The Made Simple Group – Well done three peak challengers!

What had preceded were some of the best days of our lives and although we were physically and mentally exhausted, this could never detract from how sad we were that it was all over.

Our journey had begun in the early hours of a wet Friday morning at the end of May and was to take us fifteen hundred miles around some of the most exhilarating scenery our fair isle has to offer.

We had all signed up for the Three Peaks challenge (to climb the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales in twenty four hours), a long time ago on Valentines Day and were now heading up to Fort William on a 14 hour road trip that would take us to the start of our challenge.

That evening was a pleasant affair of alcohol, Indian cuisine and some dancing followed by a five hour sleep, a fine Scottish breakfast and some shopping in the rain on Saturday morning.

The challenge proper began at 3.15pm in Glen Nevis Visitor Centre car park as my three intrepid colleagues and four new found friends from our local BNI, attempted to summit Ben Nevis. In the meantime I tidied the minibus, filled her up with diesel, took some photo’s (in between rain and hail showers) and then tried to get some sleep before they returned some seven and a half hours later.

I managed two hours of lying on my front listening to all of the comings and goings before I gave it up as a bad job, read the paper and prepped dinner for the more energetic of us.

Dinner consumed by the sodden masses and a quick tidy to boot, we were then back on the road to Scafell Pike at 11.30pm – in the pitch black and driving rain!

What should have been a five hour drive turned into a seven hour one as a combination of scary road signs, dubious Sat Nav systems and a tired driver took us over Wrynose Pass (second highest road system in the UK) and had at least one of us fearing for our lives.

Despite this the team made it for a 7.15am start for Scafell Pike with warnings from others that the summit was too dangerous to attempt.

Whilst our intrepid explorers were off I engaged myself in the usual activities of tidying, laying flat but conscious and prepping food and drink. Upon their return we were all in dire need of warm, dry clothes and hot food.

We then made the five and a half hour dash to Snowdon in slightly better weather and full of va-va voom!

Snowdon was a breeze for the climbers after the horrendous conditions they faced on Ben Nevis and Scafell, so there was little surprise when they returned jubilant just after 10.30pm on the Sunday evening, all more than ready for a pint and some of that famous Welsh Cuisine (curry).