on the subject of…..the 3 peaks (part 1)

A trilogy in every sense!!!

The national three peaks challenge is to climb the highest mountains in each of Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Sca fell pike) and Wales (Mt Snowdon), with the necessary driving in between as a single event and to complete it within 24 hours. Many people attempt it as part of an organised group, often using a minibus with non-participating designated driver(s), but it’s possible, and usually quicker, to do it as a small group in one car. If all the occupants of the car are also completing the challenge, there is the added pressure of sharing driving, so not getting much chance of sleep.

The most commonly used method approach is to go North to South, a typical plan looking like this: Set off from the foot of Ben Nevis late afternoon. The hike to the top and back is about 11 miles and can easily take 5+ hours.  The idea being to be coming back off the mountain just as darkness is falling. Straight into car and head south to Wasdale Head in the lake district. This drive will also take a good 5 hours or more and is done through the night to minimise time on Sca fell in darkness. The climb up and down Sca fell is the shortest of the three mountains, but is pretty tough in parts and the terrain as you near the top resembles what you might imagine as a desolate lunar landscape, and isn’t easy going. This will be done as day breaks, and if you started your challenge at Ben Nevis at say 5pm, you’d want to be completing Sca Fell and leaving Wasdale head by around 8am. The first 30 to 40 miles out of the Lake district is slow going along very narrow twisting lanes, frequently covered in sheep ! You’ll also probably need a to stop for petrol and grab some food during the drive down to North Wales, so this leg will also take best part of 5 hours. Assuming you arrive at the Pen-Y-Pas car park by 1 pm, you have 4 hours to make the summit of Snowdon and back which is very do-able.

Other strategies are possible, and timing can play a large part in determining success or failure. I’ve done it three times, using very different tactics each time and have had three very different outcomes. But there was a direct correlation between planning and outcome on each occasion.    The first attempt in June 2005 ended in abject failure, and went like this:

It would be hard to come up with a worse plan so rather than tell the whole sorry tale, I’ll bullet point the flaws:

• Only two of us, so had to share large amounts of driving in addition to the Mountain hikes.
• Decided to go South to North. Not impossible, but the timings don’t work so well.
• Met up and left Tonbridge at 2am, so already sleep deprived before we started.
• Had no worthwhile maps or routes of any of the 3 mountains. That’s why we lost the path in foul weather half way up Snowdon and had to backtrack to take a different route. We lost 2 hours, and although we didn’t admit it, it was already game over.
• Reached Wasdale head way down on schedule and with dusk falling and with no adequate route knowledge, soon after setting out for the summit we recognised that we couldn’t do it and turned back.
• As the 24 hr challenge was over, we dossed in Carlisle and headed up to Fort William early next morning. A slow slog to the foggy and deeply snow covered peak of Ben Nevis and back down to head back south to try another attempt at Sca Fell, but as it was nearly 11pm by the time we were back at Carlisle, another overnight stop was needed.
• Well into the third day of our “24 hour” challenge as we returned to the Lake District to try and salvage some honour by at least topping all three mountains eventually.
• Unfortunately we still didn’t know the route, and in continuing atrocious weather we got lost at Mickledore (not very far from the summit, but we didn’t know that) and finally gave up, defeated. 24 hr challenge took 3 days and ended in failure. Shambles. Unfinished business. We’ll be back.  Part two next time.

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