Three Peaks 2010
unseen(uk) - Three Peaks Challenge - unaccompanied
When: July 9th - 10th, 2010
Where: Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, and Snowdon - in 24 hours. Starting from the bottom of Ben Nevis at 5 p.m. July 9th (if a Bristol based team we will be leaving at 7:30 a.m. on Friday 9th and driving to Ben Nevis. We recommend you share the driving up to Ben Nevis before handing over to you r dedicated driver)
Teams: Three walkers and one driver per team plus a name for the team. Each team will need to be self contained, as although we will be starting together from Ben Nevis from there on we won't wait for each team to finish each mountain rather we will all meet up again at the finish of Snowdon on July 10th hopefully by 5 p.m. Each team is responsible for its own safety and transportation. We recommend at least one of you has mountain walking experience.
Sponsorship for unseen(uk): via Just Giving, Sponsorship Forms, Direct Donations. We suggest you aim for £1,000 per car in sponsorship money raised.
Want to do it?Find three climbers and a driver and a car and you're in. Make sure you have the right kit, clothing and food supplies.
There is also some specific kit that you are required to have on the Challenge; a brief list of which we have shown below:
- Walking boots/ walking shoes (no trainers)
- Small walking-style rucksack (25 litres is ideal)
- Fleece or other warm top
- Waterproofs (top and trousers)
- Hat and gloves
- Whistle
- Head torch
- Sense of humour!
- Water drinking system (camelback/platypus), minimum 1.5 litres
Below there are detailed instructions and a suggested driving route plus the rules of the event attached - such as no breaking of the speed limit whilst driving between the mountains. Thanks to thethreepeakschallenge.co.uk for much of the information.
Registration: Please register with unseen(uk) on our website by sending us an email via the contact form. T-shirts will be supplied so let us know what sizes you need for your team. Please also take photos and email them to us so we can post them on our website, facebook and twitter accounts.
Timing on the day
Typically, you should allow the following times for each mountain:
- Five hours for Ben Nevis
- Five hours for Scafell Pike
- Four hours for Snowdon
These times are steady - for example, Snowdon would be completed comfortably by most people in five hours. A good pace is needed, without wearing out too early. The best way of testing if you and your team are able is doing a bit of practice on whichever mountain is closest to you.
Add to those estimates, no less than ten hours driving - else you would be breaking the speed limits and make the climbing too easy, which isn't the idea of the Challenge.
Start and finish times vary greatly, depending on whether participants would prefer to get up very early, or stay up very late.
As long as your challenge team has a dedicated driver, this is probably the best time plan. Ben Nevis is climbed in the evening, then all walkers can have a seven hour sleep while being driven to Scafell Pike. This also means Scafell Pike and Snowdon can be climbed in daylight, so navigation should be as easy as it gets.
5pm - Start Ben Nevis.
10pm - Finish Ben Nevis and start drive to Scafell Pike (seven hour drive).
5am - Arrive and start climbing Scafell Pike
10am - Finish Scafell Pike and start drive to Snowdon (three hour drive).
1pm - Arrive and start climbing Snowdon
5pm - Finish Snowdon, and complete challenge.
To carry with you
- Map
- Compass
- Gloves
- Hat
- Waterproofs
- GPS
- Mobile phone
- Spare socks
- First aid kit
- Sunglasses
- Head torch
- Toilet paper
- Camera
- Glucose tablets
- Survival blanket
- Optional: walking poles
Equipment worn
- Walking boots & socks
- Thermals
- Walking trousers
- Sports top
- Windproof jacket
Leave in the car
- Changes of climbing clothes
- 6 * 2 litre bottles of water
- Sandwiches
Let Others Know
Once you know your driving route and the paths you'll be walking, you'll be able to figure out an approximate time scale - once you know your arrival and departure times for each mountain, make a couple of copies to give to a family member or friend who won't be coming.
Food
Food is worth planning well. Ideally you don't want to eat junk food from service stations - it'll cost loads more, and it's not going to help you as much.
Typical meals when not on an all day exertion would be consumed once every five hours. Some of the more active and fitness inclined, tend to go for six smaller meals a day, totalling a greater number of calories and providing more energy.
Ideally while walking or climbing, a snack should be consumed every two hours of so. Snacks should be a mix of carbohydrates and protein, with a handful of nuts or seeds.
An ideal snack might include:
- 25g of almonds
- One boiled/poached egg
- Brown bread chicken/turkey sandwich
Drink and Hydration
There is very little difference in performance depending on what is being drunk - most importantly, enough needs to be drunk. This means approximately one litre of water per two hours, or the equivalent
Many prefer for drink water rather than energy, sports or isotonic drinks - water comes the most recommended. As long as appropriate food is also being consumed, the sugar in other drinks is not required.
For practicality, hydration backpacks are highly recommended, as they leave your hands free for balance, and provide a quick source of hydration while you're on the move.
Health and Fitness
To enjoy the Three Peaks, you need to be fitter than most. For some, this'll mean continuing a steady, regular fitness routine, but for others this may mean some quite large changes.
Do just half an hour a day, gradually stepping it up until you can run a mile or two. In the actual challenge you shouldn't need to do any running, but you'll be doing a lot of walking.
We'd also recommend a few outings to a National Park. Your closest one probably isn't too far away, and this will let you really experience what you're going to be doing on the day. If possible go to one or all of the mountains involved in the challenge, so that you can practice the routes that you'll be taking on the day, and get used to the surrounding area. You don't want to get lost on the way to the last mountain.
Route
Here's a link to Google Maps with all three start points for each mountain pinned
Here's the suggested route. We recommend you have a map as well as programme your sat nav carefully
3 PEAKS CHALLENGE DRIVING - TOP 10 TIPS
With years of Three Peaks Challenge experience, please accept our following safety advice for an enjoyable challenge:
1. DO NOT try to drive and walk. Get at least one, preferably two, dedicated drivers who will not be climbing the mountains.
2. Take a 20 minute break between Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike. This should be used to sort kit, freshen up, get fuel, get hot food/drinks. Gretna Services on the M74 is ideal. Forgetting to fuel up here can lead to disaster later on, especially if time is getting short.
3. Sort food and drinks for both walkers and drivers. Taking some simple cooking equipment and a few hot water flasks will help keep everyone fed and watered. Don't simply rely on catering outlets (McDonalds, chip shop, 24 hour motorway services) as they are not always serving food!
4. Get the right size of vehicle for your group. You should leave plenty of space to relax and spread out, store your kit and food supplies. We recommend an MPV for the team.
5. Check driver insurance and licence entitlement, especially if hiring a vehicle.
6. Don't speed to save time..! There are a number of fixed position safety traffic cameras on the suggested driving route, and regular speed traps on the M6 Cumbria and M74 Scotland. Unmarked police cars and motorcycles patrol the A82, and north Wales police have frequent speed and safety campaigns on the A55 Coastal Road. You are warned..!
7. Be flexible with your route. During a 450 mile journey you are bound to encounter some delays, slow moving vehicles, or roadworks which were not predicted. Matrix signs are in operation on the main routes which give early warning of accidents, delays, or road diversions.
8. Use a Satnav AND road map. The satnav gives a good estimated time of arrival at your next mountain, and can be a great help getting back on track if you take the odd wrong turn or two. The road map is the best way to decide upon alternative routes to avoid delays.
9. Check the internet and the Facebook Group for up-to-date information regarding any roadworks or road closures. The driving route has just one set of long-term ongoing roadworks (as at January 2010).
10. When approaching each mountain, take care as roads are narrow, beware of sheep on the roads, slow over cattle grids and over hump backed bridges, dip headlamps when near farms, cottages, and campsites, park considerately in authorised areas - don't block access.
Support Team & Driver Information
(all the information presented here has been taken from thethreepeakschallenge.co.uk, and for this we thank you)
This driver information is provided by Merseyventure for teams planning a Three Peaks Challenge using the Wasdale approach to Scafell Pike.
We STRONGLY recommend each vehicle has at least one dedicateddriver, not taking any part in the walking element of this challenge..!
Bear in mind that there are various improvements underway to certainroad sections, and you should check traffic websites and the radio for any changes, roadworks, traffic accidents or diversions.
Also remember to check for updates on the Three Peaks Challenge Forum at:
http://forums.delphiforums.com/threepeaks/
Here Goes...
Drivers will need to get teams to the right place at the right time, and collectthem at the end of each walk. They will need to know the route and find drop off locations, parking places and finish locations. They will need change handy for bridges, tolls, or tunnels and they will need to know where and when to refuel vehicles en-route. They should be able to offer an estimated time of arrival to walkers, and wake them up 30 minutes or so before arriving at the next mountain to allow walkers to kit up.
Support teams should assist drivers with food, drinks and navigation, and then organise food and drinks for the walkers whilst the driver gets some sleep.
Itinerary
Drop your team at Glen Nevis Visitor Centre car park, then don't hang aroundas the Scottish midges may eat you alive during summer months. We suggest that for the next 3 - 4 hours you return to Fort William, or head up Glen Nevis for a coffee. Your team should return in around 5-7 hours. Limited mobile phone access is available on some networks here.
Support Team & Driver Information
This is free advice and subject to change – please check your own route prior to leaving on the challenge
Stage 1:
When your team returns, you have around 6 hours of travelling before arrivingat Wasdale. Most route planners will show a journey time of around 5 hours 45 minutes via A82 Tarbet. However, we strongly recommend an alternative route via A84 Callander which avoids some narrow twisty roads and accident blackspots.
You will have plenty of time for comfort, coffee and fuel breaks, and wesuggest that small teams with one driver have a 30 minute break after 3 hours driving at around Happendon (J11 M74), and teams with two drivers swap drivers every two hours, stopping for fuel or coffee at Gretna Services (after J21 M74). Wasdale is about 2 hours from here, and 24 hour fuel/toilets may be difficult to find. Teams should make use of this car park for lighting to sort out
equipment, dry clothing, maps and kit for Scafell Pike.As you travel through Carlisle, remember many local clubs and bars will have just closed. The police also have a lot of patrol cars in the area, and there are a number of 30mph and 40mph speed cameras on the main roads/A595. At Gosforth you will leave the main road and follow minor, single track roads
into Wasdale Head. Take extra care, drive carefully - watch out for sheep thatoften sleep on the tarmac, potholes below surface water, cattle grids, minibuses coming the opposite way.... Please slow down and dip headlights when approaching farmsteads and houses, and give way to any other traffic.
As you arrive at Wasdale Head, please follow any visitor signs, don't block farmentrances or park on grass verges, turn off engine and headlights as soon as possible. Keep all noise to an absolute minimum - there are locals, holidaymakers and campers - as well as other event drivers - trying to sleep nearby.
Your team should be ready to start walking as you arrive, and should set offfor the summit straight away. You should now try to get some sleep – allow around 4 - 5 hours before your team return. No mobile phone reception here.
Stage 2:
Your team should return early morning, between around 5am and 8am.
Arrange some breakfast if possible, then get back on the road. First availabletoilets are at Holmrook Service Station from 7am - take your own toilet paper!
First hot food is in about 1 hour, on the M6. You will be driving into themorning sun, so have sunglasses handy.
Expect to be on the road for around 4 to 5 hours. The M6 and A55 CoastRoad both have plenty of service stations for food, comfort and fuel breaks. Route planning websites or ‘Satnav’ may suggest some other route options, but again we highly recommend our own detailed driving route which has proven to offer the quickest and safest approach to Pen-y-Pass in Snowdonia for Three Peaks teams.
As you approach Bangor on the A55, wake up your team and let them know they are within 30 minutes of Mt Snowdon. They MUST be ready to get out ofthe vehicle at the turning area at Pen-y-Pass car park. We suggest you stop at Nant Peris Car Park on the pass, for your team to get ready. The car park is free and has toilets. If you stop at Pen-Y-Pass for too long you may well get a parking fine. And the private car park owner here is only too happy to hand
them out. BE WARNED..!
Once you have dropped your team off, return down the pass into Llanberis.Team vehicles should find the Quality Victoria Hotel in Llanberis (opposite the Mountain Railway Station) and park in the adjacent car park (£4), then perhaps get a cold drink in the bar whilst awaiting their teams arrival or visit Pete's Eats in Llanberis High Street (recommended).
Please take plenty of breaks on the way home, and change drivers every hour.
Route and Sat Nav Information
For driving routes please refer to thethreepeakschallenge.co.uk
