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Anyone climbed Scafell/Snowdon or Nevis?
- Thread starter algie
- Start date
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
My daughter did all three in 36 hours for charity. Nevis first finishing up with Snowdon.
Beach Hut
Brighton Bhuna Boy
Did Snowdon via the Pigs Track (I think), took around 4 hours - blazing sun and then got to the top and fecking fog
AZ Gull
@SeagullsAcademy Threads: @bhafcacademy
Yes.
jemwillett
New member
Done Snowdon twice. Once via pyg track and once via miners. Done scafell once. Am aiming to do all three before I die. the three peaks in twenty year challenge.
- Thread starter
- #7
I have heard about this 3 peak challenge but in 24hrs
Well done to your daughter Those memories will be with her forever.
Snowdon 3 times (Watkin Path, Pyg track, Horshoe). Scafell Pike once (via Mickledore). Not done Ben Nevis as there are far too many more beautiful and quieter mountains in the area (though this probably applies to the others as well. I bloody love it, so lomg as there's a bit of scrambling etc. Don't really do easy routes as like the adrenaline frkm sheer vertical drops etc. Best walking in the UK is on Skye if you can get decent weather.
Time taken depends very much on route and fitness. Wouldn't do any mountains without some serious training on the Downs though it's obviously not the same.
Time taken depends very much on route and fitness. Wouldn't do any mountains without some serious training on the Downs though it's obviously not the same.
Cheshire Cat
The most curious thing..
Remember that the best way to do is to wear shorts, a t-shirt, and flip flops. The only extra thing you need to carry is a large bottle of vodka (or refreshment of your choice). And make sure that the weather is vile at the time.
Mountain rescue teams all recommend it.
Mountain rescue teams all recommend it.
casbom
Well-known member
- Jul 24, 2007
- 2,581
Used to go up to Ben Nevis for the weekend, quite extreme mind! We drove through a Friday night (leaving around 9pm) arriving at the base of Nevis at about 6am. Grab an hours worth of sleep and then climb up to the top. In good weather it takes around 4 hours if your reasonably fit, we would then come back down and book into a B&B (pre booked) and then drive back on the Sunday!
One year we drove up as usual on the Friday night, climbed the Ben and when we got back to the car my mate got a call from his wife which resulted in us having to drive back home straight away! Got back around 3am to Lancing!
Anyway haven't been for about 10 yrs, waiting until my boys are old enough to take them up there.
Definitely worth doing, the feeling of accomplishment when you get to the top is exhilarating and if it's clear at the top, the view is just breathtaking! As long as you respect the mountain and don't do anything stupid (like get yourself killed) then you'll enjoy it!
One year we drove up as usual on the Friday night, climbed the Ben and when we got back to the car my mate got a call from his wife which resulted in us having to drive back home straight away! Got back around 3am to Lancing!
Anyway haven't been for about 10 yrs, waiting until my boys are old enough to take them up there.
Definitely worth doing, the feeling of accomplishment when you get to the top is exhilarating and if it's clear at the top, the view is just breathtaking! As long as you respect the mountain and don't do anything stupid (like get yourself killed) then you'll enjoy it!
severnside gull
Well-known member
Scafell, Cross Fell (if only for its low flying jets on training flights) or Helwellyn over Striding Edge are better walks IMO than Snowdon which gets very busy. That said the pyg track up from pen y pas is the most enjoyable of the half dozen or so routes especially if you detour up over Crib Groch (a sharp ridge above the track). Choose a dry day with decent visibility though.
Worth it? A walk in the mountains is possibly the only thing that competes with a stroll by the sea for sheer exhilaration......
Worth it? A walk in the mountains is possibly the only thing that competes with a stroll by the sea for sheer exhilaration......
- Thread starter
- #14
Did you wear crampons?
Cheshire Cat
The most curious thing..
You can always get the train up Snowdon
http://www.snowdonrailway.co.uk/
http://www.snowdonrailway.co.uk/
Ludensian Gull
Well-known member
Did Nevis a few yrs ago on a clear day in May , well worth the trudge up the old pony track . Think it took about 5hrs
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
I have heard about this 3 peak challenge but in 24hrs
Well done to your daughter Those memories will be with her forever.
It should have been 24 hours but there was a problem with the minibus. Scafell was the most difficult because they did it in the dark.
Seagull over Canaryland
Well-known member
Having done all three including as part of a very competitive 3-Peaks effort (20 hours) a few years ago I can say they are well worth the effort, although doing them against the clock is not the best way to savour the achievement and take in the scenery. Snowdon and Ben Nevis both have decent tourist footpaths that are pretty quick routes but can also get crowded. The downside is that you cannot really call it 'climbing' but are certainly steep in places and the views are stunning. The Pyg track on Snowdon is more interesting.
Scafell Pike was probably the most hairy and again not quite 'climbing' more 'scrambling' but also probably the most enjoyable because it had a generated a bit more adrenalin. We started ascending around 2am and reached the summit around 4am in heavy mist having crossed the really treacherous wet, slippery rock field which was quite scary as every step demands respect and total concentration, one slip between the rocks and it would be so easy to snap an ankle (or both, as can happen). However the descent down a scree slope was great fun, with care.
OK they aren't exactly the Himalayas but I fully agree you should not attempt them unless you (and others in your party) are reasonably fit and have tested yourself on the one of the steepest South Downs footpaths to see what sort of pace you can comfortably manage for a 2 or 3 hour ascent, so you can enjoy it.
I know its obvious but do wear comfortable boots and take plenty of layers and decent waterproofs, hat, gloves etc. We did Ben Nevis in mid-June, starting in t-shorts and shorts but the temperature plummeted near the summit where over the last 500' there was about a foot of snow to wade through in white-out conditions. We needed to put on every stitch of clothing with us and still not linger at the summit cairn. Just behind that is a 1000' sheer drop, but completely invisible yet it was midday!
Having said all that on Ben Nevis you may well see a family picnic outing, punters wearing beach attire and flip flops, or teams of students carrying a piano or beer barrel up and down for charity. Completely bonkers but makes you proud to be British.
Also try to plan your trip for summertime when you have maximum daylight around - unlike us you want to avoid the possibility of climbing/descending in the dark plus allowing enough time for getting safely up and down within the capabilities of the slowest member in your party.
Finally if you do a '3-Peaks' challenge then do have a dedicated non-climbing driver in your party, as it is a heck of a lot of driving to do in 24 hours without climbing too.
Good luck and enjoy. If you are lucky with the weather it will be very rewarding. A few beers and a curry in Fort William certainly tasted good.
Scafell Pike was probably the most hairy and again not quite 'climbing' more 'scrambling' but also probably the most enjoyable because it had a generated a bit more adrenalin. We started ascending around 2am and reached the summit around 4am in heavy mist having crossed the really treacherous wet, slippery rock field which was quite scary as every step demands respect and total concentration, one slip between the rocks and it would be so easy to snap an ankle (or both, as can happen). However the descent down a scree slope was great fun, with care.
OK they aren't exactly the Himalayas but I fully agree you should not attempt them unless you (and others in your party) are reasonably fit and have tested yourself on the one of the steepest South Downs footpaths to see what sort of pace you can comfortably manage for a 2 or 3 hour ascent, so you can enjoy it.
I know its obvious but do wear comfortable boots and take plenty of layers and decent waterproofs, hat, gloves etc. We did Ben Nevis in mid-June, starting in t-shorts and shorts but the temperature plummeted near the summit where over the last 500' there was about a foot of snow to wade through in white-out conditions. We needed to put on every stitch of clothing with us and still not linger at the summit cairn. Just behind that is a 1000' sheer drop, but completely invisible yet it was midday!
Having said all that on Ben Nevis you may well see a family picnic outing, punters wearing beach attire and flip flops, or teams of students carrying a piano or beer barrel up and down for charity. Completely bonkers but makes you proud to be British.
Also try to plan your trip for summertime when you have maximum daylight around - unlike us you want to avoid the possibility of climbing/descending in the dark plus allowing enough time for getting safely up and down within the capabilities of the slowest member in your party.
Finally if you do a '3-Peaks' challenge then do have a dedicated non-climbing driver in your party, as it is a heck of a lot of driving to do in 24 hours without climbing too.
Good luck and enjoy. If you are lucky with the weather it will be very rewarding. A few beers and a curry in Fort William certainly tasted good.
Done all three on one holiday. Done Snowdon twice and Scafell Pike (Scafell is the next peak) four times
Raleigh Chopper
New member
I have been to the summit of Ben Nevis, I did it in about 15 minutes.