What an adventure!
Last week, I alongside five of my friends, completed a massive achievement, climbing the three highest peaks in the UK, in just three days! Over the long weekend we climbed Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and Mt Snowdon.
In the lead-up, over the past few months, we’ve been doing regular practice hikes, which has really given us a love for getting out and about in the countryside!
During our three peaks challenge we experienced incredible highs (literally), aching knees and a variety of weather conditions that made each climb uniquely challenging.
Here’s how it went and a few lessons we learned along the way.
Day 1: Scafell Pike
On day 1 of our Three Peaks Challenge, we kicked things off with Scafell Pike, the highest peak in England. The weather was really bad and made this first climb much harder than we expected.
The route was rocky and steep in parts, but we paced ourselves, taking in the views of the Lake District as we went. Because it was a long weekend, the route was packed with people and, because the path is narrow in places, there was a lot of awkward overtaking.
As we got near the top the weather conditions were horrendous! I actually climbed Scafell Pike a few years ago and it was the same back then. It goes from cold at the bottom, to warm on the ascent, to absolutely freezing at the top, and then the reverse on the way down!
Reaching the summit was a brilliant feeling! Being the first of our three peaks, it was a bit of a shock to the system but was a great start to our trip. It also made for a unique warm-up for the three days.
Day 2: Ben Nevis
On day two, we woke up early to tackle Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest mountain. The lower sections of the trail were easier but seemed to go on forever before we actually started to go up.
Theres a nice waterfall about a third of the way up which makes a good photo opportunity and the water’s also nice and refreshing.
The higher we climbed, the colder it got and by the time we reached the summit, we were in full-on winter mode: deep snow, strong winds and visibility so low we could barely see a few feet ahead. We actually didn’t use the crampons we had brought as our trekking poles seemed to be just about enough, but I’m still glad we packed them just in case.
One unexpected surprise? Signal at the top! And, despite all the snow, it was actually surprisingly warm. Either that or our nerve endings had frozen by that point! We all made our video calls home to let everyone know we were chilling on top of the UK’s highest mountain! On the way down we also got to slide down the snow, which was fun! (not all the way down!)
Ben Nevis was my personal favourite of our Three Peaks Challenge. It had varied terrain, loads of great scenery and the kudos of saying you’re at the highest point in the UK!
Safety note – Towards the very top (when visibility is at it’s lowest) its important to follow the rock piles and curve round to the right, as heading left takes you to a sheer drop that we only really saw as we approached it. It was pretty scary considering we didn’t know how much of the floor below us was just snow.
If you’re planning to climb Ben Nevis, I can’t stress enough how important it is to be prepared. The snow was slippery and although we didn’t end up using our cleats I would much rather have them and not need them than need them and not have them. Thankfully, our trekking poles also helped a lot!
Day 3: Snowdon
By the third day, my knees were shot! Every step hurt but there was no way I was giving up with just one peak to go. Luckily, we had much better weather which made the hike more enjoyable and also meant we finally got some views at the top!
It was a more gradual climb than Ben Nevis and the summit felt like a proper celebration after the past few days! The pathway winds through some really beautiful scenery, with views of green valleys and lots of very pretty lakes.
Coming down was just as tough. My knees were screaming and the repeated impact made every step hurt! This climb alone made the hiking sticks worth it!
Towards the bottom some of the lads decided to swim in one of the lakes, but there was absolutely no way I was getting in that freezing cold water! Maybe next time!
Snowdon, to me, was the most dangerous of the three mountains. Lots of the path is shingle rock, which is easy to slip on, and there are quite a few parts that are steep climbs up the rock. I actually saw someone slip and fall down to the edge below and I had to climb down to help him back up, which could’ve been much worse if he hadn’t stopped sliding!
Final Thoughts
Climbing the Three Peaks over three days was a seriously tough challenge but was so worth it!
I couldn’t have done it with a better group of lads! We all worked together, kept each other motivated, and the company along the way made the whole experience so much better! I also give massive credit to Bowers and Chris who not only climbed the mountains but also drove a ridiculous amount of miles in between each one (we did offer)!
Each mountain had its own unique charm and all together, they made for an incredible adventure! Sore knees and all, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
See also – What to Pack for the Three Peaks Challenge