Anyone done the 3 peaks challenge on their own?

[Faz]

Considering a 24 hour 3 peaks challenge on my own. So me doing the driving etc in between peaks.

Just wondered if anyone has done it or knows anyone who has done it.

It would be for a cancer charity and I'm guessing for transparency I would need someone to verify times start/finish at each mountain and my idea would be to ensure someone who is independent at each mountain to verify times.

Very early planning stages at the moment.

Ken

 

[Grotzilla]

I think driving after each peak would be quite dangerous.. Or do you mean doing it on different days but equal hiking time to 24hrs?

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[Faz]

Doing it in the one 24 hour period. I think the tiredness driving would be the thing to look out for but confident that it wouldn't be that much of an issue.

I'm a regular night shift worker who sometimes goes the same period without sleep with a physical job.

 

[mrcharly]

The 3 peaks is pretty antisocial - it definitely means haring round at close to max speed limits whilst very tired.

I know someone who did it using a bicycle and taking several days - that's a different matter.

 

[Faz]

Now on a bike sounds great. If not fit before you start you would be after with lots of bumps and aches lol

 

[hatethatgiraffe]

I did it this year with someone doing the driving. I would say it would be much safer with the support of a driver. I didn't get much, if any, sleep between peaks and by the end was completely shattered, completely!
i would say that after Scafell Pike (did Nevis first, Snowdon last) I would probably have been more of a danger on the road than someone who was over the legal drink drive limit!
The group we organised it with allowed 5 hours for Nevis, 4 hours for Scafell Pike and 4 hours for Snowdon. That was up and down on all three peaks, the other 11 hours was set aside for driving and was done in a speed limited mini bus.
If you train properly and can come in well within these times then there is absolutely no need to be hating around above the speed limit. I would suggest someone doing the driving for you, even better two people, and that would also allow you a certain amount of verification that you had done the challenge. Always plenty of people on the hills who would happily take your pic at the top for you too.
Dont underestimate it, it is a challenge but it's fun.
I managed Nevis in 4hrs 5mins, Scafell in 2hrs 38mins and Snowdon in 2hrs 50mins so was well within my times but lost 11lbs in weight for my efforts. I walk on average around 60 miles a week and have been at the top of 40+ Munros this year so consider myself to have a reasonable level of fitness. Your gonna need to get a helluva lot of calories into you too so plan well for that!

I sound all all doom and gloom - it's a great achievement, a good buzz and most of all if it's for charity it's worthwhile cause!
Enjoy!

 

[honisoitquimalypense]

can i suggest ken you have a look at the BMC guide and enviromental impact on this. many organisations are not keen. old bill dont like it either. going solo and driving you would be probably commiting an offence under RTA 88 and 91. driving times and rests etc but not sure on this myself. i ll ask a m8 who,s old bill!!!! get someone to drive defo.

 

[honisoitquimalypense]

I did it this year with someone doing the driving. I would say it would be much safer with the support of a driver. I didn't get much, if any, sleep between peaks and by the end was completely shattered, completely!
i would say that after Scafell Pike (did Nevis first, Snowdon last) I would probably have been more of a danger on the road than someone who was over the legal drink drive limit!
The group we organised it with allowed 5 hours for Nevis, 4 hours for Scafell Pike and 4 hours for Snowdon. That was up and down on all three peaks, the other 11 hours was set aside for driving and was done in a speed limited mini bus.
If you train properly and can come in well within these times then there is absolutely no need to be hating around above the speed limit. I would suggest someone doing the driving for you, even better two people, and that would also allow you a certain amount of verification that you had done the challenge. Always plenty of people on the hills who would happily take your pic at the top for you too.
Dont underestimate it, it is a challenge but it's fun.
I managed Nevis in 4hrs 5mins, Scafell in 2hrs 38mins and Snowdon in 2hrs 50mins so was well within my times but lost 11lbs in weight for my efforts. I walk on average around 60 miles a week and have been at the top of 40+ Munros this year so consider myself to have a reasonable level of fitness. Your gonna need to get a helluva lot of calories into you too so plan well for that!

I sound all all doom and gloom - it's a great achievement, a good buzz and most of all if it's for charity it's worthwhile cause!
Enjoy!

good times m8. well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kaiAnderson]

I did it and did the driving too (mostly) we drove up to Ben Nevis, set off at midnight up the mountain and by the time we got down to the bottom there were people just setting off (there was actually a run to the top happening, its an annual event. they can run it in 45mins). everyone slept in the car down to Scafell then i let someone drive me a while (remember id driven from Liverpool to ben nevis, walked up it then driven back down to the lakes). i found scafell the hardest for some reason, i think i was so tired. then drove to snowden and went up there. bout 22.5 hours to climb all 3.

we met this old guy bivvying at the top and got chatting. he was also doing the 3 peaks but walking it, carrying a paraglider as he was paragliding down all 3.

 

[honisoitquimalypense]

can i suggest ken you have a look at the BMC guide and enviromental impact on this. many organisations are not keen. old bill dont like it either. going solo and driving you would be probably commiting an offence under RTA 88 and 91. driving times and rests etc but not sure on this myself. i ll ask a m8 who,s old bill!!!! get someone to drive defo.

so. been advised.
highway code 91. failure to apply if pulled by said constable could result in a nick for potential dangerous driving even though no accident involved. if said constable thought you in no fit state to drive would/could impound vehicle same way if over legal limit transport you to police station or leave you on roadside not motorway. etc etc.
2hrs drive with 15 min rest. blimey. i drive 5 hrs non stop all time! things to consider ken for us all

 

[honisoitquimalypense]

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/three-peaks-challenge.

 

[Faz]

Giraffe, that's a great write up and very informative. Thanks.

Everyone thanks for the input and keep it coming. It's something that is work in progress and I will keep you updated.

 

[ged]

Last Friday night a friend of mine thought she would be fine driving for another hour ro so, even though she was very tired.

She continued to think she was all right until just after the point where she woke up with the car in a hedge.

By some staggering feat of driving whilst asleep she'd missed a brick wall, two houses and a telegraph pole.

Fortunately there were no pedestrians at one o'clock in the morning, and fortunately she didn't get hurt.

The car's a wreck.

 

[janso]

Doing it all on your own is a recipe for disaster from my experience. Have led a few 3 peaks challenges, and coming from the managing/ planning/ HSE viewpoint, if the charity know about it and don't advise against it then it's wrong. If you have an accident on the road, you're in a deep hole. If you have an accident on the hill because of over-tiredness, you're another statistic that others look at and say 'why?'. Don't mean to dampen your spirits but mate, be safe.

Unless you're capable of the effort entirely, having at least one other to bounce off when it starts getting tough is a godsend. If there's no time constraints, then fill your boots over a week!


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[Faz]

You lot are sucking the enthusiasm right out of me. I joke.

Thanks for the input. Stepping up my distances in the near future and will have a good winter of walking ahead of me.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

Why would you want to do it alone? The point of the challenge is supposed to be the walking, not the driving. If you do it on your own, the driving will be more of a challenge than the walking, and a challenging drive is a dangerous drive. There really is little point in my view. Do it with a few mates, it will be more fun (and be safer).

 

[GadgetUK437]

Seek an original, more responsible, challenge.

 

[Faz]

I would say it's original challenge to do it on my own. Responsible, in some eyes it's not very.

Having done all peaks involved alone and walked Snowdon areas single handed for the last 20 years, I've confidence that it's not irresponsible. The driving may be the issue that I have to look at.

Thanks for all the input, it's invaluable.

 

[backpacker]

Considering a 24 hour 3 peaks challenge on my own. So me doing the driving etc in between peaks.

Just wondered if anyone has done it or knows anyone who has done it.

It would be for a cancer charity and I'm guessing for transparency I would need someone to verify times start/finish at each mountain and my idea would be to ensure someone who is independent at each mountain to verify times.

Very early planning stages at the moment.

Ken

Hi Ken,

I have done the 3 Peaks Challenge 4 times over the last 10 years, there's nothing wrong in doing the 3 Peaks Challenge solo the real issue is the driving between the peaks from Ben Nevis to Scafell then onto Snowden and don't forget the challenge is 24 hours, so just take into consideration that you are going to be awake for 24 hours and driving as well and don't forget you will be suffering from fatigue as well as being tired from the walking, not forgetting that normally the Scafell Pike section is done at night and can be very disorientating if on your own and you can only have a small margin for error when navigating at night, my personal opinion is if you want to do the challenge solo get a friend to do the driving so you can get some rest and sleep between peaks and while your doing the peaks he or she can get some sleep from driving!

But what ever you do Good Luck!

Dave

 

[Faz]

Dave, thanks. I'm taking it on board