358 Sqn Tackles Three Peaks Challenge
Over the Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend 3 staff and 11 cadets from 358 (Welling) Sqn set off to tackle the “3 Peaks - 24hr Challenge”, climbing highest peaks in Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Scafell Pike) & Wales (Snowdon) in 24hrs.
The trip was both a training exercise and fundraiser in the form of sponsored walk towards the Sqn expedition planned for South Africa in Oct 2008.
Assisted by volunteer driver WO, ATC Cheetham from 1579 (Erith) Sqn the team drove to Scotland overnight giving time for a bit of rest in Fort William before tackling the first peak, Ben Nevis.
Leaving at 1600hrs the team made good progress to the summit arriving to find it still snow-capped with clear blue skies. The descent as it started to get dark afforded us an amazing sunset before leaving to drive through the night to the Lake District.
Scafell Pike was a slightly more interesting proposition, although still dry the winds had picked up and by the summit we found ourselves fighting 30mph winds gusting to 40mph. The wind was strength sapping, and on the way down, some team members started to really feel the fatigue.
The drive to Wales was very interesting, with the Sat Nav directing us over two passes, one of which, Hard Knott Pass, is officially the steepest main road in England. The result was the bus couldn’t make it up fully laden and the team had to get out and walk, whilst the bus limped over. These passes not only meant an extra 300m of climbing adding to the fatigue, but also cost us best part of an hour and now the team was well behind schedule.
By the time the team arrived at Snowdon very little time was left, so with some team members suffering fatigue, others with twisted knees and ankles it was decided to send a fit group of 8 (plus Jake the Dog) up fast to try to complete the task. Good progress was made until the col when even stronger winds and rain hit the team, and at the summit the team had to crawl out of the wind to get to the Trig Point. Almost running down and light fading the team got back to Pen y pass in just over 3hrs, 2 hrs less than the route card.
The event served as a good assessment of where everyone was at fitness wise and raised some £1800 towards the expedition into the bargain. Particular thanks to WO, ATC Cheetham for his efforts driving as it would not have been possible without him.