you an idea, you can comfortably ascend and descend Scafell in the time it takes for the driver to come round and pick you up.
The north side way up starts at Seathwaite Farm, the south side down drops you at either the Wasdale Head Inn, or if you go the quicker way then it drops you at a layby halfway between the Inn and the nearby Wastwater Youth Hostel.
5) Go up Snowdon from Llanberis. The Pyg Track and Miners Track are shorter, yes, but unless you're VERY aware then the steep zigzag final ascent will be tricky after having just done the other two. The way up from Llanberis is like a motorway and the views are still pretty spectacular.
6) Sort out ahead of time when you're going to start each one, then drive to fit that plan. We set off up Ben Nevis at about 3pm if I remember correctly, got down just as it was nearing dusk, drove through the night to hit Scafell Pike about 3.30am (setting off from the layby mentioned above) which meant we hit the top at dawn - awesome, one of the best moments of my life by far - then drove like madmen to Wales and set off up Snowdon at about 1.30pm, we ran all the way down to finish inside 24 hours.
As I say, with a driver who can drop you in Seathwaite and collect in Wasdale you can comfortably shave an hour, maybe two, off the time and makes Snowdon a more leisurely descent. The other advantage is while you're on the way down you can call the driver and get him to start making cups of tea, soup, pot noodles, etc etc.
Another obvious point, don't underestimate nutrition, get the calories in - plenty of carbs and protein and make sure that at least some of it is hot, don't try and do it all on shakes and bars, it'll be grim. IIRC we aimed for about 3500 that day from soup, broth, pot noodles, shakes, bars, fruit, oatcakes, etc etc...
Last hint, if you stay overnight at the Glen Nevis youth hostel, it's dirt cheap, and the start point for the ascent is literally on your doorstep - cross the bridge and away you go. However they will insist that someone from the team notifies them when you're about to set off for ScaFell otherwise they'll be onto Mountain Search & Rescue to go find you ;)
Um, that's all that comes to mind right now. My advice is go for it, if you want any more tips in the run up then give me a shout, HTH.
Oh yeah - when are you planning to do it?
I'd be up for this if anyone fancies making up and Iron City team?
PikeKing
17-12-2007, 11:41
I'd be up for this if anyone fancies making up and Iron City team?
everyones to fat here
everyones too fat here
Fu*k off you fat git.
*Looks down....oh,yeah.....* :mad:
PikeKing
17-12-2007, 11:49
i'd imagine i'd end up skinny like Tim from doing the training
Training? It walking up three hills FFS, I could do this tomorrow. A few test walks help you prepare gear wise etc but I reckon if you "fit" (back to the argument in Tim Journo) you should be able to do this.
PikeKing
17-12-2007, 12:08
hmmm you know a lot of people dont complete it
anyway, i'm doing it under a yoke
everyones to fat here
pot.kettle.
PikeKing
17-12-2007, 12:35
i'm not fat i'm big boned
i'm not fat i'm big boned
So are elephants.
CheeseOnToast
18-12-2007, 14:12
I'm up for doing it if a few of us get together from here
BengDogg
19-12-2007, 07:58
when is it? can i bring my bike ? :)
pot.kettle.
*Hears sound of breaking glass and stones* :045:
Bullneck Pacifist Gimboid
04-01-2008, 01:57
Training? It walking up three hills FFS, I could do this tomorrow. A few test walks help you prepare gear wise etc but I reckon if you "fit" (back to the argument in Tim Journo) you should be able to do this.
To be fair the two guys in our team who went down were both "fit", and in fact I remember Lloyd dieted down to about 15 stone in order to make sure he was "balanced" enough to do this from a CV viewpoint.
Seriously it's not tough, but if you don't train for it then you won't complete it, simple.
It's possible you could do it tomorrow, but I wouldn't say I'd recommend it. That said you wouldn't need to train crazy hard for it, maybe a practice walk or two on the hills near to you (Praps not Ben Nevis lol) and then a half dozen practice walks of say between 5-15km to get your body used to monotonous plodding and / or hill climbs on different terrain. Nothing overly strenuous needed, but dismissing it as "FFS it's just 3 hills" does kind of detract from what is a very real achievement for those that do complete this.
Angel Delight
04-05-2008, 23:09
I've done the Three Peaks Challenge, as you know PK. I had the best time of my life. The sleep deprivation would be the killer for you! Climbing the Mountains was fantastic and I made so many friends en route.
I am thinking of doing this next year as it goes - should be fun
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