We did It!! Just 23hrs 56
minutes 
Nigel
& I completed the challenge with in the 24 hour limit,
but what a challenge?
We entered the challenge with
a certain amount or trepidation which only increased on
the Thursday morning as we set off to get up to Scotland
and the base of Ben Nevis for a 1630 hrs start. Nigel Exall,
Roger Wilkin and myself having been picked up from Glasgow
airport were driven up into the Highlands via the spectacular
Lock Lomond and Glencoe route. We arrived to meet up with
the rest of the challenge team at 1630 hrs and after a quick
change was on the mountain @ 1449 hrs. Our group of 14 challengers
was spilt into two for both walking/climbing and for transport
which consisted of very cramped minibuses. One of the groups
being lead by yours truly (decided by the others the night
before in my absence!!)
Ben Nevis was clear for the
most part, but with reports from others coming down of snowing
on the top, and with the rain starting on our way up, the
forecast of very poor weather seemed to be right, this would
make the challenge almost impossible. But as we ascended
up into the clouds hanging over Ben Nevis, someone! must
have been looking after us as the rain stopped and although
there was significant snow on the ground there was none
in the air. The elation on reaching the summit in 2½
hours and on target was awesome, we descended to complete
the first leg just inside the 5 hours allocated. One or
two of the group were already showing some signs of fatigue
on the way down, but not seriously. Good start.
Into the minibus for the 6
hour drive to the Lake District, 300 miles away. The Minibus
was cramped and uncomfortable but spirits were high as we
were on target & our two drivers kept us there and arriving
at Wasdale @ 4 in the morning as it was just beginning to
get light, perfect timing. It took a while for stiff and
aching limbs to warm up, but we were soon on our way up
Scafell. To ascend the highest peak in England without seeing
a soul with only ourselves andthe odd sheep was a special
experience especially as we were walking east towards the
sunrise. The weather was perfect and the sight of the early
morning sun rising in front of us as we reached the ridge
was a very special moment and one for the memory bank. The
top part over the boulder path was tough on the legs but
again we all where elated to reach the top of our second
peak. The descent was beginning to find out who where the
fittest and some very tired legs on some of the team resulted
in a slow ascent taking us outside our target time by as
much as ½ an hour or so. This would put the pressure
on, so after a quick load up we were in the minibus and
on our way.
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The 220mile drive to
North Wales was scheduled to take 4½ hours, but with
a slow descent off Scafell we needed to get to the base of
Snowden by 1300 hrs to give us a chance of doing Snowdon in
the allocated 3½ hours, a tough challenge in itself
without having done the other two peaks and with next to no
sleep over the previous 24 hours or so. As we arrived at the
car park at Pen-y-pass the bus had gone quiet, other than
people trying to get boots to try and save time, it was 1340
hrs and leaving us with little over 3 hours to complete the
challenge – Impossible!!! Not this group – we got
out of the minibus and with everyone running around on adrenalin
we somehow managed to get started within 10 minutes. We had
almost exactly 3 hours to get to the top and back down. We
had decided to split the group into three; the fitter; not
so fit; and the lame, ensuring that no one was alone and all
necessary precautions were taken. Nigel and I were in the
fitter group along with Roger and Mandy, and we set of at
a pace that can only be because we had decided that although
we thought the challenge might well be beyond us, if we were
going to fail we would do so having given it our very best
shot. Having set the early pace I slowed and was joined by
Roger and Mandy, which enabled us to support each other and
keep moving, we arrived at the top in just over 1½
hours. Nigel who had reached the top some 15 minutes before
us was already on his way down, on the basis that if we could
get one of us within the time limit we could claim some success
for the team. The descent was excruciating, the legs, particularly
the knees where screaming at us but the three of us kept each
other going, even running on some parts. Roger turned an ankle
2/3rds of the way down, but just yelped and drove himself
on. At one point we thought we would do the challenge with
a bit to spare but this proved to be a false horizon and on
reaching the ridge on the Pyg track realised we had a lot
further to go. We were now on pure adrenalin or something!!
I had never been to this level of physical exhaustion, but
with one last push we got to the entrance to the Car park
& crossed the line together with 4 minutes left. Close!!!
Nigel had heroically completed some ½ an hour before
us, doing Snowdon in under 2½ hours. All the team completed
the three peaks with 8 of us doing it within the 24 hours
but only just!
The Three Peaks Challenge has proved to be
a real challenge and we now understand why so many fail to
complete within the 24 hours. The challenge is not just about
individual effort, as without a team of drivers, helpers and
fellow walkers/climbers it would not only make it almost impossible
but far less enjoyable. The experience, was personally, one
that will remain with me for a very long time as I am sure
it will with the others and with us raising over £14,000
for our Charities it has added another dimension to our success.
The team are a very special group of people
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Baxall News
