Two Peaks and a catastrophe

We've now just completed our challenge and this is the story of how it went...

After six months of precision planning, we finally booked everything we needed approximately 72 hours before we left.

Given the teams very complex itinerary and working schedules, Rona and Anna drove up with our ex special forces driver, Uncle Pip. We met in Oxford and picked up our A Team van - literally! This thing was a beast with blacked out windows.  The journey up to Glasgow should have taken us six hours, alas with a months worth of rain on the day it took a lot longer - oh about 10 hours!!

Meanwhile Anthony was looking forward to a good night sleep on his babyless sleeper train, but found out this was not to be the case and was diverted to Kingussie due to an overturned freight train.

Hugo on the other hand decided to fly but had to get up at 4am to meet Diarmid - our pace maker for Ben Nevis - at Glasgow Airport. Things got off to a great start when the pace maker was 45 minutes late!

So after an eventful beginning we all made to Fort William for the start of the challenge.

Having met Rona's lovely parents for some useful last minute items e.g. Maps, clothing and a weather forecast - we set off to the foot of Ben Nevis. After a few wrong turns we actually found the bottom of the mountain!

With the confidence in our navigation established we set off - five hours later we came back down ahead of schedule - entertained en route by 4 hours 45 minutes of Diarmid's thoughts on randomised control trials.

So amazingly realising we were going to manage the three peaks within 24 hours, we fuelled up on fish and chips and hit the road. Things were going really well and we were due to get to Scarfell Pike - mountain number 2 at 4am - well ahead of schedule.

Disaster then struck in the middle of Glencoe at 11pm when a deer ran out straight in front of us. Unfortunately it was the end for both the car and the deer.

Whilst we were all shocked we thought our car hire company - who promised road side assistance and rapid recovery - would come to our rescue.

Despite Rona's extensive experience with call centres, fours hours later after speaking with the AA, Enterprise, RAC, Hyundai, Green Flag and Amex - it appeared there was no one in Scotland who could pick us up. Even the local Police couldn't be bothered and the nearest hotel couldn't house us. At this point we knew our three peaks challenge was over.

At three in the morning we eventually got rescued and driven to Glasgow by a taxi driver who could barely keep his eyes open.  However spirits were bolstered by Diarmid's light hearted M&E banter.

At 5am we got to Glasgow Airport, said good bye to our pace maker and waited for our replacement car, which 13 hours after the incident took place finally arrived. So with the new car and a team conference we decided rather then heading home with our tail between our legs, we would instead carry on and go to Scafell Pike.

Four hours later we arrived and started the climb - 3 hours 55 minutes later we were back down - damn it we could have done this challenge in under 24 hours. Instead of celebrating with champagne at the foot of Snowden we had half a larger and a pack of crisps because someone had stolen our pre ordered sandwiches!  

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone for their support.