Real Three Peaks Challenge aims to clean up

Highlighting a new initiative to make a clean sweep of Britain's three highest peaks, Ben Nevis conservation officers have called on climbers and walkers to treat the mountain with the respect it deserves.

After an especially busy summer season, rangers and volunteers from the John Muir Trust, which manages Scotland's highest and most popular mountain, have had to remove a huge collection of items left behind, including tents, tarps, sleeping bags, stoves, abandoned camps, disposable barbecues and items of clothing.

Now, Mountain Training Instructor Richard Pyne, with the support of the Mountain Training Association, has organised the Real Three Peaks Challenge, which will simultaneously mobilise teams of volunteers to the summits of Britain’s three highest mountains clearing up rubbish as they go.

The coordinated action will take place on Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Peak on Saturday 12 October. Nevis Conservation Officer Sarah Lewis said: “This is a fantastic initiative by Richard, which as well as making an instant difference, will also hopefully encourage visitors to take responsibility for the state of this beautiful mountain.

“Many local guides and conscientious individuals are also making their own sweep of the hill as they go, which is great and we hope it continues. It is just shame that this is necessary when all it needs is little thought and minimal effort from everyone who comes here.

“People who’d never dream of leaving their discarded food wrappers and empty bottles lying around the National Museum of Scotland or Holyrood Palace think nothing of scattering unsightly debris across a mountain which is much more difficult to keep clean because of the distances and altitude involved.”

“Ben Nevis is one of Scotland’s great tourist attractions and we want to encourage people to experience this amazing landscape. But we would plead with people not to treat the mountain like a rubbish tip. What we really need, above all, is a change in public attitudes.”

The Trust also hopes that the Real Three Peaks Challenge will encourage more people to participate in the regular volunteer clean-ups organised by the John Muir Trust on Ben Nevis.

“This year we’ve had fewer volunteers but just as much rubbish,” said Sarah. “We’d ask people who love Ben Nevis to think about giving up a day a year to help us keep on top of the litter problem. But most of all we need people to leave nothing behind but footprints when they climb Ben Nevis – or any other mountain for that matter.”