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National 3 Peaks

Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby simon-b » Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:46 pm

I agree with dodec and stevesy. It's better to give each mountain proper justice, not really done by nipping up and down each one by the tourist route, in between racing up and down Britain in a car.

To climb the three peaks in a day, getting a good introduction to each hill with some beautiful walks through the country in between, can be done - by climbing Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough.
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby poppiesrara » Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:08 pm

Well, it's easy to frown on it from the view of an experienced hillwalker, but most of the people that do it don't cause any disruption to locals, and a damn sight of money for good causes comes out of it (like it or not, a 'big-name' challenge like this is a lot easier to attract sponsors for than a bespoke alternative). And the 3PC, and the people that arranged it and did it with me, got me into hill-walking - for which I'm likely to be grateful for decades to come, during which I'll probably never disturb or upset a single person. And there'll be many others like me - not many people here didn't walk up an eroded, popular and crowded route the first time they climbed a hill.

To take the judgements out of this and answer the first question, if you're trying to do it quickly, Wasdale Head was a good option for us - it's a short and easy-to-follow route from there and (depending on your driver!) I don't really think that the slightly longer drive negates that. If you do it in the height of summer (admittedly along with everyone else, but much less so if you can organise a midweek option), you should be able to avoid darkness altogether and therefore enjoy the views in full - get down from Ben Nevis at 10ish, start climbing Scafell Pike first light the next day.
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby simon-b » Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:45 pm

poppiesrara wrote:Well, it's easy to frown on it from the view of an experienced hillwalker, but most of the people that do it don't cause any disruption to locals, and a damn sight of money for good causes comes out of it (like it or not, a 'big-name' challenge like this is a lot easier to attract sponsors for than a bespoke alternative). And the 3PC, and the people that arranged it and did it with me, got me into hill-walking - for which I'm likely to be grateful for decades to come, during which I'll probably never disturb or upset a single person. And there'll be many others like me - not many people here didn't walk up an eroded, popular and crowded route the first time they climbed a hill.


Seeing lots of 3 peakers ascending the mountian track, perspiring and out of breath, as I came down from the Ben, did not make me frown on them, Poppie. I respected them for the effort they'd put in. But I did feel sorry for them, missing out on the awesome sight of the north face and the approach along the CMD arete, which I'd just experienced.
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby mrssanta » Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:58 pm

why not do the Yorkshire 3 peaks? it's a challenging route, do in 12 hours, no haring around the countryside burning fuel and risking your neck, and it is a gorgeous part of the world. also you get to use the clocking in and out machine at the cafe in Horton-in-Ribblesdale and they look out for you coming back.
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby poppiesrara » Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:04 pm

Of course Simon, sorry - nothing was meant to be addressed to you there; just those (and no-one at all specifically) that disapprove of the 3PC [i]per se[i]. There are better things out there, of course, but let's not slate the many people that tackle it bravely and for the best of reasons.
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby icemandan » Sat Mar 09, 2013 12:05 am

I think if you want a more original and more demanding challenge (as well as causing less disturbance) you should cycle between them.

Incidentally I am puzzled by Circle's statistics

...the 28 walking shops in Ambleside, 52 in Kendal and 78 in Windemere rely on this for example).


I live in Kendal and I've no idea where 47 of the supposed 52 walking shops are. As for Windermere, I'd be surprised if there were 78 shops in total. Maybe I'm just not very observant.
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby simon-b » Sat Mar 09, 2013 2:15 pm

icemandan wrote:I think if you want a more original and more demanding challenge (as well as causing less disturbance) you should cycle between them.


The challenge is often referred to as "the highest three mountains in Britain". Icemadman's suggestion of cycling between them would be good for just that: Ben Nevis, Ben Macdui and Braeriach.

But, Stomper, you started the thread, and if you want to go for the national 3 peaks, I wish you the best of luck.
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby stig_nest » Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:31 pm

Its a funny thing this highest in the 3 countries.. Scafell Pike is barely in the top 180 in terms of UK highest hills and Snowdon has 56 taller adversaries north of the border.. I think doing the UK top 10 would be a far better challenge - though I guess you might (ok would) struggle to do them all in 24 hours.. :crazy:

has anyone on W/H complete this in a weekend say?
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby monty » Sat Mar 09, 2013 9:04 pm

What is it with you "holier than thou" people. You are quite happy to climb or walk routes of your own choosing but then report disparaging comments on a walker that wishes to take part in a walk of their choice however many hills it includes.

The Ben Nevis race every year attracts approximately 500 runners so I suppose you would like it cancelled due to the erosion it creates??

I was in Wasdale last year and never heard anyone complain that I was there to walk??? In fact I do believe they were quite happy to accept my payment for food accommodation and beer.

Taking your remarks to the extreme, Ben Nevis would be closed to walkers for 90% of the year due to the erosion caused and huge amounts of money raised for charitable causes would no longer be raised.
I have seen deposits and rubbish left by walkers in the hills but that is an entirely different issue and rubbish left by the wayside is symptomatic of the casual neglect and irresponsibility of the chosen few.
Get a f..... life and live and let live.

P.s. I will be leading a large party in the three peaks challenge this year.
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby IainG » Sat Mar 09, 2013 9:44 pm

Although I have the opinion that it s no more than a challenge to see how far you can drive in 24hrs, I think it's a bit hypocritical of anyone bagging the munros to argue that the 3 peaks challenge is an environmental crime, or is somehow too easy.

The creation and publicity of Munros Tables have caused massive environmental issues, whether it be the CO2 through fuel, gear manufacture, supplies, helicopter fuel etc, or the huge troughs hammered into the 'trade routes' up the hills.
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby electricfly » Sat Mar 09, 2013 9:49 pm

I have to agree with Monty, The original post was regarding a fastest route query not a "should I do the 3 peaks" query.

I can understand certain peoples disdain at such a challenge, especially where those taking part have rarely set foot on any other mountainous regions. However, as you can see from Stomper's stats, he is a Compleater and is well versed in the magnificence and beauty of the UK's high places. I say good luck with your challenge and look forward to reading the report when it's done.

P.S. Have you considered including Ireland's 3000er, Carrauntoohil and making it a 4 peaks extravaganza? :wink:
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby monarchming » Sun Mar 10, 2013 12:16 pm

Ha! Magic Monty! :thumbup:My thoughts exactly! I done the 3 peaks back in 2000 and we climbed Scafell Pike from Seathwaite.Ok,it's longer but a more gradual ascent and that's why we chose that route.
Enjoy the 3 PC and the best of luck Stomper! :thumbup:
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby simon-b » Sun Mar 10, 2013 3:21 pm

monty wrote:What is it with you "holier than thou" people. You are quite happy to climb or walk routes of your own choosing but then report disparaging comments on a walker that wishes to take part in a walk of their choice however many hills it includes.

The Ben Nevis race every year attracts approximately 500 runners so I suppose you would like it cancelled due to the erosion it creates??

I was in Wasdale last year and never heard anyone complain that I was there to walk??? In fact I do believe they were quite happy to accept my payment for food accommodation and beer.

Taking your remarks to the extreme, Ben Nevis would be closed to walkers for 90% of the year due to the erosion caused and huge amounts of money raised for charitable causes would no longer be raised.
I have seen deposits and rubbish left by walkers in the hills but that is an entirely different issue and rubbish left by the wayside is symptomatic of the casual neglect and irresponsibility of the chosen few.
Get a f..... life and live and let live.

P.s. I will be leading a large party in the three peaks challenge this year.


Monty, I see your point, but I don't feel there's anything wrong with people adding their opinions to the debate, both for and against the challenge. As electricfly states, stomper has the experience to have made an informed choice in taking it on. But people newer to mountain walking will be reading the thread, so it should be good for them to see both sides of the argument.

Regarding erosion, what you say is completely valid. One of the alternatives two of us have suggested, the Yokrshire 3 Peaks, has had numerous paths re-routed or re-made due to environmental damage. Personally, on different occasions, I've climbed Snowdon by the Miners' Track, Scafell Pike by both the Corrridor and Wasdale routes, and descended Ben Nevis by the Mountain Track, thereby adding wear and tear just like any National 3 Peaks walker.

So I sincerely wish you and your party the best of luck with the challenge this year. But it's not something I intend taking on, purely due to personal preference.
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby monty » Sun Mar 10, 2013 6:42 pm

Aye Simon, absolutely. Its good to get out on the hills however you or I choose to do it but lets not have double standards here. I assume we are all hill walkers on this site and therefore are all responsible in part to any erosion that takes place.

To implicitly suggest that too many people visiting a particular route or hill is bad but that the author of the comments walking, with his own group of friends, up a hill or route of their own choosing is ok, is simply not agreeable to me. In fact for all the walkers that take the tourist route up Ben Nevis ever year I was pleasantly surprised at the state of the path when I was up there two weeks ago.

I get agitated when others make comments regarding the freedom of others to walk routes off their choosing, regardless of how many others are walking the same route at the same time, especially when those commenting are avid hill walkers. The danger being that calls to restrict walking can be hidden spark waiting to catch fire.

I sat and listened to a radio phone in recently regarding the recent unfortunate spate of deaths in the hills and the chair person and one other trying to stir up support to restrict hill walking activities. On a number of occasions I was frantically dialling in to put my point across only to be restrained by the common sense approach and comments of various hill walkers and MRT members that took the time to put the chair person straight on various points. This is what we are up against.

Some great points have been made on this topic but please lets not call for anyone to curb any walking activity :D
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Re: National 3 Peaks

Postby mrssanta » Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:07 pm

Couldn't agree more Monty. I was one of the ones who chipped in about the Yorkshire three peaks, but not because I have any feeling that it is morally better than the National Three but I think it's a great walk and challenge. We all contribute to erosion and disturb wildness wherever we go. I wouldn't want anyone to stop me, and I wouldn't stop anyone else. But I think it is good to contribute to MRT, the National Trust, conservation and footpath projects and the like which try to minimise damage, even paying the odd three pounds to park, and I hope that we all can do our bit by picking up other people's litter when we see it instead of moaning about it.
We did the National 3 Peaks as a fundraiser last year. We raised a huge sum of money to take a bunch of young adults to Uganda and help build and fund a school there. Rudolph and I led three non-walkers, we did it over four days. It was hard work. I raised one hundred pounds in sponsor money - people know walking is something I love - but the others impressed people so much by the effort and pain they caused themselves that they raised over six thousand pounds - astounding!
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