Breast Cancer Now Somerset Group: Three Peaks Challenge

Look out for the logo in a Mercedes Vito full of sleeping men

Well, the training is now over and the bags are all packed ready for the team to leave Somerset and head north.

There are still a few aches & pains and injury niggles among the lads, but by far the biggest worry is the weekend weather forecast! It appears the heavens will definitely open and dump a huge amount of rain over the UK on Friday and Saturday, the only question is exactly when and where that will be!

A few weeks ago, Scafell Pike (the English leg of the challenge) was virtually inaccessible due to the heavy rainfall in the Lake District when Wastwater burst its banks. So it’s no surprise the team have been focused on waterproofs and other serious wet weather gear this week.

However, despite the prospect of less than favourable weather, the team are determined to give it all they have and also to enjoy the challenge along the way. Many friends, family, work colleagues and even strangers have supported the lads during this adventure and every donation is making a difference. Indeed, even the well wishes received are helping the team and raising awareness for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

For the many people who’ll be thinking of the boys over the next few days, below is a rough itinerary with some rough general times as a guide – the actual start time will depend on how busy the base of Ben Nevis is on Friday afternoon, so it makes sense to stay flexible.

There are many different versions of the National Three Peaks 24 Hour Challenge, but the most common is to start the clock at the base of Ben Nevis and then stop it at the base of Snowdon, after climbing it of course. However, more ambitious people start their challenge by ‘touching water’ at Loch Linnhe in Fort William before driving to base of Ben Nevis and only stop the clock once they ‘touch water’ at the Castle in Caernarfon after completing Snowdon, which also requires another drive. Even though our team will probably be touching water from the sky for significant parts of the challenge, they have decided to at least try to ‘touch water’ at the start and finish, although common sense has told them to also take a timing from the normal place at the base of Ben Nevis and to treat the Loch Linnhe start time as a’bonus’!!!

So... very rough approximate plan:

Thursday 09:00 am Leave Somerset and drive 430 miles to Drymen near Loch Lomand where the team will stay overnight

Friday 10:00 am Drive 90 miles to Glen Nevis Visitor Camp to get bearings before driving to Fort William for lunch and final preparations.

Friday 04:40 pm Touch water at Loch Linnhe (note bonus start time)

Friday 05:00 pm Start climb of Ben Nevis (start time)

Friday 08:00 pm Reach summit

Friday 10:00 pm Complete Ben Nevis

Friday 10:15 pm Drive 260 miles to Wasdale Head in Cumbria after change of clothes and some hot food & drink

Saturday 04:00 am Start climb of Scafell Pike

Saturday 06:00 am Reach Summit

Saturday 08:00 am Complete Scafell Pike

Saturday 08:15 am Drive 220 miles to Pen-Y-Pass in Snowdonia after change of clothes and some more hot food & drink

Saturday 01:00 pm Start climb of Snowdon

Saturday 03:00 pm Reach Summit

Saturday 05:00 pm Complete Snowdon (stop clock – hopefully less than 24 hrs!!!)

Saturday 05:30 pm Touch water at Caernarfon (stop bonus clock)

Saturday 05:31 pm Celebrate and stay over in Caernarfon

Sunday 10:00 am Drive 214 miles back to Somerset (hopefully not via A&E).

All the above times are just guidelines and the team could lose time at certain sections but make it up at others – but it’s a fairly reasonable timetable.

How much sleep will be achieved between the mountains will be interesting but tiredness is expected to kick in at some point!

Thanks again to everyone who has taken an interest - Good Luck Lads!