National 3 Peak Challenge

[shavy65]

Hi guys, looking for advice/tips or someone to point out any obvious flaws in my plan!

Looking to give this a go at the start of June, here`s my intended itinerary -

Start Snowden at 10m finish at 2pm and drive to Scafell
Start Scafell at 6pm finish at 10pm and drive to Ben Nevis
Start Nevis at 3am and finish around 9am.

How does this look for anyone who has done this previous, seem feasible? going by google maps we should avoid any traffic......touch wood!

TIA
Davey

[WeeHills]

Getting from Scafell to Nevis in 5 hours seems a tad optimistic even if you aren't taking any breaks to be honest. I'd allow for more driving time there, not sure about the Snowdon to Scafell drive, it's a long time since I was in North Wales, but possibly that may take longer than you're allowing for as well.

The hill times seem doable but knackering with the long drives between. Best of luck with it.

[AyrshireAlps]

What Weehills says.

Take driving breaks, don't work to a schedule, take your time and enjoy it. I've never seen a more miserable looking group of folk than 3 peakers.

[al78]

What Weehills says.

Take driving breaks, don't work to a schedule, take your time and enjoy it. I've never seen a more miserable looking group of folk than 3 peakers.

I've never had the desire to do the national 3 peaks. The Yorkshire 3 peaks I would like to have a go at some day which I believe is 12 hours time limit, and do you have to finish at the same point you started?

[brpro26]

What day are you going?.
I'd review your start time at Snowdon.
10am to 2pm is prime time, plus the queue at the top🤔, then traffic all the way to Scafell from there. Which way up Scafell, Wasdale?.
Do you have a driver sorted. Transition time is key...no flaffin about boots/gear off/on in the car or van as you go. Eat on the hoof.
The hill times are what they are, the time is critical on the transportation.
I done it starting at Ben Nevis at 5pm and finished with 30mins spare.
It's good crack if there's a few of you. Get your hill fitness and stamina up before you go. Good luck.

[dav2930]

What Weehills says.

Take driving breaks, don't work to a schedule, take your time and enjoy it. I've never seen a more miserable looking group of folk than 3 peakers.

I've never had the desire to do the national 3 peaks. The Yorkshire 3 peaks I would like to have a go at some day which I believe is 12 hours time limit, and do you have to finish at the same point you started?

Traditionally, start and finish at the cafe in Horton (which had closed down last time I looked). I agree re national 3 peaks - more driving than walking & tempts participants to break speed limits. Wasdale MR have no end of trouble with it.

[prog99]

Find something else to do.

[AyrshireAlps]

more driving than walking & tempts participants to break speed limits

And driving for nigh on 6 hours at a time when the driver would normally be asleep. Time pressures to maybe not stop for a break on the road either.

[shavy65]

Appreciate all the replies! All points taken on board and considered, thanks.
Maybe I should have said - there are 3 of us going, so will be sharing the driving, this should help things along a bit.
Would love to complete it for the experience of the English and Welsh peaks and for the feeling of achievement.

brpro26 - We`re planning for June 8th which is a Wed.....hopefully a bit quieter?
Would you advise going earlier in the day? I don`t think later is an option as we thought doing the first two in daylight hours may be wise.
Google maps does suggest a small bit of traffic somewhere between Liverpool & Manchester but anticipated it to be OK....does your experience tell you otherwise?
Wasdale was the plan is I thought it was shortest route.
As mentioned, there`s 3 of us, and will be sharing the driving.

Thanks for the info guys!

What day are you going?.
I'd review your start time at Snowdon.
10am to 2pm is prime time, plus the queue at the top🤔, then traffic all the way to Scafell from there. Which way up Scafell, Wasdale?.
Do you have a driver sorted. Transition time is key...no flaffin about boots/gear off/on in the car or van as you go. Eat on the hoof.
The hill times are what they are, the time is critical on the transportation.
I done it starting at Ben Nevis at 5pm and finished with 30mins spare.
It's good crack if there's a few of you. Get your hill fitness and stamina up before you go. Good luck.

[poppiesrara]

Without knowing your walking speed (you've allowed a fairly generous time for each walk by some standards so if you're young/fit and have done some mountain-walking training first, you may well be quicker) it looks plausible to me midweek.

Two notes: there'd be no chance of parking for the PYG Track up Snowdon around 10am unless you've made prior arrangements - you can expensively pre-book parking at Pen y Pass, otherwise (at the expense of some time after the walk) it could be done by parking in Llanberis and a bus up/down (get on at the first possible stop upward or that might be full too), you might be able to sneak on the roadside near Pen y Gwryd (extra 40min or so walking needed). And opinions differ but Seathwaite may be a better bet than Wasdale for the Scafell Pike start. It's certainly a prettier and easier route and it might be quicker overall - possibly an hour more walking that you might save on the shorter/easier driving.

[davemorrissey]

The website provides 3 options to suit your priorities.

https://www.threepeakschallenge.uk/national-three-peaks-challenge/timing

Personally I'd bend the rules and aim to be on all 3 summits within 24 hours, thus not including one ascent and one descent in the timing. But it's not my idea of fun anyway.

[davekeiller]

I think you're best off having a designated driver who doesn't walk, and can get some rest whilst you're walking. I know I wouldn't be fit to drive at 3am having been on the go since 10am the previous day and climbed 2 mountains.
I'm not a fan of the 3 peaks challenge, I'd rather do all 3 on 3 separate days by interesting routes, not have to hurry and actually enjoy the walks.
There's debate re Wasdale head or Seathwaite for the Scafell *Pike* starting point (Scafell is a totally separate mountain!). Wasdale is a shorter, steeper walk but a longer drive, whilst Seathwaite is a much shorter drive on better roads but a longer walk. The residents of Wasdale head tend to get a bit annoyed with 3 peakers - it's a small village and they get deluged with hundreds of people every weekend in June and July, often coming and going at fairly antisocial hours of the night. MR teams also get a bit annoyed at the number of people whose night time navigation isn't up to scratch and then end up getting into difficulties when they wander on to steep ground. Always in the same places.

There are 2 schools of thought on start time. Either start the first peak in the evening so that you come down after dark, drive during the night and start the second shortly before first light, or do it the way you suggest.

[WalkWithWallace]

You need a driver, otherwise you'll really struggle to do it all yourself.

[BigTed]

Did it back in the late 80s or early 90s. We had a minibus with a couple of guys sharing the driving.

Did it doing Snowdon in the evening, Scaffell at first light and finished at Ben Nevis. Back at the van with an hour or two to spare. That was walking briskly uphill and jogging most of the way down. In fact we had time to do Benm Nevis via the CMD Arete rather than the tourist route going up.

Moving fast on the hill and getting the Wales to the Lakes driving done traffic free being the key.

As we were comfortably within the 24 hours perhaps we were doing the summit to summit in 24 hrs? Can't remember TBH.

I second the suggestion not to try and do it sharing the driving. Much better to have a support driver. We had snacks and drinks waiting every time we got back to the minibus.

[brpro26]

Hi, I'd plan to start Snowdon later maybe 4pm. and possibly do Scafell with head torch... it's not that dark in June or difficult route to follow doing Brown Tongue from carpark at Wasdale. The Ben is a slog but it's up and down....jelly legger. I'd defo or insist on getting a designated driver or else you'll struggle. He/She sleeps and you walk. Otherwise you'll struggle to achieve.
Planning is key get yer shicht sorted, travel light. Book your accomodation and celebration at Fort Bill. Remember to bag it and take it home at Wasdale, keep the noise down.🤣