National 3 Peaks

It was a wet night on Snowdon in 1998. It was my first time on this mountain, to be honest, my first time walking in Snowdonia. I’d agreed to be part of a group of work colleagues who were looking to attempt the National 3 Peaks. The challenge is walking, trekking, hiking to the top of the highest mountains of Scotland, England and Wales.

1. Ben Nevis – 1408m (4413ft)
2. Scafell Pike – 978m (3209ft)
3. Snowdon – 1085m (3560ft)

With some 3000m of ascent, over a marathon distance, this was to be no easy task. Combine this with driving over 1009 miles, through day and night in a 24-hour and you’ve one of the classic challenges in the UK.

This year, 2018, I was bought back from my 3-Peaks retirement to help Martyn and Jo from Advocate Events deliver three of their 3-Peak challenges. I did some calculations and realised that it would take me to my fortieth 3-Peaks.

I tap a few buttons on the iPhone calculator, working out that would equate to some interesting stats-

• 120,000m of ascent (over 13 Everest’s or 536 Box Hill’s in Surrey)
• 1040 Miles (40 London marathons or Lands End to John O’Groats and then into the North Sea)

I packed my kit, which I’ve now streamlined and created a mental checklist, then prepared my food. On these trips, as with every other trip I go on, it’s what we eat which can make the difference. So with this in mind, I made a big salad box, boiled some eggs, packed with tons of tuna, boiled some potatoes, packed some veggie crisps, gluten-free oatcakes and hummus. I even made a couple of green juices to help me on my way.

I waited to be pickup next Alsager station by Colin, the driver and member of Hampshire Search and Rescue. I’d parked here to help me with the return travel logistics, which worked well for me as I could jump on a train from Shrewsbury as the minibus passed by after the event. After the usual traffic delays on the M6, we arrived at the hotel in Glasgow just before 9 pm. I met the clients for the first time. A great friendly group, who were determined to complete the challenge in aid of the sister of one of the group.

The favourite topic of us Brit’s is the weather and this was on top of the list for the briefing that followed. The week before, the forecast was showing strong winds on Ben Nevis, with a real possibility of snow! Yes, winter had arrived in September. I shared some ideas and tips to help make the weekend as enjoyable as possible. For many, this would be the first time in the mountains, although one or two had taken the training seriously and completed some mountain walks.

Oh, yes the weather!

The forecast was showing whiteout conditions on Ben Nevis, a calm Scafell pike and a wild Snowdon. I comforted the group and stressed that we will try our best to reach the summit of each mountain, although if I feel the conditions were too dangerous we would turn around. A little disappointed, the group understood. So, it was back to my room to prepare my rucksack for the morning and my small duffle bag. The key to a successful 24-hour challenge is to reduce the ‘faff’ factor, which can eat into the time and cost you the challenge. I separate my clothes into three separate dry bags, one for each mountain and leave this on my seat to help speed up the transition, a little like a tri-Athlon or formula one race.

After breakfast we made our way to Fort William, passing Loch Lomand, Tyburn and the Green Wellie. The road starts to gain height here before crossing Ranncach Moor, passing under the Bucle etivemor before decending into Glencoe. Many famous films have used this amazing landscape, James Bond ‘Skyfall’, Harry Potter and the first ‘Train Spotting’. After a food shop stop at Morrison’s, it was onto the Ben Nevis Inn and the start.

When the group started it was raining, but it soon brightened and the clouds lifted slightly. It was one of those waterproof on/off days! Not long after we began the first climb one of the group felt faint, and looked pale! Oh no. We sat him down and assertained that he had not eaten breakfast and was wearing too many clothes. We lightened his clothes and fed him, but only to find he hadn’t bought much food on the hill with him! Even though in the briefing everybody was advised (told) to bring food with them. He ate a bag of quavers, yes that nutritious based staple food (I’m not sure what they are made of?)and I carried his rucksack for 30 minutes until he felt better and his colour had returned.

The weather was dry, but the clouds encapsulated the higher slopes of the mountain from above 800m. I knew there was snow on the tops from reports I had seen on social media, how much was unknown at this point. As the path levelled at ‘half way lochan’ we stepped up the pace, reaching ‘Red Burn’ in one hour forty five minutes, a little over schedule, but still ok. The steep zig zags would now carry the group passed the 1200m contour and onto the platuex. I passed some familiar mountain guide faces as they desecneded, briefing me on the exact conditions higher up. They appeared ok and very doable, although there may be 2-3 cm of snow, underfoot conditions were good.

We reached the summit in three hours, forty minutes and the team were extactic, so they should be, they’ve reached the highest point in the United Kingdom. It was cold, light flurries of snow and misty (clag). We took time to capture those moments on camera before we started the decent along the same way we ascended. We continued to pass lots of people heading to the summit and wished them well. It was surprisingly busy, but it always is on this mountain as its status is spread worldwide. With each step lower, the temperature increased and we started to reduce the layers. Some of the faster members of the group took the lead on continued down towards the minibus. As we dropped below the cloud the views opened up in front of and below us, I encouraged the team to stop for a moment to take the views in and capture them for ever in their mind, and the iPhone.

On reaching the minibuses we transitioned in fifteen minutes, and encouraged the team to ready themselves for the six hour drive to Scafell pIke. Eat BIG, this is not the time to go on that diet. it’s estimated that you will burn over 6,000 calories, so you need to eat…Saying good bye to the Scottish mountains for 2018, we headed south and time to cat nap in the minibus. I tend not to sleep until Glasgow, one because the roads are twisting, two because the scenery is too amazing to miss.

After a brief toilet and refuel stop of Cock Forrest on the M74(google it) service station/rest stop, it was in to the Lake District, Wasdale and Scafell PIke. The weather was a stark contrast to Ben Nevis, a moonlit sky, full of stars and a still wind greeted us on our accent. It’s an impressive site looking up to the silhouetted mountain, lines of lights, the glow warm lights of head torches from other teams heading up and down the mountain. The time was 11pm.

It’s a good pull up the locally named spur of land called the ‘tong’, which eventually levels out before the boulder field called ‘hollow stones’. Then it’s another steady climb to Lingmel Col and the final 200m over rocky terrain. The lights of the Sellafiled nuclear station were visible and on the horizon, the Isle of Man could be seen. The moon lit the sky and we could have turned our hedtourch off it was that bright. The group headed to the summit at a steady pace, the key on this event for us mear mortals is the hare and the tortoise philosophy(unless your a mountain goat that is). The summit is very much path less and good navigation is needed, even on a bright night you need to be confident, as you can easily descend the on the wrong path and in to a different valley or worse, over a cliff face or crag!

After the obligatory summit photo, it was back down to the national trust car park and the minibus. The path down the tong has been reclaimed due to the errosion due to the thousands of foot prints over the years. So a steady and confident foot placement is required, not easy in the dark and not easy for the first time.

The team did well and were proud of their continued achievements. Again a fast transition was needed and accomplished, now the five hour drive to Snowdon. If you have trouble sleeping in a car or plane, I encourage you not to sleep at this point of the challenge, not easy and I gave in and slept for most of way, as did the group.

The A55 is often busy into North Wales, but not at this time of the morning and as we moved closer to the mountains it started to rain, a lot. I stirred, half asleep to check the weather on the Mountain Weather Information Service website (mwis), a site I’ve used for years. The result was, rain for the morning, then moving away around lunch time, with strong north westerly winds on the highest tops.

Yup, when we arrived at the Pen Y Pass car park it was raining, a lot. Full waterproofs on and the group were ready super fast. The time was going to be tight, very tight to reach the summit within the twenty four deadline. The group naturally decided between themselves to split into two teams. Those who wanted to push on and summit in less than two hours twenty minutes and those who were carrying an injury. Richard, our local leader chose to lead with the faster group (his legs were fresher than mine), and I hung back with the others. The pace did prove a little to much for some and one lady turned back to the waiting mini bus. The remaining two ladies, both carrying injuries dug deep and continued. The rain had stopped now and the clouds lifting to reward us with some views, but the summit still remained in the cloud.

We passed half way and with the rock steps in places aggravated some of the injures, but they were determined to carry on. The wind had picked up as we headed higher and white horses were dancing on the lake. We could see the other group in the distance,  only about 500 metres away, which gave a much needed boost to my two companions. The pyg track joins the miners’ track and is marked by a post, after which the terrain steepens with some hands on scrambling for an bit of cross training. This section is the steepest of the route and requires some deep digging to pull out all of the reserves. The bottom of the ‘zig and zag’ provides a good seating area, to gather the strength for the final big push to the col.

As we reached the col and the finger stone, we were greeted by the wind, a cold wind. Not much time to hang around we only had twenty minutes to the summit. A steady and constant pace was all that was required to reach the summit, with the wind behind to the help push them up the mountain they did it, they had reached the summit only 12 minutes behind the first group, amazing, such spirit and determination.

Time for a reward. A hot drink and food was waiting for them in the summit cafe and time to celebrate with their friends. The weather was cold and some didn’t relise in the idea of walking back down and checked with the Snowdon railway to see if there were any spaces on the train. Due to a limited service, the chance was very unlikely. So we deceided to head down the longer, but easier Llanberis path. The only challenge was we were heading head first into the wind, but this was due to ease the lower we descended, which it did and allowed for a pleasant walk into llanberis, the mini bus and a comfy bed for a couple of hours. Then it was time for the celebratory meal and drinks at the black boy inn at canaerfon.

N