Ban Three Peaks Runners

[AllanT]

Well what I meant was that they are walking as opposed to running. Agree with you though, most don't walk that much - hence why walking up 3 hills seems like an enormous challenge to them!!!...

[bill]

Not too impressed myself with a "challenge" where driving seems to be a critical factor. Have had a quick dip into a couple of relevant forums (it's a different, slightly scary world, one where a new, lower speed limit on minibuses gets a mention).

Came across a link which the underlines scale of it all, in case you've not been in Wasdale Head on a Saturday evening...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/6747521.stm

[Margarine]

Just twigged: there were a lot of walkers at Brackenclose las t Saturday morning (4 am), I thought they were a bit keen, but must have been 3 peakers. Some of them were obviously members of guided parties judging by the logos on the kit bags.



Hmmm... wonder if there's an opening in the market for guided BGs?

[FellShoeShuffler]

Hmmm... wonder if there's an opening in the market for guided BGs?

Not until you have sorted getting the minibuses through the Back O'Skiddaw

[marshalini]

I was invited along by a friend to do the 3 peaks the weekend just gone and although not something I ever fancied I thought why not, since it was all organised(?) and all I had to do was show up.
I was shocked that they all spent the night before getting pi55ed, but all the talk beforehand was of how serious they were and how they were going to do it in 21 hours. In the end they had 20 minutes to spare.

[Leeds Rhino]

Hooray ! my letter of reply is in today's YEP ( well most of it, they omitted the bit where I told him what to go do with himself )

[AllanT]

Just been marshalling on the 6 peaks today, there were some proper babes on it, so maybe not everything is bad about the event!!

[IanDarkpeak]

During the climb of the Ben in the 2005 3pks YR there was a major event on called the 5 peaks Callenge. They had marshalls situated every 500m up the hill and had contact with base via radio. Every time a group past them they appeared to radio base to let them know where they were. We reckoned there must have been hundreds (it felt like a thousand)of walkers!!!

[dominion]

The biggest issue that I can see with the National 3 Peaks is that the main challenge seems to be down to how fast you can drive up/down the country. That's not really a challenge to be proud of acheiving is it?

[AllanT]

when ever group of people orgainse somthing another group of people will be apposed to it .
for the love of pete why can we in this country not appauled peoples attempts to achieve something instead of finding a reason for not letting them do it.
before you reply what about the enviorment and safety issues all this is taken into account i am sure by our nanny state .
i for one think people in glass houses should not throw stones, i know its not nice seeeing coaches strunned all over the place at the bottom of our national 3 peaks it looks horrible .BUTthe people out walking when are doing fell races probaly look down in the valleys and think look at all them cars in the middle of a lovely valley

Actually the main issue is with nights and nights of disruption to the sleep patterns of residents - who have to put up with car doors slamming, loud shouts from teams, beeping of car horns - and not just on one or two nights a year, but through most of the summer.

Then there's the environmental damages - with people driving cars up through the country, impact on the fells of mass participation events causing erosion.

Then there's the issue of the participants themselves - many who can't handle themselves on the fells, are underprepared and who place an extra strain upon the mountain rescue services, leave rubbish on the side of the fells, and also who place more of a strain upon the local infrastructure - such as sewage disposal, etc.

Most importantly the events do not really benefit the local economy either - so the locals have to put up with all that inconvenience with little gain for themselves.

Then you have to ask, is a 'challenge' which mainly consists of driving from one end of the country to the other at high speeds, and walking up from the nearest point really that much of an achievement???.....