Attentiv 24 Peak Challenge

The Event | Training Walks

Ok. So none of the many training walks that I did in preparation for the challenge were anything like what I faced during the Attentiv 24 Peak Challenge held in the Lake District, Cumbria, UK on Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th September 2005

As a member of one of the 19 teams taking part in the challenge, I climbed all 24 peaks including Red Pike, Great Gable, Scafell Pike, Bowfell, Red Screes, Fairfield, Helvellyn and Great Dodd walking a total of 31 miles and climbing a total of 13,100 feet (4 times the height of Ben Nevis) in 27 hours 39 minutes. Click here for a map.

Approximately £117,000 in sponsorship was raised for the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS), nearly £6,000 of that being generated by my team, the Attentiv Sheffield team. A very big thank you to everyone who supported us. Below I describe how the event went.

Friday

After a damp drive across from York to Windermere on the Friday afternoon, the rest of the weekend was fortunately perfect for the challenge. Temperatures ranging from 12C (54F) to 22C (72F), only early morning mist, an occasional gentle breeze and no rain at all. We couldn’t have wished for better conditions.

Arriving at the challenge start point at about 7pm on the Friday evening we found our tents had already been put up by our support crew and joined them at a local pub for our last “proper meal” before the challenge. Then it was an early night to try and get as much sleep as possible.

Saturday

Saturday morning and the sound of the challenge organisers getting ready for the start had us up and about before 4.30am. Our support team provided us with a high-energy breakfast of baked beans, sausage, porridge, bananas and warm drinks before we attended a series of briefings on kit, safety, communications, etc. Finally, at 5.50am, we set off into the darkness and the hills. The challenge had really begun.

Our head-torches soon became unnecessary as daylight dawned and we began to see some of the amazing scenery which surrounded us. As we began to climb towards Red Pike, our first peak, we saw wonderful views over Buttermere towards Crummock Water.

View over Buttermere

Fortunately, as so many teams were ahead of us, navigation wasn’t much of a problem. We could just follow the people in front. The going wasn’t too tough either as we were essentially just walking across the tops of the peaks. By 9.20am we crossed off Peak Number 3, High Crag. It was a little disconcerting that we’d been walking over 3 hours but could still see our campsite only about half a mile away in the valley below.

Green Gable & Great Gable

The trek to Peak Number 4, Green Gable was long and challenging. It took us nearly 3½ hours because of the many severe climbs and descents along the way. Our support crew couldn’t have picked a better spot to join us for lunch at the foot of Green Gable bringing with them extra water, mars bars and fruit.

Rejuvenated, we climbed Green Gable followed by Peak Number 5, Great Gable. The descent from the later was long and punishing on the knees. At Sty Head, one of our team members was concerned that he was slowing the rest of us down sufficiently that we might not make the 7pm cut-off time for reaching Esk Hause before the final two peaks of the day. He decided to join a number of other people taking an escape route off the challenge.

One man down, the team’s pace quickened as we climbed towards Peak Number 6, Lingmell. As I looked up towards the top I feared we were going to get wet as the summit was shrouded in cloud but we were spared.

Next was Scafell Pike, Peak Number 7. As we neared the summit we found ourselves just walking across massive great stones. One wrong step and a twisted ankle or worse could be expected. As we were all getting a bit tired by this point, progress was slow but we were keen to reach Peak Number 8, Great End and make the 7pm cut-off.

Early evening sun over Scafell Pike

We almost ran up and down Great End. We made Esk Hause by 6.45pm. After a brief refreshment stop, we had earned the right to continue towards the final two peaks of the day, Esk Pike and Bow Fell.

Another psychological cut-off now began to occupy our minds; sunset and walking in the dark with only our head torches to guide us. Esk Pike was ticked off in the last of the day’s light but about a third of the way down Bow Fell, heading for the finish line, darkness fell and we had to navigate the long, stony path to the finish line in pitch darkness. Looking behind us we could see little spots of light in the distance like fireflies from the torches of other teams higher up the mountain. We were welcomed back at the finish line at about 9.25pm with a round of applause and our support crew took us straight to a local pub for a well-earned beer and food.

Then we were driven to a Ambleside Youth Hostel where we got cleaned up, had a very late dinner before getting to bed just before midnight ready for the 4.15am start the next day.

Sunday

Sunday morning we were still half asleep as a full compliment of 6 team members waited in the cold, pitch black mist before being allowed to start our ascent up Peak Number 11, Red Screes at 5.25am. The path was very steep and rocky and we had to wait another 30 minutes before daylight broke. The marshals waved light sticks at us to show us the way.

The view from the top was amazing as the mist lingered in the valleys below.

Early Morning Mist in valleys

People kept telling us that if we could make it up Red Screes at the start of day two, we’d be fine. I think they were lying. Day two, whilst not expected to take as long to walk as the first day and including more peaks, had plenty of challenges for us.

It was whilst walking down from Red Screes towards Peak Number 12, Dove Crag that I began to sense trouble ahead. The return of the pain in my left knee whilst walking downhill which I first experienced in America the previous month. Ibuprofen was taken and the pain eventually eased enabling me to walk up the next 3 peaks Dove Crag, Hart Crag and Fairfield without too much of a problem.

Coming down off Fairfield was scary though. The path was very steep and was mainly loose stone of varying sizes. One wrong step and you could have easily slipped right the way to the bottom (and I don’t think you’d be in a healthy state at that point!). Some team members decided speed was best and almost ran down towards Hause Gap. Other members, myself included, used the hopefully safer, small steps technique. Fortunately everyone reached the bottom ok and at about 10am, we took the opportunity to take a little break and psyche ourselves up for the next peak.

Fairfield stoney descent

Peak Number 15, Seat Sandle lay straight ahead and we could all see that all we had to do was climb straight up it and then walk straight back down the other side. Whilst the climb was fairly steep, the hill wasn’t actually as high as others and we quickly reached the summit. The descent however took me longer because of the pain returning to my knee.

The climb up Peak Number 16, Dollywagon Pike was terrible. Very steep and never ending. It was a real test of willpower just to keep going. A number of times you just couldn’t go on and then you realised you had no other option! We eventually did all reach the top and headed for Peak Number 17, Nethermost Pike.

As usual, my ascent of the peak didn’t present too many problems but my descent was again slow. It was about 1pm when we reached Peak Number 18, Helvellyn and were joined by a number of Attentiv directors who had come along to spur us on.

Attentiv directors join us

After a number of publicity photos, they walked with us to peak number 19, Lower Man before leaving us as we walked towards Peak Number 20, Whiteside.

Whiteside accomplished, my knee now began to trouble me whilst ascending as well as when descending. Whilst climbing Peak Number 21, Raise, I had to stop and take a rest mid-way up in the hope that more ibuprofen, more energy drink and more food was my best hope of being able to continue. I made it to the top but then requested to use some walking poles to help me get to the finish line which was still about 5 miles away.

The last three peaks, Stybarrow Dodd, Watson Dodd and Great Dodd should not have been particularly challenging but for me I couldn’t wait to cross them off and reach that finish line. Our support team joined us at Great Dodd with more refreshments and we all walked the 2½ mile gentle descent across boggy moor land to cross the finish line at 5.30pm.

At the finish line,
from left to right, Helen (support), Mark, Gerry (support), Wendy (support), Dave, Patrick, me, Jim & John.

Click here to view my 24 Peak photo album.