walkhighlands

This forum is for general discussion about walking and scrambling... If writing a report or sharing your experiences from a route, please use the other boards.

3 peaks challenge

3 peaks challenge


Postby KirstyM » Sun May 12, 2013 2:22 pm

Hi, I'm a relatively new to hill walking (have bagged just 6 munros) my boyfriend and his friend are planning to do the 3 peaks challenge for charity in July and I was wondering if anyone has any advice, best order to do them, best time to start .... all help would be much appreciated thanks Kirsty :D
KirstyM
 
Posts: 3
Munros:5   Corbetts:1
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:4   Hewitts:2
Wainwrights:1   
Joined: Aug 3, 2011
Location: lanarkshire

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby Rudolph » Sun May 12, 2013 4:30 pm

I'm assuming you mean the Nevis / Snowdon / Scafell Pike three peaks rather than the Yorkshire one?

Are you planning to do them in the 24hr? If so my advice would be don't, unless you've done a lot of endurance stuff. Certainly not without a support team (driver, cook, people to walk with you who know the hills)

Otherwise get plenty practice / training in. We escorted some complete novices up the three peaks last May over 4 days starting with Ben Nevis. A recovery day travelling from Glen Nevis hostel to Snowdon was a great help in getting knees to work again.
User avatar
Rudolph
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 440
Munros:280   
Hewitts:2
Wainwrights:1   
Joined: May 14, 2012

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby KirstyM » Sun May 12, 2013 10:04 pm

Hi,

Yes I'm talking about Nevis Snowdon and Scafell Pike, they do plan to do it in 24hrs but I will pass on your advice, many thanks for your help
KirstyM
 
Posts: 3
Munros:5   Corbetts:1
Fionas:1   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:4   Hewitts:2
Wainwrights:1   
Joined: Aug 3, 2011
Location: lanarkshire

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby Milesy » Mon May 13, 2013 9:43 pm

My advice is don't do it the "normal" way. It contributes nothing but erosion to the hills and very little to the local economy. I am sorry to be negative but I think anyone who does the three peaks by the standard way does not love the hills or the communities they sit in.
Milesy
Stravaiging
 
Posts: 1520
Joined: Jun 12, 2009
Location: Airdrieland.

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby Rudolph » Tue May 14, 2013 8:31 am

Milesy wrote:I think anyone who does the three peaks by the standard way does not love the hills or the communities they sit in.


You might well be right but not everybody is born with a love of the hills. Some grow to enjoy them and if doing such a walk / challenge gets people started in the hills then that is all to the good. I certainly enjoyed the walk(s) when we did them over 4 days - but there are other bits if enjoyed more.

But back to the OP - I wonder how much endurance / hill experience the the two hoping to do the walk have...
User avatar
Rudolph
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 440
Munros:280   
Hewitts:2
Wainwrights:1   
Joined: May 14, 2012

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby Milesy » Fri May 17, 2013 2:26 pm

The sight I see on Ben Nevis in the summer is disgusting. It is great when people love the hills or grow to love them but not at the expense of the erosion and the litter. The vast majority of three peakers contribute nothing back to the environment they are using.
Milesy
Stravaiging
 
Posts: 1520
Joined: Jun 12, 2009
Location: Airdrieland.

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby Slogger » Fri May 17, 2013 6:30 pm

Milesy wrote:The sight I see on Ben Nevis in the summer is disgusting. It is great when people love the hills or grow to love them but not at the expense of the erosion and the litter. The vast majority of three peakers contribute nothing back to the environment they are using.


Fair point however they do raise much needed funds for worthy causes, although I choose not to be in their vicinity during those mad 3 peaks charity weekends.
Dave.
User avatar
Slogger
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 1246
Munros:146   
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:125
Wainwrights:141   
Joined: May 13, 2010
Location: Lancashire

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby Milesy » Fri May 17, 2013 8:13 pm

What every weekend? :(
Milesy
Stravaiging
 
Posts: 1520
Joined: Jun 12, 2009
Location: Airdrieland.

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby ExpatEddie » Fri May 17, 2013 10:53 pm

In getting into this thread I have to say I don't like the idea of mountain challenges unless it is done by people who know hills and have the fitness to do it. I don't have any figures but I wonder how many times the MRT are called out to resuce these charity walkers. The MRT are volunteers but are they overstretched because of an influx of inexperienced people who go up mountains based on the idea of supporting a charity? There are other ways to suppport charities. End of rant. :wave:

But my main question is - when or how is it done? :? I get the idea from what has been said that there is a set timetable and route or order of hills. Can anybody tell me more?

Thanks
ExpatEddie
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 420
Munros:72   Corbetts:12
Fionas:23   Donalds:89+47
Sub 2000:26   
Joined: Aug 10, 2012
Location: Scottish Borders

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby brpro26 » Fri May 17, 2013 11:53 pm

I don't have a problem with the 3PC if done responsibly by walkers who are experienced and are usually pounding the hills every weekend anyway. What bugs me is when the "Mountain Police" come on and give a sermon on
why it's so wrong. I wonder what damage is being done to the North face of Nevis with all the gear that's used on it and the fragile habitats on other climbing venues but I'm sure your all sensitive to that just as I am to littering when out on the hills. Education is the way forward and for charities to take some ownership for the damage that is being caused in the raising off money for them.
Then again if you can't pick up your own dog's sh*t what hope is there for you on the hills.

3 peaks within 24hrs. Do it in any order you want but it's easier going North to South....unless you live down South.
Must admit not sure if it's bottom of Nevis to top of Snowdon or back to bottom of Snowdon. 13hrs walking 11 hrs driving is usually what's required. Just take your litter with you or Milesy will get you. :wink:
User avatar
brpro26
 
Posts: 477
Munros:220   Corbetts:7
Fionas:4   Donalds:3
Sub 2000:9   
Joined: Jun 13, 2009
Location: Glenrothes

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby sloosh » Sun May 19, 2013 8:48 pm

User avatar
sloosh
 
Posts: 1452
Munros:62   Corbetts:1
Joined: Apr 26, 2009
Location: Lost, probably.

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby Circles » Mon May 20, 2013 8:16 am

Not my idea of a good time...but agree with brpro26 to some extent...ever hear the expression "you aren't stuck in traffic, you are traffic"? Its like the people who arrive on top of Lomond and complain that there are lots of people there (guess what, there is now one more!) Every one of us who sets foot in the hills has an impact on the environment although most of us (and most of the 3-peak participants I'd hope) generally try to do what we can to limit that impact...but the fact is that it does...Wasdale head could co-ordinate with the organisers to have potable water bought in and portaloos (or even build additional facilities including paid parking and pay toilets).
The first thing you can do to reduce the impact is stop walking rather than telling others they can't go up because they haven't spent a fortune at Go Outdoors or describe themselves as a 'mountaineer'. or that they can't walk up teh hill as they don't stop for a pint afterwards...if they know they are going to be there, the community could do a food van for the time they are expected and mint it...they could also help educate these guys to love the hills the way we do.
User avatar
Circles
Hill Bagger
 
Posts: 244
Munros:6   
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:27
Wainwrights:90   
Joined: Jun 24, 2012
Location: London :(

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby coachmacca » Mon May 20, 2013 8:39 am

Slightly off the OP but just read a great account of the original 1926 3 PC - average of 24mph :shock: , multiple punctures, hand lighting an oil bicycle lamp on the Ben summit in the dark after wandering about in the dark avoiding " the inky blackness of the gulley" only to find the shelter was nothing more than 18 inches of wood sticking out the snowline, wearing capes to try and keep dry, starting at midnight on the Ben as their version was

"stand on all 3 peaks in the same day"

Giving what they faced to do it within 23 hours was incredible and not one Gore-tex jacket, GPS, Vibram sole, CamelPak, Headtorch, WickingBase layer or energy gel among them.

Granted they had a Chrysler, a driver and as tiff upper lip as an advantge but thats the way to do it :clap: :lol:
User avatar
coachmacca
Stravaiging
 
Posts: 501
Munros:39   Corbetts:7
Fionas:5   Donalds:1
Sub 2000:3   Hewitts:2
Wainwrights:3   
Joined: Jul 8, 2012
Location: Glasgow

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby Eskimo » Mon May 20, 2013 1:44 pm

Can. Worms. Open. :crazy:
Eskimo
 
Posts: 259
Munros:116   Corbetts:3
Fionas:1   Donalds:5
Sub 2000:13   
Joined: Jan 16, 2011

Re: 3 peaks challenge

Postby stuart316 » Mon May 20, 2013 7:49 pm

Milesy wrote:The sight I see on Ben Nevis in the summer is disgusting. It is great when people love the hills or grow to love them but not at the expense of the erosion and the litter. The vast majority of three peakers contribute nothing back to the environment they are using.


Hi Milesy

It is I, the man who is doing this awful challenge. I have another couple of questions for you. Are there plenty of parking spaces? It's just that all 4 of us are taking our 4x4s and we want to ensure that we can park somewhere safely. We may try and drive them as far up the hill as we can, would people mind that - it would certainly cut out a fair bit of that walking nonsense anyway, don't you think?

We have planned this walk really well now, our plan is to hide our litter under a rock so it doesn't weigh us down too much, every little helps, eh?

In order to combat boredom I think one of us is going to take an old style "ghetto blaster", that will wake the locals up - ha - hopefully people will realise we are just having a laugh - these country dwellers will probably think we are visitors from the future with our magical music box lol.

Of course, I am just being facetious here. I am well aware of how to look after the countryside, I am no great lover of the outdoors myself but as others have said, hopefully this can kickstart a real love of the hills for me, sorry if I ever get in your way but people have equal rights to the hills and countryside for the purposes of environmentally friendly enjoyment.

Thanks for the useful advice and hints we have been getting, I doubt we will manage the 24 hours but we want to try and break the 30!

Towards Higher Things.
stuart316
 
Posts: 2
Joined: May 20, 2013

Next



Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to General discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests