National Three Peaks Challenge 15 17 September 2017 About the Three Peaks Challenge The National Three Peaks Challenge is a tough endurance event in which participants attempt to summit the highest peak of three countries in the UK: Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Scafell Pike) and Wales (Snowdon), usually within 24 hours. The total distance covered is approximately 26 miles, with an ascent of approximately 3,000m. Did you know? The National Three Peaks Challenge involves climbs of the highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales, but the 56 highest peaks in Britain are all found in Scotland. Ben Nevis Ben Nevis (Beinn Nibheis) is the highest mountain in Britain, located in Scotland at an altitude of 1,345m. This mountain, an ancient volcano, is a popular place for walkers and climbers to visit and it is estimated that 125,000 successful ascents are made each year using the Mountain Track (Pony Track) route. The terrain on Ben Nevis is straightforward but steep and strenuous as, unlike the other two peaks, you start much closer to sea level meaning a greater vertical ascent. Weather conditions are notoriously changeable and a good level of fitness, good quality clothing and footwear for all climate variations are vital for your safety. Scafell Pike At 978m, Scafell Pike, situated in the Southern Fells of England s Lake District offers a rugged and beautiful mountain walk. Towering crags, rocky terrain, boulder fields and breath-taking views across the surrounding lakes make this area very special to visit. Did you know? Scafell Pike is often incorrectly shortened to Scafell but this is actually a totally different peak nearby, which is 14m shorter than Scafell Pike. Snowdon Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa in Welsh), is the highest peak in Wales and stands at an altitude of 1,085m. Snowdon is found in Snowdonia National Park and thousands of visitors come to enjoy the picturesque scenery and natural history. Although you will be walking, some visitors to Snowdon reach the summit by train, using the Snowdon Mountain Railway which opened in 1896. You will also find a very busy café at the summit of Snowdon. Did you know? Welsh folklore says that the tomb of a giant named Rhitta Gawr (who was said to have made a coat from the beards of kings he had killed) can be found on the summit of Snowdon.
know how to keep hydrated, nourished, warm and dry), be in good health, have oodles of determination and a positive and flexible attitude. An ideal candidate would be someone who enjoys hill walking and wants to push themselves out of their comfort zone to achieve an exciting, wellrecognised challenge. This challenge is not intended as a first-time hill walking experience. Itinerary Friday 15 September Make your own arrangements to travel to Glasgow. Upon arrival in Glasgow you will meet your guides and transfer to your overnight accommodation in Fort William. Once you are settled in there will be a briefing on the challenge over dinner, before an early night to prepare yourselves for the challenge ahead. Saturday 16 September After an early wake-up call we set off to conquer our first peak, Ben Nevis! This should take around 5 hours, depending on local conditions such as the weather etc. After our descent we transfer to the Lake District where our second peak, Scafell Pike awaits. It is expected to take approximately 4 hours in total to ascend and descend England s highest mountain after which it s time to drive through the night into Wales. Sunday 17 September We ll arrive at the base of Snowdon in the early hours of the morning for your final ascent. This should take around 4 hours, with the aim being to finish the descent less than 24 hours after you started off at Ben Nevis yesterday. Once your challenge is complete and you ve enjoyed a wellearned snack you ll be transported to Chester Railway Station, where the trip ends. How tough is it? This is graded challenging due to the steep and rugged terrain, many hours of physical exertion, lack of sleep and travelling long distances. It is mandatory that you are fit for this challenge. How fit do I need to be? You should be of a good fitness level before departure to have the best chance of completing the challenge within 24 hours. You should have done UK hill walking in the past and have a good level of endurance, general cardiovascular fitness and strength. This is not a gentle tourist hike; it is a challenging endurance event. What to expect Who can participate? The Three Peaks Challenge can be undertaken by confident hill walkers aged 18+. You must be at a good level of fitness, able to self-manage (e.g. you How should I train? You must train for this challenge by taking part in regular hill walking and engaging in general fitness training. This is a tough endurance
challenge so you must be able to walk for extended periods of time despite limited sleep. This challenge is not suitable for first-time walkers or people who have not trained. Hill walking is the best training for this challenge, so please walk as much as possible on hilly terrain (ideally at least twice a week), building up so you able maintain a steady pace all the way to the top and back down to the bottom with few rest stops. In addition to hill walking, you are recommended to work on strengthening your legs, back and core muscles. Supplementary training may include speed walking, running, cycling, gym workouts, swimming, team sports, boot camps etc. If you do not train for this challenge it s possible you will not complete it within 24 hours. boulders and scree, and depending on the weather, you may encounter slippery and muddy terrain. You will be trekking on well-established mountain trails. Where will we stay? You will stay in a guesthouse in Fort William on the Friday night. You will then spend the next 24 hours walking and driving, so you should expect to try to sleep on the minibus. No accommodation is provided at the end of the challenge. What about climate and conditions? The weather in the UK is unpredictable so checking the local weather forecast is strongly advised prior to packing for this challenge. Historic averages in the areas are 8 C-15 C on Ben Nevis, 8 C-16 C on Scafell Pike and 11 C-16 C on Snowdon. Strong wind, rain and fog are possible. Please note that these conditions are historically accurate but we cannot be held responsible for climate deviations, which are outside our control. Who will accompany us? You will be accompanied by UK walking guides who will guide you up and down the mountains. Will we succeed in completing the challenge in 24 hours? There are a number of factors which can affect the timing of the challenge, firstly is the overall fitness and ability of the group. You will walk up each mountain together as a group with your mountain guides so please be considerate of the abilities of each group member. We expect you all to be fit for the challenge but naturally fitness and ability levels will vary. Other factors outside our control include the weather, such as very wet, foggy, snowy, slippery or windy conditions which slow down the group or mean it is not safe to attempt one, or any, of the peaks. Traffic between peaks is also an unpredictable factor. It is important to note that the health and safety of the entire group is the highest priority. What is the terrain like? The terrain varies depending on each peak but in general you will be trekking on uneven, steep and rugged mountain terrain. Some sections have How much does it cost? There is a registration fee of 125 to pay at the time of booking, and then you are asked to fundraise 600 for Rennie Grove Hospice Care. What is included? Pick up from Glasgow Airport or Railway Station, one night s accommodation with dinner and breakfast in Fort William guesthouse (twin share), transport throughout, refreshments and snack at Llanberis at the end, drop off at Chester Railway Station at end, qualified and experienced walking guides accompanying the group throughout. What is excluded? Transport to Glasgow or from Chester, accommodation after the challenge, lunch, dinner or breakfast during the walk, snacks, water, personal expenses, travel insurance, personal trek kit (see packing list below).
Before You Go! An A - Z of The National Three Peaks Challenge A is for Accommodation. You will stay in basic guesthouse in Fort William on a twin-share basis and will rest on the bus between peaks as you drive. B is for Boots. You need good quality hiking boots with ankle support for this challenge (hiking trainers or shoes are not suitable). If you need to buy new boots please ensure you buy them well in advance so you can break them in properly. Try on lots of pairs before you choose some to ensure the best possible fit. C is for Clothing. You should wear non-cotton trek clothing such as items made from polyester, polypropylene, nylon or Merino wool. These technical garments are designed to wick moisture from your skin, leaving you and your clothing dry and comfortable to wear throughout the day. This applies to underwear too; synthetic boxers, knickers and sports bras are more comfortable and will minimise the risk of chaffing. You should bring layers for optimal comfort, for example a base layer, warmer mid layer, insulated jacket plus a waterproof shell jacket and trousers. You can add and remove layers as required as the conditions dictate. Jeans and other cotton clothes are totally unsuitable. It s worth having a spare set of clothing with you just in case. Please visit Cotswold Outdoor or Nomad Travel & Outdoor if you need advice on suitable kit (see also D is for Discount). D is for Daypack. You will carry your own daypack during the challenge, which will hold water, snacks, spare layers, head torch, sun screen, toilet paper etc. This may weigh around up to 6kg when packed so you must be fit enough to carry this yourself, and ideally you will have trained using the same day pack. Around 25-30 litres is about the right size. D is also for Dietary Requirements. Please ensure that you notify us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking. Dietary requests may not be possible to cater for without advance arrangement. The majority of special diets, such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, etc., can be catered for but please note that we cannot guarantee that food preparation will have taken place in a contamination free environment. D is also for Discount. When you sign up for this challenge you will be entitled to a 10% discount voucher for Nomad Travel & Outdoor and a 15% discount voucher for Cotswold Outdoor, for use at their stores or online. E is for Environment. The UK mountain environment is a beautiful but fragile one. Increasing numbers of trekkers can risk damaging the very beauty which attracts us in the first place. Our aim is to help protect and preserve the environment for future generations to enjoy. A few key things to consider: you must not drop litter (this includes not leaving fruit peel, stones, nut shells and other organic matter) and you should carry all litter out with you, you should not take souvenir rocks or flowers, you should stay on the paths, be respectful of wildlife and be considerate of others (particularly regarding noise during night time hours). Please visit https://lnt.org/learn/7-principles for more details.
E is also for Expenses. You will need to bring money for food and water you may wish to purchase in Fort William for the day of walking, drinks at the evening meal on the Friday, and other expenses. If you wish to stay in Llanberis or Chester overnight after the challenge you will also need to budget for this too. F is for First Aid kit. Your guides will carry a first aid kit for use during the challenge however you should carry your own personal prescription medication, plus a small supply of Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, plasters and blister plasters for your own use. These should be carried inside your rucksack liner or dry bag to ensure they keep dry if it s a wet day. F is also for Fitness. A good level of fitness is required. You should start training well before the challenge including walking and cardiovascular workouts to both improve your stamina and your ability to walk up and down gradients. There are some very steep sections to contend with so it is essential that you are as fit as you can be to have the greatest chance of completing the challenge within 24 hours. Your guides have the right to refuse anyone who they feel is not fit enough for the challenge. F is also for Food. Between breakfast in Fort William on Saturday morning, and a snack in Llanberis on Sunday morning, meals are not provided. All other food, snacks and water must be brought with you for the 24 hour challenge. You are recommended to bring enough food to snack throughout the day rather than trying to plan standard meals. You are suggested to eat on the bus before and after walking, and for each mountain you should carry easilyaccessible sweets and snacks in your daypack so you avoid having to stop and remove your backpack to access your snacks. Suggested food items include nuts, fruit, meat jerky or biltong, cheese, boiled eggs, crisps, sandwiches, popcorn, dried fruit, flapjacks, dark chocolate, Kendal mint cake, and your favourite sweets. You should leave extra supplies on the bus while you re walking. Please do not leave ANY litter, pack it up and bring it back to the bus. Refreshments and a snack will be provided in Llanberis at the end of the challenge. G is for Gloves. You are recommended to take a warm pair of gloves with you. Weather conditions are unpredictable and it can be very cold, particularly on the summits. H is for Head Torch. A head torch is an essential item for the trek; please keep this in your daypack. Please ensure you take an LED head torch and spare batteries. H is also for Hiking Poles. Some people find them very useful as it takes pressure off the knees and can make trekking easier, they also help stabilise you on steep descents. J is for Jacket. You should take two jackets with you for the challenge, a lightweight waterproof jacket to protect yourself from rain and high winds, and a lightweight insulated jacket e.g. Primaloft or down if it is very cold.
L is for Luggage. Your challenge comprises one travel day to Glasgow/Fort William (Friday), 24 hours of trekking (Saturday morning to Sunday morning), plus travel home from Chester (Sunday afternoon). You should bring a maximum of two luggage items: 1. A daypack which you will carry while you are trekking (see D for Daypack). 2. A kit bag/holdall which will be transported on the bus and will hold Friday s travel clothes, spare trek clothes and toiletries while you are walking. Suitcases are unsuitable as they take up too much space. R is for Reading. Some good reading material to learn more about the National Three Peaks challenge include, The National 3 Peaks Walk - The Official Challenge Guide by Brian Smailes (Jan 2016), and the Ordnance Survey Three Peaks map (all three OS maps in one): https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/about/news/2016/three-peaks-map.html. R is also for Rucksack Liner. You are advised to use a waterproof rucksack liner or dry bag (e.g. Exped dry bag) inside your daypack to keep your belongings dry in the event of inclement weather. Rucksack covers are not effective at keeping your kit dry, and can often blow away in strong winds. S is for Socks. Socks should be non-cotton and well-fitting to ensure they do not slip down in your boots, which is one of the main causes of blisters. Cotton socks should be avoided because they absorb sweat making them damp and therefore likely to rub against your feet, causing blisters. Socks containing Coolmax (a brand of polyester), nylon, or Merino wool all have wicking properties ensuring your feet will stay cool and dry. You may wish to bring a spare pair of socks to change into halfway through the day for extra comfort. T is for Toilets. There are no toilets on Ben Nevis or Scafell Pike. There are toilets on Snowdon but long queues are to be expected. If you need to use the toilet while on the mountain please be considerate of leave no trace procedure and do not leave toilet paper on the ground, you must pack it up and carry it with you to be disposed of properly. On the drive between peaks we may stop for comfort breaks if required but as this is a timed event, all stops will be swift and efficient, not leisurely. W is for Water. You must have at least 3-4 litres of water available to drink throughout the challenge to avoid dehydration. You will need to bring your own water bottles. Some people prefer a 2-litre CamelBak style water reservoir plus additional water; some people prefer to bring multiple 1-litre water bottles. You should fill up water bottles at the guesthouse in Fort William, or buy bottled water at a supermarket as there will not be taps along the way. It is worth considering bringing some electrolyte tablets e.g. Nuun or High5 which you add to your drinking water to turn it into a sports drink to help prevent dehydration. W is also for Waterproofs. A lightweight set of waterproofs, a jacket and trousers, are very important for this challenge. You must be certain that they are actually waterproof and do not wet out or leak when used in the rain. Last updated January 2017
Packing List Clothing Essentials Hygiene Broken in hiking boots LED head torch + batteries Shampoo / shower gel Trainers for minibus Sunglasses Toothbrush/toothpaste Non-cotton trek socks x2 Mobile phone & charger Deodorant Non-cotton underwear ATM card(s) / cash Sun cream (high SPF) Non-cotton top Toilet paper Mid layer or fleece First Aid Kit Baby wipes Light insulated jacket Prescription medicine Nappy bags (for toilet paper) Waterproof jacket Paracetamol & Ibuprofen Hand sanitizer Waterproof trousers Plasters Feminine hygiene products Sun hat and warm hat Blister plasters (e.g. Compeed) Warm gloves Spare glasses/contact lenses Optional Trek trousers MP3 player/ipod Spare set of trek clothes Baggage Books/playing cards Trek kit bag Trekking poles Daypack (25-30 litres) Camera + spare batteries Food and drink Rucksack liner/dry bag Food/snacks for 24 hours Sleeping 4+ litres of water Ear plugs for bus/guesthouse Electrolyte tablets (e.g. NUUN) Pyjamas for guesthouse Travel pillow for bus (optional) This list is just a guideline. It is not exhaustive and does not account for personal taste and preference. If you have any questions about anything on this packing list, please refer to the detailed info above or contact info@different-travel.com for more information.