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What's it like to do the 'Three Peaks'?
Have you climbed Ben Nevis, Snowdon or Scafell Pike? Or taken part in the Three Peaks Challenge? We'd love to here from you! And with your permission include your story (and any pictures) on this site. Click here to send us an email!
So what's it actually like to do the Three Peaks Challenge?
Have you walked up Ben Nevis or Snowdon, thought it was a doddle and were ready for more?
The story below is provided by Nick, who, with his friends, had four attempts at the Three Peaks Challenge - did they make it? Read on below!
So firstly, who were this intrepid group, and how prepared were they for the challenge?
Have you walked up Ben Nevis or Snowdon, thought it was a doddle and were ready for more?
The story below is provided by Nick, who, with his friends, had four attempts at the Three Peaks Challenge - did they make it? Read on below!
So firstly, who were this intrepid group, and how prepared were they for the challenge?
Introducing:
Simon: Age 38 Weight circa 16 st (all muscle) Height 6ft.
Occupation: Runs security business, ex Pro Golfer
Mark: Age 30 Weight circa 12 st Height 5'9
Occupation: Has own business, also ex Pro Golfer
Nick: Age 55 Weight 12.5 st Height 6ft
Occupation: Company Director ex Black Belt Karate (wado ryu under Tatsuo Suzuki)
Adam: Age 47 Weight circa 12.5 st Height 5'11
Occupation: Company Director (very fit cyclist and ex cross country runner)
Dean: The Driver
Simon: Age 38 Weight circa 16 st (all muscle) Height 6ft.
Occupation: Runs security business, ex Pro Golfer
Mark: Age 30 Weight circa 12 st Height 5'9
Occupation: Has own business, also ex Pro Golfer
Nick: Age 55 Weight 12.5 st Height 6ft
Occupation: Company Director ex Black Belt Karate (wado ryu under Tatsuo Suzuki)
Adam: Age 47 Weight circa 12.5 st Height 5'11
Occupation: Company Director (very fit cyclist and ex cross country runner)
Dean: The Driver
Attempt 1: Walkers Nick and Simon
We flew from Southampton to Glasgow hired a vehicle and planned to start the walk the same day circa 1800hrs.
It was early June and fairly good weather. Simon had never seen a mountain before, but given he was physically very strong and young we saw no reason why he couldn't do it. Nick, had walked before, but mainly in the Brecon Beacons on Pen y Fan which is the mountain nearest to where we live 3hrs drive.
We flew from Southampton to Glasgow hired a vehicle and planned to start the walk the same day circa 1800hrs.
It was early June and fairly good weather. Simon had never seen a mountain before, but given he was physically very strong and young we saw no reason why he couldn't do it. Nick, had walked before, but mainly in the Brecon Beacons on Pen y Fan which is the mountain nearest to where we live 3hrs drive.
Nick was ok on the climb up, however due to ill fitting boots (felt alright on the flat ground) every step on the way down was agony to the point when he got back to the vehicle he could hardly walk at all. he vividly remembers the pain of his big toe hitting the front of the boot for over an hour and half on the descent. At this stage we had used our 24 hours and decided not to go to Snowdon. To be honest personally I couldn't walk another step and after arriving home spent many hours in hot bath and was unable to walk for a few days.
Lessons Learned: Simon... Get a mountain done before attempting 3 peaks and be fit.
Nick: Don't wear ill fitting boots!! Ben Nevis and Scafell are different animals to Pen y Fan in the Beacons!
PS - and if you're wondering.... the thought haunted me the whole of the trip and a couple of years after. I was left wondering - was Morag a ghost? But I found out she wasn't when I saw her helping Griff Rhys Jones on his attempt on TV a couple of years ago!
Webmaster's footnote: Actually despite leading viewers to believe otherwise Griff Rhys Jones did not make it to the top of Ben Nevis. The BBC, when asked said "Neither Griff nor the production team realised that they had not actually made it to the ultimate peak and the weather was so bad on the day that they could not see a higher point". So that's the excuse then! Read more
Lessons Learned: Simon... Get a mountain done before attempting 3 peaks and be fit.
Nick: Don't wear ill fitting boots!! Ben Nevis and Scafell are different animals to Pen y Fan in the Beacons!
PS - and if you're wondering.... the thought haunted me the whole of the trip and a couple of years after. I was left wondering - was Morag a ghost? But I found out she wasn't when I saw her helping Griff Rhys Jones on his attempt on TV a couple of years ago!
Webmaster's footnote: Actually despite leading viewers to believe otherwise Griff Rhys Jones did not make it to the top of Ben Nevis. The BBC, when asked said "Neither Griff nor the production team realised that they had not actually made it to the ultimate peak and the weather was so bad on the day that they could not see a higher point". So that's the excuse then! Read more
Brecon Beacons. Picture courtesy of Nick
We set off 1800hrs and Simon wondered what had hit him, he was sick twice in the first hour! We pressed on but lost a lot of time, but Simon being very strong minded carried on.
At about 10pm at night, when we were just over halfway up Ben Nevis we met a lady! She was in running shorts about 40 years of age and said she was tired out and not very fit, but had come from the local village running club and was trying to train for the "Half Ben " race.
At about 10pm at night, when we were just over halfway up Ben Nevis we met a lady! She was in running shorts about 40 years of age and said she was tired out and not very fit, but had come from the local village running club and was trying to train for the "Half Ben " race.
Attempt 2 a year later
Walkers: Nick, Simon and Mark
This time we thought 3 of us would share the driving (huge mistake) and starting at Snowdon circa 0800hrs. For Simon (now more experienced) Snowdon was a breeze Mark also found it easy and I was only 20 minutes behind them. I remember getting into the vehicle feeling so good I said "Gentlemen I could do this all day and all night" (another big mistake).
Walkers: Nick, Simon and Mark
This time we thought 3 of us would share the driving (huge mistake) and starting at Snowdon circa 0800hrs. For Simon (now more experienced) Snowdon was a breeze Mark also found it easy and I was only 20 minutes behind them. I remember getting into the vehicle feeling so good I said "Gentlemen I could do this all day and all night" (another big mistake).
Given I was out of the frame I decided to do most of the driving to Scotland to give them the best chance of succeeding. We arrived at Ben Nevis in the early hours and by now it was raining and hostile. Personally speaking, looking back it was certainly the end of the road for me, getting stuck halfway up Nevis in the middle of the night in the rain is really not the place to be! My two brave much fitter friends pressed on whilst I slept in the car, however after 90 minutes there was a tapping on the window of the vehicle and after I had finally awoken from my slumber, to my great surprise saw it was my two dispirited friends who had decided to turn back.
Mistakes made:
1. Three walkers sharing driving, very difficult ask as driving is tiring than it appears.
2. Huge mistake on my part, trying to walk on adrenaline alone..should have eaten more and taken on hot food (being vegetarian didn't help)
3. Doing the mountains in wrong order IMHO. None of these mountains are easy however Ben Nevis is the last thing you want to face on a rainy night at 0300hrs after doing the previous two and feeling sorry for oneself.
View walking back down Snowdon
Picture courtesy of Craig Southwick
Picture courtesy of Craig Southwick
We arrived at Scafell Pike and got out of the car ready to go, Simon and Mark set off at quite a pace, with Mark being much younger was well in front. My plan was to pace myself, however 20 min into the walk I found I had nothing in tank. It was a strange feeling, as I had massive fatigue marathon runners say the hit the wall, all I can say is I have felt nothing like it...dreadful. I eventually made it to the top of the mountain and at that point dear reader I pretty well realised it was game over for me. I eventually got down exhausted and told the other two it I was finished (much to their surprise and annoyance).
At this stage our challenge was pretty well over as we didn't reach the top till 11pm and walked down in the dark and got back to the car at 0130 ish.
Dean drove us through the night and from memory we arrived at Scafell Pike as dawn was breaking. So, on we went, given that Simon had been ill he was in no mood for what was to come.
Scafell is a hard walk and to attempt it with no sleep and having been sick was a tall order.
Dean drove us through the night and from memory we arrived at Scafell Pike as dawn was breaking. So, on we went, given that Simon had been ill he was in no mood for what was to come.
Scafell is a hard walk and to attempt it with no sleep and having been sick was a tall order.
The Ghost?
We got chatting to her (she was lovely) and we were telling her how hard it was etc. She then offered to show us a short cut to the next level that was soooo steep (just about the last thing we needed). I can still see her now hands on hips stood over us, (i.e.higher up the hill) offering to carry our bags (which were very heavy) up the hill. I personally felt like saying YES but clearly male pride and all that we all declined. It slowly dawned on us she chose to have a bit of fun with us. Her name was Morag (nice Scottish name) and she walked a little way further with us before getting bored with us and the pace and decided to run off to the top. We met her on her way down (we were still nowhere near the top) at this stage it was nearly 11pm and we were the only people on the mountain. She walked a little way further up the mountain with us and then bid us farewell and good luck as she ran off down to her husband and children in the village. When she said goodbye her parting comment was "oh by the way I don't really exist I am a ghost....."
We got chatting to her (she was lovely) and we were telling her how hard it was etc. She then offered to show us a short cut to the next level that was soooo steep (just about the last thing we needed). I can still see her now hands on hips stood over us, (i.e.higher up the hill) offering to carry our bags (which were very heavy) up the hill. I personally felt like saying YES but clearly male pride and all that we all declined. It slowly dawned on us she chose to have a bit of fun with us. Her name was Morag (nice Scottish name) and she walked a little way further with us before getting bored with us and the pace and decided to run off to the top. We met her on her way down (we were still nowhere near the top) at this stage it was nearly 11pm and we were the only people on the mountain. She walked a little way further up the mountain with us and then bid us farewell and good luck as she ran off down to her husband and children in the village. When she said goodbye her parting comment was "oh by the way I don't really exist I am a ghost....."
Final stretch Ben Nevis. Picture courtesy of Nick
Want to see whether they make it next time? Click here for the next attempts....