PEAK PERFORMANCE

To celebrate 20 years of supporting the Education and Charities sectors, the growing team at IBS Office Solutions launch, what we aim will be an annual event to raise much needed funds for the charities we have admired and supported over recent years. Details of this year’s chosen charity are enclosed.

“Peak Performance” is the inaugural event is a true test of endurance but will provide a financial boost for the chosen charity each year and a sense of achievement for every individual who would like to stretch their potential both mentally and physically.

The team are setting out on Friday 4 May 2012 with the aim of conquering the 3 highest peaks in Britain, visiting Scotland, South Cumbria and Wales on route, ascending Ben Nevis (Scotland 1344m), Scafell Pike (England 978m) and finishing at Mt Snowdon (Wales 1085m). We aim to finish on the evening of Saturday 5 May leaving enough time to enjoy an evening of back-slapping or foot-soaking dependent on your preference.

The challenge will include approximately 450 miles of driving and the equivalent of a marathon on foot ascending and descending the 3 peaks.

IBS Office Solutions will fund the travel and accommodation of participants and in return we ask that each participant plays their part in raising donations. It is a fantastic opportunity for the IBS team and associates to bond and a truly rewarding experience.

The challenge is independently organised by IBS Office Solutions. Read more about the route and timescale below:

Ben Nevis was confirmed by the Ordnance Survey in 1847 as the highest mountain in Britain, ahead of its rival Ben Macdui.

The summit observatory was built in the summer of 1883, and remained in operation for 21 years. The first path to the summit was built at the same time as the observatory and was designed to allow ponies to carry up supplies, with a maximum gradient of one in five. The opening of the path and the observatory made the ascent of the Ben increasingly popular, all the more so after the arrival of the West Highland Railway in Fort William in 1894.

The 1883 Pony Track to the summit (also known as the Ben Path, the Mountain Path, or the Tourist Route) remains the simplest and most popular route of ascent. It begins at Achintee on the east side of Glen Nevis about 2 km (1.5 miles) from Fort William town centre, at around 20 metres above sea level.

The path starts off gently from the Glen Nevis Visitor Centre via a bridge crossing the River Nevis and affords easy walking before climbing steeply to the saddle by Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe at 570m, and then ascends the remaining 700 metres up the stony west flank of Ben Nevis in a series of zig-zags. It is well made and maintained throughout its length, and, thanks to the zig-zags, not unusually steep apart from the initial stages.

• Start / Finish: Glen Nevis Visitor Centre Car Park
• Ascent: 4350 feet
• Target time: Ascent: 2.5 - 3 hour / Descent: 2 - 2.5 hours

Ben Nevis, although not as high as Alpine mountains, is positioned on a more northerly latitude and the climate can be considered similar to Arctic regions.

While there may be a welcoming sea breeze on the shores of Loch Linnhe, 20-30 knots of chilling wind may be evident on the summit of the Ben. Many walkers/climbers find weather conditions changing within minutes - usually for the worse - as they work their way up the mountain.

The view from Britain's highest point is extensive and in ideal conditions it can extend up to 190 km (120 miles), including such mountains as the Torridon Hills, Morven in Caithness, Lochnagar, Ben Lomond, Barra Head, and 123 miles (198 km) to Knocklayd in County Antrim, Ireland.

Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England but the lowest of the National 3 Peaks.The summit plateau is a huge boulder field set amidst the volcanic belt of the southern Cumbrian Mountains and provides visible evidence of the mountain's turbulent past. It is located in a commanding position and is one of a horseshoe of high fells, open to the south, which surrounds the head of Eskdale. It stands on the western side of the cirque with Sca Fell to the south and Great End to the north. This ridge forms the watershed between Eskdale and Wasdale, which lies to the west.

Although lower paths are well-defined and gentle, Scafell Pike may surprise walkers with its rocky and rugged paths, becoming very steep and unrelenting towards the top. The Pike is very often covered by mist and most challenge participants will face part of the descent of this mountain in partial or complete darkness. The rocky plateau around the top can also be disorientating in poor conditions for the weary and tired walker.

We aim to take the scenically superior route, beginning at Seathwaite Farm at the end of Borrowdale, proceeding via Styhead Tarn, then taking the Corridor Route.This offers a delightful walk along the western flank of the Sca Fell massif with intimate views of the mountain, before joining the path from Wasdale near the summit. Coaches are resitricted from beginning at Wasdale due to a width restriction of 6’6’’ on the approach road to Wasdale Farm starting point.

• Start Point: Seathwaite Farm
• Distance: Seathwaite 14.5km
• Total ascent: 906 metres
• Via Seathwaite : Ascent: 3 hours / Descent: 2.5 hours

As the highest point in England, Scafell Pike naturally has very extensive panoramic views, affording an excellent vantage point for it's neighbouring fells as well as long range sight of the Mourne Mountains and Snowdonia on a clear day.

Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales and offers walkers the least demanding walk to the summit starting out at 359m from the top of Pen-y-Pass. The mountain is probably the busiest in Britain and has one of the wettest climates receiving an annual average of more than 4,500 mm (180 in) of precipitation.Snowdon has six ridges: these are steep and rocky to the north and east, shallower and grassy, but more remote to the south and west. There are many cwms formed by glaciation in the ice age, some filled with tarns (meltwater lakes).

Subsidiary summits include Garnedd Ugain (1,065 m), the knife-edge summit of Crib Goch (923 m), Y Lliwedd (898 m) and Yr Aran (747 m).

We start our walk at the Pen-y-Pass Car Park following the old Miner's Track originally constructed to access to the surrounding mine workings strewn around the mountain.

After about 1km, we pass above Llyn Teyrn and then continue for another kilometre before reaching the shore of Llyn Llydaw reservoir.

We cross the reservoir via a well-made causeway and contine around the reservoir where the track rises more steeply to Glaslyn, a stunning glacial lake beneath Snowdon.The final part of the Miners' Track consists of a scrambly walk from the edge of Glaslyn onto the latter part of the Pyg track, although recent step-building has improved this considerably. For most of the way our route affords easy walking without any significant ascent until we reach the steeper path above Glaslyn where we make our final ascent to the summit.

Although we can descend via the Pyg Track, we generally find a return via the Miners' Track the easiest option with an easy walk back to the car park after the initial descent.

• Start / Finish: Pen-y-Pass Car Park
• Ascent: 2381 feet via Pen-y-Pass
• Target time: Ascent: 2 hours / Descent: 2 hours

Snowdon offers some of the most extensive views in the British Isles: on exceptionally clear days, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales are all visible.

It is also possible to see 24 counties, 29 lakes and 17 islands as well as the newly built Beetham Tower in Manchester from this lofty vantage point.The view between Snowdon and Merrick (southern Scotland) is the longest theoretical line of sight in the British Isles at 144 miles (232 km) and visible in good conditions.

THIS YEARS CHOSEN CHARITY – DAISY’S DREAM

This year we have chosen to support a local charity called Daisy’s Dream who provide free professional services supporting bereaved children and their families in Berkshire and the surrounding areas.

Who do Daisy’s Dream provide for?

· Children and young people up to 19 years of age

· Their parents and carers

They support families both prior to or as a result of bereavement, answering many of the questions that parents and children face difficulty with.

Contacting Daisy’s Dream:

PO Box 4738

Twyford

Reading

RG10 9GT