Three Peaks Challenge

[kneeshooter]

Right, I've had just about enough of moping, and have decided to eat some lunch and make an unrealistic commitment, but to make it in public, get some support and as a result hope to embarrass myself into actually going through with it.

Ok - here goes...

Next year, I'd like to do the Three Peaks Challenge, and I'd love some of you fine LJ people to come with me. According to "da Interweb" it's best attempted between July and September (due to bad weather at Ben Nevis) so I guess we're looking at next summer.

And look - an 8 year old girl can do it - surely a group of strapping goths and larpers can do it!! No excuses. If you can't walk - be part of the support crew.

So - commit now!!!!

**EDIT** An amusing tale which could probably be subtitled "Three Academics go up the Mountain" doing the 40km Yorkshire Three Peaks can be found here

Comments

[boglin.livejournal.com]

You're a bloody lunatic man. Count me in.

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

I may well be up for that - I've been up Snowdon before - it largely depends how much time you get to recover inbetween climbs.

[kneeshooter]

None! Well, maybe a bit. I'm tempted to try and do it in the 24 hours. That'll mean sleeping in the car, and having people who've bravely volunteered to do the driving while the walkers snore. It's more the principle that I'm touting at the moment.

It'll take a lot of coming together - but I think it can be done - a real team enterprise and a sense of achievement WHEN we finish it.

And remember I'm not talking about doing it tomorrow, but next year after a chance to get fitness levels up etc.

ashenkat has suggested a trial run on the Yorkshire Peaks which sounds like a good idea.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Yorkshire Peaks

Is that Ingleborough, Wernside and Pen-y-ghent ?

If not, that would also be a good practice run...

(Irelevantly, I'm not sure I'm down with this greyscale-instead-of-indenting to show who's replied to whom. I'm getting confused :)

[kneeshooter]

Is that Ingleborough, Wernside and Pen-y-ghent ?

Yes - looks pretty straightforward.

I'm not sure I'm down with this greyscale-instead-of-indenting to show who's replied to whom

Agreed. It's the only thing I don't like about this style/scheme.

[venta.livejournal.com]

<raises hand tentatively>

Not done any hillwalking in ages. Would like to again.

[kneeshooter]

*raises eyebrow* You're not an "experienced professional" are you?

It flies in the face of nature

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

If you were meant to walk there, it would a) be flat and b) have a road on it.

Re: It flies in the face of nature

[kneeshooter]

Actually I had already envisaged you and pax_draconis being part of the "reserve support team" (i.e. laughing at us as we pass webcams en-route).

[sheepthief.livejournal.com]

Yes, well, I can well remember having a *lot* more energy when I was eight years old than I now have.

But, pencil me in.

[dreamfire.livejournal.com]

provisionally maybe if I can get over da fear and all my grumbles about them being dull mountains cos they're so popular...

[quondam.livejournal.com]

One of my minions did it this year. He just made it in the 24 hours! Worth doing, I'd be up for it.

Quick, use marathon picture, makes me look fit :)

[grendelchild.livejournal.com]

I think the term is "mad in the head"

Still, we did hill walking at school, I even have a couple of awards gathering dust somewhere.

I *may* be there... :p

[sixtine.livejournal.com]

You did hill walking at school? Can you get a GCSE in that? Blimey. I had to do maths and english and academic stuff.

[grendelchild.livejournal.com]

It wasn't a gcse, part of our games program along with rugby, hockey and cricket.

It tagged into the Duke of Edinburgh awards if my memory is still working right.

I still remember going camping around mam tor when I were a lad. Water pistol secetly hidden in my back pack. That night we engaged in war games with the other classes that were on the trip with us. I recall poor old Andy hiding behind a dead sheep and not realsing until it was *far* too late. The farmer with his rock salt loaded Shot gun and othersuch niceties...

Oh the memories *sniff*

[pax-draconis.livejournal.com]

I was captain of my school hockey team.

*reminisces*

aah, the sweet *-crack-* of willow on anklebone.

[grendelchild.livejournal.com]

I seem to recall getting whacked on the head quite a bit: someone would go for a huge whack and smack me upside the head on the follow through.

[ikkleblacktruck.livejournal.com]

Is it rideable?

PS. I hate your grey font, it's hard on the eyes.

[uberredfraggle.livejournal.com]

put me down for support team, there is no way my knees could cope with the real thing.

No.

[pax-draconis.livejournal.com]

No, no, no, no, no. No. And once again, no.

You may be trying to fool everyone else into mad acts of oxygen-deprivation that will leave half the Midlands LRPing community rolling around on the verge of the road like beached jellyfish frantically gasping for oxygen and waving their legs feebly in the air, but I'm not buying it, no I am not.

I am Unhealthy with a capital X.

Should I have a vehicle of sufficient swishness by then, I may take it upon myself to drive slowly alongside you for stretches of it, then zoom off to the next pub on the route for a fine ploughman's lunch smothered in high-carb, high-fat sweetened lard washed down with a half of stout before waddling back to the car and catching up with you. If you are prepared to define this as "support crew" then I think I can oblige you.

Really, this suicidal bent has to stop. First cycling in Birmingham traffic, now this... next you'll be trying to crack oak boards with your head or something.

Re: No.

[kneeshooter]

I was hoping you might drive the minibus, cackle loudly while shuttling us between peaks then either snooze or line up the glasses at the local hostelry while we get cold and wet.

Perhaps at the start of each pint (of Coca Cola obviously) you would raise it to the window, contort you mouth into a wry grin and chuckle at our combined idiocy.

Re: No.

[sixtine.livejournal.com]

The 3 Peaks in Yorkshire isn't that bad. I've done it a couple of times. You don't have to be very fit, just have some reserves of stamina.

Re: No.

[grendelchild.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...

I prefer Ian's idea. :)

[mrssshhh.livejournal.com]

Well, when I was a much younger and fitter Scout, I walked both the Three Peaks (the proper ones, in Yorkshire) and the Snowdon Horseshoe within a few months of each other.

My Scout group was essentially just training for the eventual apocalypse, I've realised. All hiking, bivouac-ing, archery, self defence and of course the ever popular "how to live off canned goods and water alone." Try it for a month. We had to.

[maleficent.livejournal.com]

I shall be sure to think of you all from the comfort of the pub. Nutters.

Hmmm

[winterdrake.livejournal.com]

I'm with Ian. Put me down for driving if you need to.

[r0wan.livejournal.com]

count me in :)

Count me in

[barrettyman.livejournal.com]

However we need to do a few training runs . I would recommend we go up either Scafel or Snowdon a couple of times before attempting all three.