Gear used during the Three Peaks

With the Three Peaks Challenge now well and truely behind us we felt it was worth looking over the key equipment that proved essential when undertaking this challenge. Here is a quick look at the gear we chose when taking on Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.

Waterproof Jackets  

Berghaus RG1 Waterproof Jacket (Mens)
Ideal for all year-round use, on the hills or around the streets.

Incorporates Aquafoil technology, the RG1 is waterproof and extremely breathable. Features a roll-away hood for easy access to protect from any sudden downpours. Hardwearing but lightweight jacket.





Berghaus Calisto Waterproof Jacket (Womens)

Female version of the RG1. Again, ideal for all year-round use, on the hills or around the streets.

Incorporates Aquafoil technology, the Calisto is  waterproof and extremely breathable. Features a roll-away hood for easy access to protect from any sudden downpours. Hardwearing but lightweight jacket



Trousers

 Berghaus Deluge Waterproof Overtrousers

Ideal for any outdoor lover who wants protection from rain, sleet and snow, without excess weight.

Lightweight yet effective, the Deluge Overtrousers are designed using Berghaus' very own Aquafoil technology (AQ) ensuring they provide hardwearing protection from winter weather over your existing activewear trousers when you need a waterproof cover which is fuss free.

Sprayway Santiago Waterproof Overtrousers (Womens)

If you're seeking a simple no fuss rainpant to provide easy going protection when the weather toughens up, look no further than the Sprayway Santiago Waterproof trousers. Made using a unique 'bombproof' Taslan fabric and a simple no-fuss design, the Santiago Waterproof Trousers are ideal worn alone, over leggings, or as an overtrouser in cold and wet conditions.

With an elasticated waist and internal storm guard as well as a rain gutter, you an face the rain with a smile, whilst the Santiago stay put.

Fleeces

Berghaus Spectrum Micro Half Zip Fleece (Men & Woman)

Lightweight, sporty and warm, the Berghaus Spectrum Micro Half-Zip is ideal for all your outdoor pursuits where comfort is key.

Made using Berghaus' AWL 100 fleece, it is the perfect fleece to grab and go, and thanks to special non-pilling fabric,  as well as having a soft velour touch it's also low maintenance to take care of.

As well as being comfy enough to wear day to day as well as on the hills, the fleece also has function covered too, with a zipped pocket on the chest, you can make sure that if you need your mp3, phone, map or a snack then it will be right at your fingertips.

Craghoppers Corey Microfleece (Men)

Warm and lightweight, the Craghoppers Corey microfleece is perfect for layering, in everyday use and travelling adventures.

The Corey is made from fast drying wash and wear fleece polyester fabric, ensuring precious exploring time isn't wasted as it can be worn straight from your backpack.

Baselayers

Helly Hansen Stripe Crew Baselayer Top (Mens)

The Helly Hansen Stripe Baselayer is a quick wicking baselayer that provides comfort and dryness in a range of activities.

Specifically designed to keep the body dry, this crew top is perfect for intense outdoor activity, whilst the 100% polyester construction ensures this can be cleaned at home with ease. 

Hi-Gear Long Sleeved Baselayer Top
Made in a soft to touch polyester/cotton blend, the seamfree Long Sleeved Baselayer top from Hi Gear is ideal for use during periods of activity in cold environments.


Made without seams,this smooth fabric avoids abrasion and is ideal for all day wearing underneath multiple layers. 

Walking Pole

Hi-Gear Walker Antishock Pole
The Hi Gear Walker Trekking Pole is fitted with comfortable ergonomic rubber grip with an adjustable webbing strap, letting you get the best hold on the pole for maximum comfort and support.

It is also extendable to 135cm and compacts down to 65cm for easy packing in a rucksack or bag.

Hiking Boots

Hi-Tec V-Lite Altitude Ultra Luxe Wpi (Men & Womens)
Hi-Tec's top of the range hiking boots. The boots feature:
•ion-maskTM hydrophobic technology
•Waterproof full grain leather upper
•One-piece vamp for waterproof durability
•V-Lite metal hardware lacing
•Micro-fibre collar and tongue lining
•V-Lite design and build technology
•Comfort-Tec contoured sockliner
•Stabila-Flex, contoured thermo-plastic bi-fit board
•CMEVA midsole for cushioning and support
•Exclusive Vibram rubber outsole

Hi-Tec V-Lite Rapidtrail Ultra WPi (Men)
Super hiking boot featuring:
•Waterproof Nubuck/Suede Leather and mesh upper
•ion-mask waterproof technology
•TPU heel locking system
•V-Lite Hardware lacing
•Molded rubber toecap and mudguards for protection
•V-Lite design and build technology
•INSOLE
•Comfort-Tec contoured sockliner
•OUTSOLE
•Advanced Stabila-Flex, contoured thermo-plastic bi-fit board
•Exclusive Vibram rubber outsole

We would love to hear if you have tested the same products as well as your thoughts? Full reviews coming soon.

Nearly all our gear was purchased from Go Outdoors but our boots were generously donated to us by Hi-Tec to which we are most grateful.

The Ramblers

At the foot of Ben Nevis - The challenge begins and the smiles start to fade.

Rambling Hikers raised £2,093!

With The Three Peaks Challenge now becoming a distant memory it is time to reflect and count the amount of sponsorship that we raised in the build up, during and after the event.

In total (including Gift Aid) we raised a total of £2,093! Which is great and we would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that sponsored us along the way. The money will be split equally between the following charities:

- Breakthrough Breast Cancer
- British Heart Foundation
- Children in Need
  and
- The Stroke Association

The charity page will be taken down at the end of the week, so there is still time to donate :) http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/ramblinghikers2010

Now onto the next hike...

A breif guide to the National Three Peaks

As we get ready to embark on our Three Peaks challenge we thought it was time to take a closer look at the three mountains that make up the national version of this challenge: Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.

Ben Nevis (Estimated climb time - 5hrs)

Ben Nevis (Scottish Gaelic - Beinn Nibheis) or The Ben as it is also know is the highest moutain in the British Isles and is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains close to the town of Fort William.


The summit of The Ben is 1,344 metres (4,409ft) above sea level and attracts an estimated 100,000 ascents each year, 100,006 if you include our group of ramblers. One of the key features of Ben Nevis, are the ruins of an meteorogical observatory at the summit, which wass permanently staffed between 1883 and 1904.

Scafell Pike (Estimated climb time - 5hrs)

Scafell Pike is England highest fell, or mountain and is the smallest of the three peaks at 978 metres (3,209ft). Located in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria.



 In 1919, the summit of Scafell Pike was donated to the National Trust by Lord Leconfield.

Snowdon (Estimated climb time - 4hrs)

Snowdon or Yr Wyddfa in Welsh is the highest mountain in Wales. Constantly describe as the busiest mountain in Britain, Snowdon at 1,085 metres (3,560ft) is the second highest mountain in the Three Peaks challenge.

So there it is, a very brief guide to the Three Peak mountains.

Preamble to the Ramble (Taking on Snowdon)

Earlier this year five friends and I took temporary ownership of a cottage nestled at the foot of Mount Snowdon. There was a lot more to the trip than a fairly routine ascent and descent of Wales’s tallest rock formation and the following words are part of a much larger piece. However, for the sake of pertinence I’ve edited out all the in-jokes, cross references and vulgarity which leaves only the hiking in purest form.

Lessons learnt from this trip:
• Dry feet are worth more than gold
• Scotch atop a mountain is about as good as it gets
• Being over-equipped makes one look a fool

Tackling The Tomb:
The Pyg Track is one of three main routes to the summit of the mount; the first, The Miner's Trail is a long winding route, through the valley with a steep incline at the end, considered rather boring. The other option open to us was Cryb Goch, a path along a horseshoe ridge leading to the peak, the path is about 3 feet wide with enormous drops either side. In the forecasted windy conditions, it was agreed that this might be a bit beyond us. So we opted for the Pyg; somehow a path had been hewn into the rock and a giant's staircase of well placed rocks provided a steep and exhausting path straight up the side of the south face. Randall was lagging behind, probably due to his carrying a small reservoir in his pack. Adam marched on ahead looking distinctly like his father, wearing his new boots, thick woolly socks pulled high and, remarkably, shorts. Eventually the path levelled out and we saw the first of many lakes deep in the valley below us. What appeared to be a colourful ant trail winding along beneath us was a horde of the unambitious walking along the flat path of the Miner's Trail. Our path began to grow steeper and before long we needed to use our hands to clamber over rough steps too big for human legs.

Looking down on the Miner's Trail and reservoir

Walking into the clouds

We ate our brilliantly prepared packed lunch on a rocky outcrop looking over a blue-black pond and looked back at our progress - the landscape rolled away behind us. White snow on black granite to our right and yellow-green grass to the left, there was no hint of any civilisation as far as the eye could see and this was exactly what I'd hoped for when the idea of this trip first appeared. Tucking into my lunch of Spanish ham sandwiches, tracker bars and a Capri sun I was conscious of what a great moment I was living; the company was excellent, the air clean and my feet dry.

The gradient increased and we found ourselves venturing into the clouds. The temperature dropped considerably as we approached the 3500 foot mark. Snowdon has been described as the busiest mountain in the UK and we saw this first hand when we were trapped in a bottle neck.

Left to right: Luke, Adam, Randall, Hugh, Ryan and Marcos

Heavy winter snowfall hadn't been given a chance to melt in the year's first quarter and the single file track through it yielded rare passing places to allow us to get past those already descending from the mountain top. "What's it like up there?" I asked a weather beaten bloke with two ski-poles, "Cold” he said

“You don't want to up there long but..." his words trailed off in the wind as his marching took him beyond audible distance. Ski poles, I thought, they must be the trick to speed. Standing in the queue we witnessed one climber in a bright orange coat took an ice axe from his pack and attempted to make his own path. Quite why he brought such extreme equipment to an amateur’s mountain like this, I don't know. He stumbled about in deep snow for a bit, hacking at the ice like Trotsky's assassin before half walking half falling back into line, red face and hopefully embarrassed. Eventually we got passed the blockage and we didn't have to make fools of ourselves in doing so. The end was now in sight; we marched the last few sections and arrived.

For that brief moment we were the highest band of miscreants in all of Wales. We celebrated with the usual photos, some scotch which went some way to warm us up and the remains of our lunch. Mr Ski-Poles had been right, it was bitterly cold and we were soon on our way back into the shelter of the ridge for our descent.

Plaque at the summit

The idea of achieving the highest spot in a region and getting the top is as old as history, but taking a step back from the activity it is a bizarre concept. Perhaps human evolutionary progress means that for the lucky minority in the first world, survival is no longer a challenge so we seek to compete with nature in other ways. The idea of a chimpanzee climbing the highest tree in the jungle for no other reason than self-satisfaction and to be able to tell his pals is ridiculous - but it's not far removed from what the entire weekend had been planned around. That and an enormous (hopefully) dinner at the pub followed by lashings of locally brewed ale (and J2O for Marcos).

The descent was uneventful, and was taken at less of a charge. We stopped at a lake for Luke to take some stunning photographs and Ryan to prove himself as the worst skimmer of stones in the history of opposable thumbs. While Adam, Marcos and Randall boasted records in excess of 15 bounces Ryan managed 3, on one occasion.

The descent

Our return route was the Miner's Trail; the path winding gently through the valley vindicated our decision to ascend via the more challenging Pyg Track. We stepped back into basecamp after four or five hours walking and talking; a successful trek into the clouds. (Hugh - Rambler)

Snowdonia National Park
All photos provided courtesy of Luke Doyle