The Three Peaks Challenge

On the 14th and 15th May 2004 a team of ten walkers from the Rotary and Inner Wheel Clubs of Reading Maiden Erlegh climbed the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales. The Three Peaks Challenge, as it is known, involved climbing the three peaks – Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon - comprising a total climb of over 11,000 feet, some 26 miles of rugged walking and a 1,255 mile round trip. The walkers were assisted by four drivers and four supporters from the respective Clubs.

The Challenge raised over £9,000 for the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust which was in addition to the £5,000 raised for the Trust from other events during 2003/4, and in combination these donations will help to treat or save the lives of over 1,000 people during the coming year.

This page is a pictorial record of the three climbs and also serves as a tribute to the walkers who made the Challenge possible.

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A Team Member’s Commentary

·         Planning and Training

We assembled a team of 18 people, and had the outline plan put together, by January 2004. Walkers trained almost every weekend usually in the Chilterns, with one long weekend in the Brecons. Meanwhile the Support Team arranged mini buses, hotels, routes, walking food and drink, and communications. We established a basic kit list, which would cover all conditions.

·         Sponsorship

Local businesses were contacted and WVC cars and the National Grid provided significant help. Some other businesses put up small sums or sponsored sports drinks and energy bars. The bulk of funds were raised by the Team and fellow Rotarians on an individual sponsorship basis. We were very grateful to every one who helped.

·         The Walk

We left Reading at 5 am on Thursday 13th and it took 12 hours to get to Fort William. Up at 4 am and on Ben Nevis by 5 am. The weather forecast was poor with difficult conditions for walkers. It was spot on and by the time we reached the summit it was very cold, wet and the wind was strong. The snow was deep. We were very glad that we had prepared properly and had the right kit. Getting down was slower than expected because it was so slippery.

After a celebratory tot we were off to The Lake District. By 8 pm we were in our Hotel and what seemed like a few hours later up again at 4 am for another 5 am start on Scafell Pike. Conditions were much better here and although cloud obscured our view at the summit, it was dry and we made good progress. The route was difficult with a long and dangerous section over what can only be described as a boulder field. But we did it all as planned and were off again soon after 10 am on the long drive to Snowdon.

Once again the Support Team did a great job of feeding us en route and we arrived in Llanberis in time to get moving again by 4 pm. Snowdon was more difficult than we expected, probably because we were so tired, and it was a long and painful haul to the peak. The bonus was that the sun was smiling on us and we had a clear blue sky and magnificent views all around us. Snowdon has the best peak of them all and we had it all to ourselves at 7pm; we were all elated.

·         Looking Back

The training and planning paid off. We raised a lot of money for an excellent cause. The support we had was superb and there were no serious injuries or mishaps. We had some fun, smiled a lot, cursed, slept together (in the vans), tried to teach the Teacher among us to count, sang, made friends with some Irish walkers and looked away (most of the time) when one of our team stripped off on each summit to put on her knee supports for the climb down.

We all pushed our own little personal boundaries and made some closer friends. Not bad for a bunch of grumpy old men (and ladies).

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(In the following photo gallery, clicking on any image will bring up a full sized version of it.)

Ben Nevis - Scotland

The Moorings Hotel, Benavie	A view of Ben Nevis over the canal behind the hotel	Relaxing before dinner after a long drive	Still relaxing before dinner after a long drive	Waiting to be fed
Long journeys have strange effects on some people	Dropping off to start the first walk at 5am.	The first part of the ascent
Higher up the terrain became rocky and the mist drew in	Near the peak the walkers encountered snow			The peak at last - a great sense of achievement
Looking a little more serious this time	And then soon after, preparations for the descent	Bye bye, going back down now
	Meanwhile there was time for President Alan Howe (2003/4) and his wife Cath to do their own walking and exploring	The Support Team got on with preparing the vans to pick up the walkers for the next part of the journey to the Lake District.	Getting everything organised and making the dry kit accessible to the walkers was an essential part of the preparation	It was misty and raining at the pick up point below Ben Nevis
We waited in the rain, with fingers crossed, for the walkers to appear	We were delighted when they finally emerged from the mist			President Alan Howe (2003/4) welcomed each walker home with a warming drink - it may have been slightly alcoholic
After the walkers had changed into clean clothes, the vans set off to the Lake District for an overnight stay before the Scafell Pike climb

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Scafell Pike - The Lake District

We drove through some delightful scenery on the way to our hotel in Gosforth			Isn't it strange how food and drink always play a major part in any Rotary event	Outside, a cousin of the following day's climb emerged from the mist
We dropped the walkers off at 5am	And contemplated the start of the walk which was along this delightful track	The peak was still covered in mist at that time of the morning	But this is what the walkers saw on their way up	Pausing for a rest is almost a pleasure when surrounded by such scenery
Rocky terrain featured once more	And the mist started to close in		But they made it!	We may not have been able to see up the mountain, but look at the view from the top
	What goes up must come down and there was hot coffee waiting as an added incentive			The Support Team waited at the starting point, fingers crossed as usual
The sheep were just as expectant - those that hadn't lambed that is	We were delighted to see our walkers back safe and sound	They were delighted to see themselves back safe and sound

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Snowdon - Wales

Once again we drove through some beautiful countryside to and from Snowdon - this is the Llanberis Pass	The Llanberis Pass	We stayed at the Royal Victoria Hotel in Llanberis - it is now a Quality Inn	Here are our intrepid walkers outside the hotel	And here they are again at the start of the climb
More wonderful views on the way up Snowdon			Here's the railway line....but no train - sorry folks, keep walking	A pause to enjoy the vista
			Then off again, but looking dog tired this time
	Their goal	Which they approached in 'stile'	The third and final peak - a champagne celebration	And what a celebration
				But with a drink waiting for them in the bar they just had to go back down again
A warm welcome back from their friends and supporters	Plus another warm welcome from members of the Rotary Club of Caernarfon who dropped by to say hello and well done

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The Out Takes

Well not really out takes, just the pictures that fall into a category all of their own

This is what started it all, the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance	The eighteen seater vans - seen here being modelled by the Inner Wheeler who arranged the sponsorship - were supplied by WVC of Heathrow.	Loading a van at 5am in Reading just before starting out on an eleven hour drive to Scotland is a challenge in itself	All aboard for the Three Peaks Challenge	We stopped for breakfast on the first morning at the M6 toll service area
Don't they look cute	The drivers had the best view through the vans' broad windscreens - this is a view of the Scottish highlands just north of Loch Lomond	A stop for fuel and comfort was also an excuse for some ice cream in Tyndrum on the way to Fort William	Driving whilst looking backwards, without the aid of a steering wheel, was a trick we developed over the four days	Our passengers didn't seem to mind
But it did drive one of them a little 'Dotty'	Say hello to our expert driving team - if only Formula One would allow unmodified Ford Transits	Our supporters were invaluable in helping to keep our walkers fed, watered and cared for during the Challenge	This is the full team trying to look photogenic just after the Scafell Pike climb - and a great bunch they are too	This is a trig point - don't ask me why it is here, we must have left the door open
An honourable mention in District 1090 News and Views - July 2004 edition.

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