 There was apparently a 600m drop here, I didn't fancy getting any closer to take in the view! |
| From 3 Peaks Challenge June 2008 |
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| From 3 Peaks Challenge June 2008 |
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| From 3 Peaks Challenge June 2008 |
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| From 3 Peaks Challenge June 2008 |
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Taken on Scafell Pike. Soaked through, pissed off, freezing cold and generally, not a happy bunny.
 On top of Snowdon at about half four in the morning. After only 2 hours sleep in the previous 24 there was little sense of achievement at this point. I just wanted to get out of my soaking, stinking clothes and go to bed! |
| From 3 Peaks Challenge June 2008 |
Thursday, 7 August 2008
The Three Peaks Challenge - Tips
To anyone reading this and considering doing the three peaks themselves I would offer the following thoughts to consider:
- Do it in a group. You’ll then have people around to egg you on when you feel like quitting and congratulate you on reaching the peaks and completing the challenge.
- If you have the freedom, try and plan it when the weather’s nice.
- Start Ben Nevis at about 17:00 and you’ll get a good 5 hours sleep before having to climb Scafell Pike.
- Make sure your waterproofs are waterproof before you start the challenge.
- Make sure your drivers know exactly which route you’re taking.
- If possible, walk each of the routes prior to the challenge. Although you don’t really need a map for any of the routes, knowing which path to take when the route splits saves you having to faff around getting the maps out and figuring out where you are and which way to go.
- Have your food in an easy to reach pocket. Having to stop and take off your ruck sack every time you feel hungry means you just don’t bother which in turn means you’ll be suffering later on.
- Make sure your support team know what food and drink you want when you get down off the peaks.
- I found there was a mobile phone signal (Vodafone) about half to 1 hour before getting down from each peak. Phone and let your support team know when you’ll be back so they can have the food cooked and everything packed away prior to you getting down.
- Have enough clothes with you so that you’ll always have something dry to get into when you get down off the mountain.
- Wear proper sports underwear. I used the Helly Hansen boxer shorts which dry off really quickly. Had I worn normal boxers I imagine I’d been chaffed red raw with how wet I got.
- A pretty obvious one but, wear proper hiking boots. With how tired I was feeling I’d have probably broken my ankle a few times on Snowdon had I been in trainers or walking shoes.
The Three Peaks Challenge - Snowdon
A couple of hours sleep is all that I could manage between Scafell Pike and Snowdon unfortunately. By the time I reached Snowdon I was starving hungry as well as weak and feeble. We got to Pen-y-Pass car park at just before 02:00 to find it jam packed. There were two coach loads of people just finishing the first stage of the three peaks challenge. The way I was feeling it was a not very pleasant surprise to get out of the car and find a hog roast had been prepared for those finishing the first of their three peaks. I felt famished and just didn’t have the time to stop and beg for a hot pork roll. Gutted.
The forecast had been for heavy rain over Llanberis but luckily the weather was fine, just touch misty. Snowdon turned out to be an absolute killer. I knew the route fairly well so wasn’t too concerned about getting lost but it felt like I had to stop every ten minutes for a rest. The pyg track turned out to be a real hard slog. I was absolutely shattered and felt like curling up and falling asleep at every ten minute stop. I met one group of people coming down who were just starting the three peaks. They had somehow managed to lose one of their team and were asking whether I’d seen anyone else on the way up. Hopefully they found him as he definitely hadn’t passed me.
The higher I went the colder it got and the worse the visibility got. My headlight wasn’t really helping as it was like using your full beam in the fog. Luckily at about 04:00 it was light enough for me walk up without the torch. All I remember from reaching the summit is how tired and cold I felt. I unfortunately don’t recall any sense of achievement, just a desperate need to get off the mountain, get a cup of tea and get home to bed.
I had decided to come down the Llanberis path as the pyg track would have finished my knees completely. Coming down this route was, thankfully, completely uneventful. I had a few nice views but unfortunately the cloud cover had ruined any chance of a decent sunrise.
I finally made it down from Snowdon in 3 hours and 37 minutes which actually amazed me considering how slowly I thought I’d gone up. The total time to up and down all three peaks and travel between them was 23 hours and 30 minutes. My only thought on accomplishing the three peaks was please get me home to bed. Getting a decent amount of sleep during the challenge would have probably put me in a better mood and helped me feel chuffed about completing the challenge there and then. As it was, I had to wait until had a good 8 hours sleep before I felt pretty chuffed about completing the challenge. The fact I did it by myself (the hiking part anyway) does give me a sense of achievement, I felt like quitting so often but managed to dig deep and keep on trudging.
The Three Peaks Challenge - Scafell Pike
We arrived at the National Trust campsite in Wasdale at about 17:15 to be greeted by a National Trust jobsworth. We were stopping for two minutes whilst I got the boots on and then Dad and Sal were heading to the pub for something to eat. On seeing us drive through the car park and round to the exit the NT chap chased after us, advising us once we’d stopped that we couldn’t stop here and should park in next doors car park to get ready. I was non too impressed when I thought feck it, and started getting changed and started to walk through 30ft of National Trust Campsite property. Had my Dad not been talking to him and trying to calm him down I’m pretty certain he would have chased after me and made me walk around! Jobsworth.
So, back to Scafell Pike. In short, the whole experience was miserable. Horrible is probably a better word to use. In order to complete the challenge within 24 hours I knew I’d have to be up and down Scafell Pike in at least 3.5 hours. My knees were aching, I felt shagged and it was chucking it down with rain. 15 minutes into the walk I started to feel a bit better. 20 minutes into the walk my waterproofs turned out not to be waterproof and I felt like shite again.
People on the way down bought the news that visibility was awful on top, it was freezing cold and was raining harder up there than down here! Gutting. On a previous trip to Wasdale I’d walked the Mickledore route and the other route (don’t recall what it’s called but it’s less of a climb but takes a bit longer). Due to the time limits I’d decided to walk the Mickledore route. It wasn’t until half way up this route I realised I’d maybe taken a bit too much of a risk. It also occurred to me I hadn’t mentioned the name of the route I was walking to my Dad and sister. Dickhead.
The route up was awful. The path had turned into a stream as the water gushed down from the top. Unfortunately the gulley I had to climb up had water tumbling down. Climbing up a scree slope in the rain by yourself is definitely not recommended! Every time I put a foot on the slope to take a step up the water rushing down was washing the scree away so for every 3 steps up I’d slip 2 steps back. The gulley was worse. Although where I was standing was not so slippery I had to hold on to pull myself up in some areas. My hands were freezing, soaking and the rocks were getting difficult to grasp. I finally made it o the top of the gulley and although soaked and freezing cold I was just thankful to be on solid ground.
From here on up visibility was very poor and the wind was blowing a gale. Luckily I could see each cairn in front fairly easily so I left the map where it was and followed the cairns to the summit. I spent as much time as it took to take the camera out of the bag and take a photo on the summit. Heading down I decided to take the longer route to Wasdale rather than risk my life trying to get down the scree. Again I just followed the cairns again and hoped I was on the right path. I met up with a couple of of guys who seemed to be pretty concerned about me. I imagine I must have looked a bit of a state at this point. Reassuring them that I was fine I made my way down and go back to the car in about 3 hours 10 minutes. I’ve never before been so grateful to be off a hill and back in the warm.
I managed a cup of sweet tea, a pot noodle and some munchies before passing out for a couple of hours.
The Three Peaks Challenge - Ben Nevis
The peak that I’d spent most time worrying about prior to the challenge was Ben Nevis. I had not even seen it before, let alone climbed it so didn’t have a clue what to expect. I knew the route to the summit ran extremely close to the cliffs and in poor visibility you’d need to use your map and compass. After 7 months or trying I’d still not had chance to test out my navigation skills. Stood on the top next to the cliffs would not be the ideal time to find out they were shite! My knees were the other concern. Although I’d been spending quite a bit of time in the gym prior to the challenge they had still not completely recovered from the thrapping they’d received in Yorkshire. I’d bought knee supports and walking poles but still had a vision of my Dad having to carry me down Ben Nevis after an hour or two!
06:07 on the Friday morning was the start time. I’d had a giant bowl of weetabix and muesli to start me off and had made myself 2 chocolate spread sandwiches to take for the walk along with a few other munchies. To be honest, I was looking forward to the chocolate sandwiches more than the walk as the last time I’d had them was I was 12.
It turned out the tourist track up Ben Nevis was extremely easy to follow. Up to about 600m the weather was fine and warm. Above 600m the weather was just nasty, windy, raining and fairly low visibility. I’d managed one chocolate sandwich before the weather broke and didn’t intend stopping for another one until I was dry again. The walk up to the summit plateau was fairly uneventful, above 600m I’d not seen a thing bar the path in front of me and the only people I’d seen were two chaps running down.
The top was a little more interesting than the rest of the walk thankfully. Although it was only 3 days from July I had to walk through a 50m stretch of snow, the heavens had opened and the wind was icy cold. I’d also forgotten my hat and gloves so was less than impressed with my organisation skills! On route to the summit the cliff edge (with a 600m drop) is about 5 foot away from the path, it’s easy to see how people die every year on Ben Nevis. I spent about 10 minutes on top due to the weather and managed a couple of photos before the fingers froze up.
The route down was again fairly uneventful. I passed a lot more people on the way down and amazed me were the lads wondering up in tracksuit and trainers. The tourist track isn’t difficult but the amount of loose rocks mean the there’s quite a risk of twisting an ankle or falling. Maybe Mountain Rescue ought to start charging if they have to rescue people who are ill equipped to climb the mountain.
A view finally reappeared at about 500m and I could at last take off the waterproof coat. I got caught in the rain earlier on before I had chance to don the waterproof trousers so I was hoping I’d dry off fairly quickly. On the way down I took an un-necessary risk which thankfully didn’t result in too much injury but could have seen the challenge ending early. I’d noticed a fell runner taking a short cut through the heather to miss out the zig zagging path. Further on down the hill I though I’d try out the same trick. I forgot to take into account that the path I was on was stone and the path I was about to tread was mud (and that we’d had a shed load of rain earlier on!). As soon as my second foot touched the mud both feet went from under me. I landed on my backside with walking poles flailing around in one hand an a camera in the other. It was a real Indiana Jones moment as I slid down the side of this bank for about 30m on my ass. Thankfully as I tumbled out of the heather onto the path my only injuries were a bruised backside and a severe bout of humiliation as passers by gave me extremely disapproving glares. My error in judgement also meant I had to walk down the remaining mile covered in mud and receiving odd glances from other walkers.
I finally made it down in a total time of 4 hours 50 minutes. My knees had held out, I’d eaten my first chocolate sandwich since I was 12 and I’d just climbed (well, walked) the highest peak in the UK. Time for a 6 hour drive down to Scafell Pike.
Sunday, 15 June 2008
The Yorkshire 3 Peaks
Full of optimism I decided to complete the challenge on the 3rd day of the holiday just in case I'd horrendously underestimated the challenge and failed dismally. At least if the worst happened I'd have the rest of the week to make a second attempt. Thankfully one attempt was all that was needed.
I started at 06:35 and was as lucky as I could have been with the weather. The sun was shining and it was warm enough to start the walk in shorts. The first half of the walk was fairly uneventful. The scenery was beautiful and between Horton in Ribblesdale and the Ribblehead viaduct not a soul was to be seen. I made it to the summit of Pen-y-Ghent in just under an hour and with no aches, pains or twinges I decided to jog from the summit over to Whernside.
On reaching the Ribblehead viaduct I decided to take it easy and walk to the summit of Whernside and then jog from the summit over to Ingleborough. Sat on the summit of whernside having a banana I felt absolutely fine, still no aches, pains or twinges. And then I started to jog. It was at this point that the pain began in my right knee and I realised that I'd be walking the rest of the route. 150m down the side of Whernside and my knee was in agony. Everytime I took a step down hill leading with my right foot it felt like my knee was about to explode. At least the the left was knee was fine.
I finally reached the base of Ingleborough and found that climbing up hill caused me very little pain at all. I reached the summit of Ingleborough and then faced the daunting task of getting down without bending my right leg. Try walking down the stairs without bending one of your legs just to see how difficult this is. Now try it without bending either leg and you'll know the situation I was in about 5 minutes down the side of Ingleborough.
The next two and a half hours was absolute agony. Walking on the flat or a slight slope was OK so long as I didn't stop. If I stopped or had to take a large step down hill my knees exploded and then the profanity would start (and generally last until I found a slight slope to walk on). I tried walking backwards, sliding on my backside, taking giant steps and taking little steps but nothing alleviated the agony. Watching me trying to get down the hill must have been similar to watching the Monty Python silly walks sketch.
Thanking the lord (which I've never done before!) I finally made it back to the Pen-y-Ghent cafe in Horton-in-Ribblesdale and settled down to a one pint cup of tea with about 6 sugars in!!. The total time taken was just under 8.5 hours. Considering I hobbled the last 10 - 13 miles I was fairly chuffed with the time but a touch disappointed that my 31 year old knees were acting more like 71 year old knees. God help me on the National 3 peaks if my knees react in the same fashion.
