10 take the Three Peak Challenge

The Challenge

It didn’t get off to a great start. On the afternoon of our departure we discovered that our designated drivers were not, apparently, licensed to drive the minibus despite holding full licences.  A quick re-organisation on the hoof and we ditched the minibus and hot footed it up to Fort William in 3 separate cars. The plan of 2 designated ‘non-walker’ drivers and a minibus well and truly out of the window.

We arrived in Fort William just in time for the second half of the England Game, but the pub next to the Premier Inn wasn’t showing the game!  Instead we had a bite to eat and a drink (mainly water though some braved something stronger), a chat about what lay ahead and an early night (for most of us!).

A big breakfast on Thursday morning was followed by a lot of waiting around.  There doesn’t seem to be too much to do in Fort William apart from look up at Ben Nevis! More waiting around after lunch – drinking energy drinks and eating energy bars! - before we assembled in the car park at the foot of Ben Nevis around 4.30pm. See the nervous photo attached!

We set off at a cracking pace up Ben Nevis bang on 5pm and were soon feeling the pace and enjoying the views having climbed quickly above most of the ‘hills’ around.  The weather was great and the sun was out.  Around 1100m (3600 feet) up snow was around and the walk to the summit was through soft but still quite thick snow.  On Schedule we took some quick photos and headed off back down.  The slog back down took 2 hours and we quickly changed (as much to get away from the midges as anything else) and got in the cars as dark fell for the drive to Scafell.

ETA at Scafell 4.30am!

We arrived at Scafell at 4am Friday morning and set off up the mountain at 4.15am.  A short(ish) but steep climb – just under 1000m in 5 ½ km (a 20% gradient), again at a cracking pace, as the sun rose over the mountains and hills below us.  We reached the top in under 2 hours. The descent for me was the worst bit (together with the last 200m or so up Snowdon). Relentless, tricky even in the dry and hard on the toes, balls of the feet and knees.  We were all glad to reach the cars (apart from the midges again!) and we set off around 8am for Snowdon.

30mins ahead of schedule! ETA at Snowdon 1pm.

We knew this would be where the traffic would be a factor mid morning down the M6 and M56 into North Wales.  All went pretty well – a quick pit stop for a stretch and a coffee (we had plenty of time – ha!) and back into the car. Then we hit roadworks around 15 – 20 miles away from Snowdon which resulted in us arriving at Snowdon at 1pm. Still half an hour ahead of schedule.

Snowdon was not done at a cracking pace!  This is where I hit my “wall” with about 1km and 200m of ascent left my tank was well and truly empty.  No-one was sprinting off.  We kept going (walking’s easy isn’t it?) – one foot in front of the other and reached the summit in 2 hours.  We knew we had 2 hours to get down (surely it’s faster going down than up?!).  This was not easy and some (most) of us took our time.

But we made it down in 1 ½ hours and finished at 4.35pm! A whole 25 minutes early.

Easy!  The welcoming committee helped take our minds briefly off our exhaustion and pain and the champagne was a definite painkiller!

And we have raised £3287 for ManCCCf.