3 Peak's Challenge.

04/09/2011

Not updated for a while, very lazy, but added a few pics onto my page - unfortunaely I've hit my maximum picture count :-(  Walked Mt. Snowdon on the 2th August - 2 hours up, and 1.5 hours down which is a decent enough time.  Weather wasn't that great - misty with light rain so not the best day for any sightseeing!  Other than that, its been fairly quiet - just gym sessions on the treadmill.  

Need to grab a few items today - head lamp, compede plasters, ibuprofen, another pair of walking pants, additional fleece top and some new socks and it looks like I'm good to go!!

Bit nervous - the week ahead weather forecast looks OK.  As usual its looking like we'll be guaranteed rain up in Scotland...

17/08/2011

Kitlist:

Berghaus Explorer Light walking boots, Lowe Alpine airzone 25L backpack, North Face Resolve wind/waterproof, Walking pants (x3), baselayer (x3), fleece (x2), first aid kit inc whistle, headlamp, compass, walking (and normal) socks (x3), walking poles (x2, invaluable!), waterproof over trousers, sunhat, woolyhat...suncreme.. 

17/08/2011

Not updated for a while - not been walking much since the Yorkshire 3, which was an achievement in itself.  Retirement at the top of my game was tempting ;-)  

This weekend is the last training event before the National 3 Peaks Challenge on the 10th September.  It's the easy path up Snowdon - myself and Becky did this in 2 1/4 hours in April, therefore I hope to make *at least* 1hr40 given that I'm fitter now and we wont be taking lunch breaks or any crap like that.

A massive thanks to those who have donated so far - its really appreciated and has made a difference towards our team total.

Plus my matchsticks are gaining a bit of muscle definition.  Compared to before...

02/08/2011

05:00 start on a Sunday morning.  I like.  Up to Lymm to meet James H at 06:30 and then off up to Chapel-Le-Dale in Yorkshire to meet Stu M and Chris G for the Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge:

http://yorkshirethreepeaks.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/1/0/1210517/three_peaks_route_map.jpg

This is roughly a 20 mile route taking in 3 large mountainous peaks within 12 hours, which we did clockwise.  First up was Whernside,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whernside, the highest of the three which we managed within a couple of hours.  Then there was 'the slog' to the next mountain - a 13 mile walk across country, hills and peat bogs.  Obligatory bog jumping made things entertaining but then the energy sapping soft ground and grasses really took their toll.

Finally, after 6 hours or so walking, we made it to the top of Pen-Y-Ghent, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen-y-ghent, where I took it upon my grumpy self to have a winge about being left behind (I'm not a strong climber due to still having fairly weak legs at the moment!)...So, on to Horton-in-Ribblesdale for a quick rest-stop to grab water and then straight on to Ingleborough.

On the trek to Ingleborough, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingleborough,  (4.5 miles or so) feet begin to play up.  Nice blister forming on my right foot and my left is burning up somewhat.  Pretty painful.  Unfortunately there's nowt much I can do except more vaseline on the feet to try and help them along a bit.  

There's only one way to the car now - and thats up to the next peak which is still 2.5 miles away, the car another couple of miles downhill after that.  5 miles feels like a walk in the park now but downhill is the secret knee killer, even more so after around 15 miles walking.

So, a big push to the last peak and the flat top over to the trig point is a nice achievement...In fact it is a great feeling and a real achievement - the Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge isnt easy...It's the moment where I don't doubt anymore that I can actually complete the National 3 Peaks challenge. So, down to the last few miles downhill to Chapel-Le-Dale and another descent where falling guarantees pain (and maybe the cave rescure team!) and a winding path through boggy land and Limestone pavement.  And some HUGE sinkholes (minus the Locust Horde for the Xboxers out there...).

So, I did it, time as we arrived back to the car was 10 hours and 29 minutes.  A good time by all accounts.  A day off on the Xbox was more than well deserved :o)

25/07/2011

06:00 start on a Sunday morning.  Nice.  Up to the Carneddau range in Snowdonia for a days walking.  So, parked up at 09.10 we make the 2km walk up the A5 and move offroad up towards here: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen_yr_Helgi_Du

The original plan wasn't to hit this peak, but to skirt around the peak and reservoir and then up to the ridge.  Unfortunately we somehow missed the (invisible) path and ended up at the peak, so had to drop down to Bwlch Eryl Farchog ridge.  I'm not scared of heights, but 600ft to death on one side and 400ft of serious injury on the other wakes you up a bit.  I actually said "I can't do this".  Which is serious - I'm happy with heights, not death.  I went down half crouched, and slid down the rest of the way on my arse.  Pretty scary, being new to this stuff - people get hurt falling at places like this...Across the ridge and come minor scrambling and climbing (I didnt look back, more 'death if you fall' action) onwards and upwards towards http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnedd_Llewelyn

Looking back between Helgi Du and nearing the summit of Carnedd Llywelyn was pretty amazing - We'd gained enough height that we were above the cloud cover to the south/east/west.  By the time we'd arrived at the summit of Llywelyn, cloud cover was covering our tracks across the ridge to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnedd_Dafydd

The walk across the ridge to Dafydd was fairly easy, post lunch, but then the perspective kicks in - "that's five minutes away" is an hours walk.  The pond down there is actually a lake. We made our way down the side of the mountain from Dafydd towards http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ffynnon_Lloer a small lake.

You'd think that walking downhill is much easier than up - walking down was a mix of scrag and greenery.  At the bottom my feet were burning.  At home, huge headache and freezing cold - I'd sunburn on my neck (again!) and legs...bed at 21:15.  Awake in a pool of sweat by 21:45....must be sunstroke...

Next week is the Yorkshire Three Peaks.  25 miles.  A good time is 12hours or less.  Back to the gym Wednesday...

20/07/2011

Gym Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week and then (after a plan change) a return to Wales to do some training on a few of the Carnedds...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carneddau

17/07/2011

Lack of wet weather gear ensured it as only Mow Cop this weekend so I increased the distance by a couple of miles to take in Station Road.  Ended up parking in The Bank, walking up Station Road and then walking the circular route down from Mow Cop to the canal and back up again.  An enjoyable little walk this one.  Next weekend its some walking in the Lake District, and the week after its Snowdonia so will be up early for those walks.

15/07/2011

Quick session at the Gym earlier for 40 mins or so.  Need to actually do a fair amount of walking this weekend - The event is 8 weeks away tomorrow.... Looks like its Shutlingsloe first (5 miles circular) and then a drive down to Mow Cop - I'll probably amend the Mow Cop walk route slightly on Mow to take in the 'killer mile'.  I wont be jogging up it though...

Even some MAMILS on bikes gave up:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUBYeQakhMU

 13/07/2011

Joined the work Gym today - they have a treadmill that does downhill and uphill.  Ace.  Had a healthcheck.  All good, bar my alcohol intake being off the chart!

12/07/2011

Starting this a bit late, but have another 8 or so weeks to go towards the event itself but I guess it starts getting 'interesting' from here on in.  In case you don't know, the 3 Peaks Challenge involves climbing up, and back down, the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales - or Ben Nevis (1344 metres (4409 ft)), Scafell Pike (978 metres (3209 ft)) and Snowdon (1,085 metres (3,560 ft)).  Within 24 hours...and having to sleep in a minibus.  At the end, http://www.careinternational.org.uk/ are putting on a disco - It'll be like the '2001 Odyssey' circa '77.  Maybe not.

To date, I've walked Snowdon (Llanberris Path) as the initial 'taster' walk, started walking more to the local shops (errr, well...the beer shop), been jogging once  for a couple of miles (lol), walked the Glyder Traverse (not easy in horizontal halestones with pants soaked through!) taking in Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach.  More recently I did a quick 5 and 6 mile routes - From Trentham-Stone on the Canal Tow path and a short Mow Cop circular walk.  To be honest, I'm pretty ill prepared - but not neive enough to think this will be easy...

Planned in at the end of August is the Yorkshire 3 Peaks - a 24.5 mile walk taking in Pen-y-ghent (694 metres - 2,276 feet), Whernside (736 metres - 2,415 feet) and Ingleborough (723 metres  2,372 feet) and ideally should be completed within, or around 12 hours. 

Anyhow, there's the first update - I'm mostly done with equipment and will knock out a kitlist at somepoint.  Thanks for reading.