The three peaks usually refer to Scafell Pike*, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) and of course Ben Nevis.
Hence the three peaks challenge.
1 Like
Hi Ed
I admire anyone who does 1 let alone 5 in one day but I regularly worked people who do it.
The ā3 peaks challengeā (nothing to actually do with SOTA) is to climb the highest peak in England, Scotland and wales in a 24 hour period. It is a very challenging exercise although many do it every year.
I am not aware of anyone doing the challenge and activating for SOTA purposes at the same time.
73
Dave
(M6RUG)
There is another well-known ā3 Peaks Challengeā - and that is the Yorkshire 3 Peaks of Ingleborough G/NP-005, Pen-y-ghent G/NP-010 and Whernside G/NP-004. The cafe in Horton-in-Ribblesdale checks you out in the morning, then checks you back in again when youāve finished and adds you to the honour roll. I know that John G4YSS once did these as a single walk in one day - including SOTA activations on each - possibly more than once.
Jimmy and I did them a few years ago - but drove between the parking spots - and did it over two days - so it probably didnāt count 
I dislike the whole concept of the better known 3 Peaks Challenge of Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, as it demands the participants to maintain a sufficiently high average speed on the roads between the walks - something which I think is somewhere on the continuum between āirresponsibleā and āstupidā. Adding activations into the mix as well while retaining the 24 hour limit leaves me cold.
There is another version as well. This uses yachts as the transport between the peaks; so combining the skills of sailing and running. It starts at Barmouth and is obviously a team event rather than an individual challenge. It is run as a race so attempting a SOTA qualification on each summit would tend to render the team uncompetitive!
1 Like
Hi Gerald, when chatting about this with Shirley years ago, I mentioned that I might join in, but miss out Crib Goch. Shirley replied that my idea was not possible as Crib Goch summit itself was one of the Welsh 3000s.
Iāve done it several times with the radio. I lead a group over the Three Peaks of Yorkshire each year, raising money for charity along the way. 4th of June this year hopefully.
Agreed! It also brings all sorts of other environmental challenges too. Very often Scafell Pike is done in the dark and it causes a real nuisance to the residents in the Wasdale area with minibuses and people making noise at night. I have done it a while back, but never again.
Ah yes if you want to do the 14 or 15 āWelsh 3000āsā then Crib Goch is definitely in.
I am sorry I was referring to the the idea of the āWelsh 3000 SOTAā summits, which is "just"
Carnedd Llewelyn
Tryfan
Glyder Fawr
Y Garn
Elidir Fawr
Snowdon
My favourite three peaks challenge is Cloud, Gun and Shining Tor. Makes a nice day out. Could be done on foot in a day too.
1 Like
Iām planning on doing it on foot as a circular walk from my home QTH in the summer. Not in a day though - will take my backpacking tent.
1 Like
Going back to the original subject, couldnāt resist pointing out that you missed by activation of 11/9/10. Two successes doesnāt tell the full story in that Iāve failed this set of four several times.
My chosen route is to start from the youth hostel at Idwal (fine place to stay, say hello to Saskia and Jeroen if you go there, they think Iām the only person who does SOTA). Go north along the old A5 and pick up the path round the back of the white cottage which takes you up the mushroom garden (havenāt seen any mushrooms there). This brings you out between Y Garn and Elidir Fawr. I do Elidir Fawr first then Y Garn. I did once try Y Garn first then contouring around it on the wayback but the boulder field on Y Garn is quite unpleasant. After Y Garn comes the slog up Glyder Fawr. You now have a good go/no-go decision point. I have turned back from here when there clearly wasnāt time for Tryfan and returned down the Devils Kitchen to my start point. If continuing, then comes the bit I always struggle with, Castell Y Gwynt. The best way is to take it head-on and not be tempted to take what looks like a good path but takes you too low. Iāve descended down the gully to Tryfan or taken the long route around the minerās track. Getting to the col at the base of the south peak gives another go/no-go point. Itās a long day! 34 points well earned. I doubt if it could be done in the winter for the bonus, at least not by me. Iāll be in north Wales at the end of May so might have another go at it.
Have a safe trip
Mick M0XMC
Hi,
Alerts are now posted for this GW SOTA trip coming up and our summits plan are also below as well. These are all subject to change. Times are in UTC.
Sunday 7th August
Carnedd Llewelyn GW/NW-002 13:00
Monday 8th August
Tryfan GW/NW-006 08:00
Glyder Fawr GW/NW-003 10:30
Y Garn GW/NW-004 13:00
Elidir Fawr GW/NW-005 15:30
Tuesday 9th August
Moelwyn Mawr GW/NW-016 10:00
Mynydd Mawr GW/NW-026 14:30
Mynydd Bodafon GW/NW-071 19:00
Wednesday 10th August
Moel Hebog GW/NW-014 10:30
Moel-ddu GW/NW-045 15:00
Thursday 11th August
Trum y Ddysgl GW/NW-024 10:30
Craig Cwm Silyn GW/NW-020 15:00
Friday 12th August
Moel Eilio GW/NW-022 11:00
Moel Cynghorion GW/NW-030 14:00
Snowdon GW/NW-001 17:00
Jimmy M0HGY
I feel absolutely worn out just reading that 
No doubt the Snowdonia weather will come to my rescue and give me a couple of days off 
1 Like
Do you mean Yorkshire 3 Peaks or England, Scotland and Wales 3 peaks challenge Dave?
73 Phil
Thatās a fair day out! The middle leg of the Welsh 3000ās!
Interesting combination, both need some careful route finding, particularly Moelwyn Mawr. Maybe you are planning to do Moelwyn Mawr from Croesor to reduce the driving?
I usually add in GW/NW-013, Pen Llithrig y Wrach as well. Although itās a bit steep down off Pen y Helgi Du and a small scramble up Craig Yr Isfa on the way to Carnedd Llewelyn.
Hi Gerald,
We are planning to ascend Moelwyn Mawr GW/NW-016 just south east of Croesor and Mynydd Mawr GW/NW-026 we are planning drive up most of the quarry track from Y Fron until is it no longer possible to drive on and then walk the rest of the way to the summit.
We are planning to walk up Carnedd Llewelyn GW/NW-002 from a dead end road just north of Llyn Eigiau Reservoir or from Idwal Cottage Youth Hostel. Both these routes do not go near Pen Llithrig y Wrach GW/NW-013 and we are not planning to walk any of the ridge between these 2 summits. We are planning to do this activation on Sunday 7th August and you mentioned is the day that you would like to join us, would you like to join us for this activation?
We are looking forward to doing the middle leg of the Welsh 3000ās
Jimmy M0HGY
1 Like
Hi Jimmy.
An alternative you might like to consider is a shift one summit southwards:
Park at Rhyd Ddu WHR station. Take my easy route up Yr Aran GW/NW-019. Descend the steep way to Bwlch y LLan and straight up to GW/NW-001. Continue to GW/NW-030. If you are early enough you can then descend back onto the Snowdon Ranger path, coming down by the zig-zags to Snowdon Ranger. The last train south is at 16:30 (local) or bus at 17:45. The train will have Mws Piws or some other local beer. The bus will not. If out of time descend directly to Rhyd Ddu - but itās a bit squishy over the last bit.
Iād like to do the ridge to Moel Eilio too, but the starting point is not conducive for a circular route like this, so it helps if someone can drop you off.
Hi Simon,
Thank you for letting me know this. However our main priority that day will be Moel Eilio GW/NW-022 and then Moel Cynghorion GW/NW-030. It is not definite that we will continue to Snowdon GW/NW-001 after, we will make our decision on this once we have got back onto the Snow Ranger Path after our our activation of Moel Cynghorion GW/NW-030. We are only planning to activate Snowdon GW/NW-001 after these 2 as it looks very tempting to continue up the Snowdon Ranger Path up to the summit of Snowdon GW/NW-001. We have no intention of activating Y Aran GW/NW-019 on this trip.
Jimmy M0HGY
Really wish I could join you on one of those trips but unfortunately Iāll be at a family wedding in Northamptonshire on the 6th and back in work for the rest of the week. But have a good trip and enjoy!
73
Roger MW0IDX
Good luck on the 8th!
Are you staying at Idwal YH? If so, can you own up to Saskia and Jeroen as to SOTA as they think Iām the only person stupid enough to carry my radio up there.
Iāve pencilled in the four summit walk for 21st May but fitness (or lack of it) may defeat me
Mick M0XMC
Hi Mick,
Yes, we are staying Idwal Youth Hostel.
Jimmy M0HGY