3 Peaks with Caer Urfa Coffee (pre the walk)

3 Peaks with Caer Urfa Coffee (pre the walk)

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David from the Caer Urfa Coffee Company was interested in doing the Three Peaks, Ben Nevis, Scarfell Pike and Snowdon.  He had asked me to organise this for him and I came up with a number of possible itinaries.

Plan One.  Due to the distances to travel I suggested we could meet at a place near the M6.  I know a place near Parbold just a few mile off the M6 and we could stop at the Red Lion Hotel.  Parbold is about 4 hours from my home, and according to google maps about 4.30 hours from David's so relatively central for a place to meet and to two of the peaks.  We could meet there and leave one of the cars.  

So plan one would be meet at Parbold for 1st evening.
Day 1 travel after breakfast to Glen Nevis approx 6 hours.  Up and Down Ben Nevis 6 hours, stay at Glen Nevis Campsite. There is a restaurant near the campsite for food there.

Day 2 travel after breakfast (Morrisons or Fort William Rail station) to Wasdale Head approx 5 hours 40 mins, up and down Scarfell Pike 4.15 hours drive back to Parbold approx 2 hours. Evening meal back at Red Lion Hotel.

Day 3 travel after breakfast to Snowdon approx 2 hours, up and down Snowden 3 hours 45 mins. Return to Parbold, or home.  If staying at Parbold travel home the next day.  

Plan Two.  Meet at our house leave David's car there.

Day 1 travel to Ben Nevis at Glen Nevis Campsite.

Day 2 Up and Down Ben Nevis 6 hours. Travel to Seathwaite 5.15 hours,  (Depending on time up and down Scarfell Pike 4.15 hours,) camp Seathwaite.

Day 3  Up and down Scarfell Pike if not climbed day 2, 4.15 hours. Travel to Snowdon 4 hours. Up and down Snowdon 3.45 hours. Stay near Snowdon and relax and travel home the next day.

We would not be going into the walk to do the challenge which is to do the 3 Peaks within 24 hours, the objective would be to just do the distance in our own time.  Mainly because not only was I doing the walking I would also be doing all of the driving.  Anyway the actual walk turned out to be a lot different but part of the planning was to be flexible. 

Friday 16th September 2011

Finally the weekend we had planned to do the Three Peaks had arrived and David came up to our house.  Unfortunately Susan could not get up so it was just Anne, David and me.

David and I packed the car with all of our kit and set off to collect Anne from work.  Once Anne was in the car we set off towards Fort William.  I had hoped to reach Fort William so we could set up the tent at the Glen Nevis Campsite.   Due to traffic and starting late I realised we would not reach Fort William that night as planned.  I therefore made the suggestion that we stop at Callender and get something to eat, and then think about somewhere where we could pitch the tent.

The weather was good when we started but as we travelled further North it started to rain.  It seamed to ease a little when we reached Callender.  In Callender we fortunately found a pub that was still serving food and ordered a meal each.

After our meal, I knew where there was a wild camp site near Inversnaid.  A place I had previously camped at when I did the West Highland Way.  After passing the Bridge of Orchy and travelling along the local road I had the cars headlights set at low, then turning them up suddenly, trying to catch sight of some of the local wildlife.  We saw a fox and a young deer in the lights, neither appeared concerned and our presence and just continued on their way.  It was raining heavy again when we reached the camp site and dark, so with car headlight shinning on our pitch we put up the tent.  I remembered that the local Inversnaid Hotel had a bar so after the tent was up I suggested we walk down and see about getting a drink.  Unfortunately it was closed, but fortunately I had brought some cans.

After a couple of cans we tucked ourselves up for the night.  During the night with all the rain I had found that we had pitched our tent on what had turned into a stream.  The roof of the tent had dropped and was also filling up with water and a gale was blowing on David through a gap in the side of the tent.  It was a soggy start to our 3 Peaks adventure.

Follow link to actual Day 1 Ben Nevis
Follow link to actual Day 2 Scarfell Pike
Follow link to actual Day 3 Snowdon

Follow link to the time I did do the National 3 Peaks Challenge

More to follow

Boz North 
(If you want information on The Caer Urfa Coffee Company go to their official website under Caer Urfa Coffee Company)