Team Tempest Tackle the Three Peaks Challenge
“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves." - Sir Edmund Hillary
The winds of adventure blew through Tempest Photography towards the tail end of May, as 17 intrepid members of the team tackled the monumental Three Peaks Challenge in aid of Bowel Cancer UK and the NSPCC.
What is the National Three Peaks Challenge?
The Three Peaks is the very definition of a challenge. Those brave few will find themselves tasked with scaling the three highest peaks of Scotland, England, and Wales within a 24-hour window. The mountains in question are Snowdon, Scafell Pike, and Ben Nevis.
The adventure is part mountain climbing, part road trip, and all-encompassing exhaustion. With a total walking distance of 23 miles, an ascent of 10,052ft, and 462 miles by road, the Three Peaks is not for the faint hearted. Throw in the classic mood swings of the British weather and its frequently unfriendly driving experiences, and the whole thing takes on a face even more trepidatious than those of the mountains waiting to be conquered.
So…How did it go?
The Tempest crew arrived at Arrochar in Scotland at 10.30pm on Friday, May 24th, after a 10-hour journey from Rugby.
Come Saturday morning the challenge was on! They left the hotel at 6.30am and drove for 2-hours to Ben Nevis in lovely spring weather. The omens seemed good, the mood upbeat, and the spirit of adventure ripe for the picking.
The challenge officially started at 8.40am as the team put their best feet forward onto the face of Ben Nevis, the highest peak of the 3 at an impressive 4413ft.
The climbers were blessed with clear blue skies and fantastic views almost all the way to the top of the mountain. Only the final 200m were shrouded in cloud. Despite the weather playing nicely, the first climb proved tough going as the reality of what this challenge involved started to bloom. The times for completion of peak one ranged from 3h 25 to 6 hours.
With Ben Nevis conquered, the crew faced a 7-hour drive to Scafell Pike! By the time they arrived, the light was fading fast but the climb ahead of them remained as large as life.
Using headlamps to guide their way the team prepared to climb and descend in total darkness. It proved tricky going to say the least, but if the lamps picked out the route, nothing shone as bright as the resilience of the climbers as they chalked off another mountain and hit the road to Snowdon at 1:30am.
By the time the team arrived at Snowdon, it was 7:30am and the rain was driving hard.
The mountain offered no respite with its steep, technical ascent, made all the more difficult by the constant deluge from a blanket of dark cloud overhead. The buoyant early atmosphere had made way for gritted teeth and a will to complete the challenge set. And complete it they did. The final time was a couple of hours over the 24, but the euphoria of achievement under testing conditions made every gruelling step a worthwhile one.
Hats off and utter respect to all who took on this incredible challenge, some heroes aren’t born, they are created on the sides of mountains!
The final word here should really go to challenge organiser, Jason Gibson:
“Everyone did amazing! This was tough and not something I would attempt again, but in true Tempest style all sorts of people stepped forward and stepped up.
“90000 steps, 26 miles walked, 2 hours sleep, and legs that are now completely shot.
“Would I do it again – no.
“Will I come up with another Challenge for next year – yes!”
The donation avenues for both charities are still open, so please, if you can, donate as much or as little as possible to two great causes and 17 intrepid adventurers!
