Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge

[SunshineOutdoors]

Has anyone done this? I’m due to in less than a month and getting nervous. I used to walk a lot but young children have made that a lot less. I don’t have time for lots of practice hikes although will be doing a ten miler a couple of weeks beforehand. I’m currently doing the 30 day shred dvd (have only done two days so far) in the hope that it will build up my fitness and strengthen my leg muscles. Will I be okay? Any tips?

Oops I meant to say thank you in advance and please too.

Oh and I live in York where it’s difficult to get to any hills without a bit of a drive. Will lots of stair climbing help?

I don’t have any practical advice but I’m really interested - can you tell me more? How long do you need to walk and what peaks? Is it one where you have to fit into 24 hours?

I tried to do it once and failed! I was really unfit though and had done zero prep.

Pen-y-ghent is a bit of a scramble but quick really so not bad. But then there is a long walk, quite boring, between there and the second one (Whernside?) which basically did me in. Plus the walk up whernside is long and more gradual so it just felt like going up and up forever!

There is a really nice pub under the ribblehead viaduct if you can set off early enough that you'd have time it would be a good stop.

Hello! It’s 20 something miles and you climb Whernside, Pen-Y-Ghent and Ingleborough, and walk between them so it’s all one route. Challenge is to do it in under 12 hours. I did climb Snowdon last summer and found it ok so I hope I’ll be alright with this...

Oh no! I don’t want to fail! Doing it with work to raise money for a really good cause. So it’s all a bit publicised which is making me nervous!

I've done it a couple of times (last time was last year). It is great fun. Are you starting in Horton in Ribblesdale? Just be aware you get up pen-y-ghent really quickly and can get lulled into a false sense of security as there is then a bit of a walk to whernside so you don't summit number 2 until several hours later. As well as picnic, take cash as there is a very welcome burger van (also does hot drinks) and cafe, where you can refill water bottle, en route. There's quite a chunky walk from Ingleborough back to Horton in Ribblesdale at the end so don't think, when you get down from final mountain, that you've done it as there is still about 4 miles to go :). Take it slowly and enjoy - you are doing it on one of the longest days. Pack waterproofs and compede!

That sounds amazing but definitely harder than Snowdon. Could you raise your general fitness by running every evening or something? If you just walk round the streets it probably wouldn’t be arduous enough but maybe if you jogged it might be closer to the exertion level of climbing? (Probably harder?) Are the people you’re going with very fit?

I failed the first time (we really shouldn't have gone to the pub quite so enthusiastically the night before) but completed it the second, unfortunately in 12 and a half hours so I didn't get the thingy award doodad. But I'm a notoriously slow walker.

Muscle memory, stamina, mental attitude, weather, company and feeding yourself right will all contribute to your ability to do it too. If you’ve done a lot of hillwalking in the past, you should have the first three covered. Keep up the shredding and pray for good weather! I used to run up stairs 100 times with a really heavy rucksack when I was training for long walks in the hills!

Thank you, this is all great advice. I think I’ve got time to get a bit fitter, so will get started

I have done it a few times.

You do Pen y Ghent straight away and then feel you've ticked one off which you have, but the walk between that and Whernside is really, really long so be warned.

I did it. I did lots of training though,with fast walks in the week, and a longer walk at the weekend. Bloody loved it. Could barely walk the following day though. I want to do it again one day but I'm not fit enough at the moment.