Jun 23 |
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The Three Peaks Challenge, reaching the highest summits of Scotland, England and Wales (Ben Nevis, Scafell and Snowdon respectively) within 24 hours is a poplar objective for many walkers.
With this much walking to do, the longest days of the year around mid-June are perhaps the busiest challenge days. Consequently the weekend just past was possibly the busiest. When we arrived in Wasdale there were already a dozen or so mini-buses in the valley, and all weekend - despite the miserable weather - challengers marched past Brackenclose on their way to the summit of Scafell. Some were wearing just trainers and cotton gym tracksuits in the driving rain. How dangerous is that? Maybe this is okay for a fine summer day, but with nil visibility and wind strong enough in the valley to rip branches from mature oak trees (see video here - therefore certainly much strong on the top) it has to be foolhardy, doesn’t it?!
Why do the challengers come?!
Well, aside from the obvious physical challenge, taking a look at the Red Cross web site suggests it is to raise funds for their charity - and boy they must be raking it in - £250 to take part, plus a minimum sponsorship pledge of £2,750! A nice little earner for the charities. 
Plus there’s all the money spent on equipment, food and of course not an insignificant amount of petrol/diesel to ferry all those people half the length of Britain. How much of this money goes into the local economies of Fort William, Lake District or Snowdonia? None! 
These people -
- Often buy all their supplies (food and equipment) back in their base areas,
- Burn 100s of litres of expensive carbon fuels,
- Erode footpaths,
- Don’t linger even an extra second to notice the beauty of their surroundings,
- Block up tiny country lanes with dozens of waiting mini-buses, and
- Perhaps worst (?), leave rubbish all over the hills in their wake!
I bet they even think their green credentials are intact thanks to the charitable contributions!
This one was at the summit cairn, others were simply discarded on the grass to side of the footpath.
In the mountain environment banana skins take years to biodegrade! Thanks to the combined effects of desiccation in baking sunlight on fine days and freezer-like conditions in winter these skins will fester on for years to come. Not nice!
Sure, it’s a free country and everyone is free to accept a challenge and enjoy the mountains - I, and my friends, get out in the mountains and challenge ourselves every day we can. But… We linger in the mountains and enjoy their beauty. Sure, we use quite a bit of diesel/petrol driving to Wales etc. too, but we go for the whole weekend or longer to savour these places. We support the local economies whenever we can by buying a cup of tea, cake, meal, pint, equipment, etc. from local businesses and shops. And as for the worst (?) offence of these visitors - litter? We NEVER EVER leave any litter what-so-ever!
Come on guys, if you can’t do the green version, the Sailing Three Peaks Challenge and spend your food budget locally, at least make sure you contribute a bit to the BMC Access Fund (to help maintain footpaths) and most of all take your litter home! Easy.
Short of that - don’t come - we won’t miss you or your litter! 
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Entry for Monday, 23rd June 2008 by 
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6 Responses to “Three Peaks Challenge”
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Monday, June 23rd, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Yeah, fully concur your sentiment
Don’t have a photo, and probably just as well, but one guy with a big sack stopped by one of the Brackenclose trees for a pee - not behind the tree (probably acceptable) but IN FRONT OF IT
in other words, in full view of the hut 
Monday, June 23rd, 2008 at 8:52 pm
You’re right Pete, next year lets set up a machine gun position to make the ascent of Scafell even more hazardous.
Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I completely agree with your views too. I must confess I hadn’t realised banana skins take so long to biodegrade at altitude. I have been guilty of discarding the odd one or two in the past thinking it wouldn’t do any harm & maybe give a bug or two a snack. Certainly 00’s of people doing the same thing is totally unacceptable. Lingering longer to take in the view is probably the furthest thing from their minds too - just keeping putting one foot in front of the other is an achievement. One hopes that they will return in more leisurely circumstances and maybe pick up some litter to take home.
Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
I will add my two pennorth to all the above: I agree as well!
Saturday, July 12th, 2008 at 12:57 am
I do disagree to an extent, hence the website… You certainly can’t group all these Three Peaks Challengers in a single, disruptive, wasteful group. I’ve been with a number of groups who wouldn’t dream of leaving rubbish - I would also argue that just the same percentage of casual weekend walkers and Three Peakers would litter.
You are certainly right however that the challenge obviously involves using a great deal of fuel to move each challenge team all over the country. The purer Three Peaks by yacht will hopefully be gradually seen as the more appropriate version, by those who wish to push themselves even further…
There is an over crowding problem though. It’s not very relaxing or enjoyable having to queue to reach the Snowdon peak.
Saturday, July 12th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Thanks for the comment Nick - and glad to see that you agree with some, if not all, of my points. As you point out, there will always be exceptions; for example, some weekend walkers who litter, or some three peak challengers who go so far as to tidy up other people’s litter. But as a whole I think most three peak challengers are new comers to the hills who don’t understand the environment and treat it with the same lack of thought as they might the high street out for a Saturday night’s entertainment, i.e. they see the hills as another form of amusement, not a sensitive and fragile landscape…
By-the-way, yes, the challenge by yacht does seem like a good way to go! I might even be interested in that myself!