The Two 3's - The National and The Yorkshire 3 Peaks   UK Ultras

The challenge of climbing the highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales has inspired walkers and runners for decades including the likes of Eric Beard (who ran the whole way in 10 days 12 hour and 15 minutes in May 1969) and Joss Naylor who completed the three tops in 11 hour 54 minutes. However, it has not been without controversy.  During the 1960's and 1970's a series of motorised record attempts, where fast driving as much as athletic ability could determine the outcome, attracted widespread criticism.  More recently its popularity as a charity walk has caused problems, particularly in the Lake District, and generated further adverse publicity.  Nevertheless many runners still regard it as a classic mountain challenge if undertaken responsibly.

Although not strictly an ultra 'The Two 3's' provides runners with a more challenging and perhaps inspiring variation to the standard British tops of Ben Nevis, Scafell and Snowdon by incorporating a round of the Yorkshire three peaks of Ingleborough, Pen-y-ghent and Whernside. The object is still to complete all the six peaks inside 24 hours but to ensure safe driving standards a minimum of 10 hours 15 minutes driving time is stipulated. Starting and finishing at sea-level in Fort William and Caernarfon respectively it involves over 40 miles of intermittent running plus some 14,000 feet of climbing and descending.

The route was conceived by Andrew Brooke and first completed by his father Colin Brooke along with Tony Wimbush in 22 hours 25 minutes on 16/17 July 2000. At the time it was launched as a mountain challenge aimed at v 50's but is now open to anyone of any age.

Route

The start point is at sea-level Fort William GR 100 740 and the finish point is at sea-level at Caernarfon GR 479 632.  The six peaks listed below must be visited.

Use in conjunction with OS Explorer Maps (1:25000): OL 392 Ben Nevis & Fort William, OL 6 The English Lakes - South Western area, OL 2 The Yorkshire Dales - Southern and Western area,
and OL 17 Snowdon

Schedule

Click on the icon to view or print the schedule of actual times for the inaugural run in 2000.

Rules and Registrations

This is an informal route without registrations although Colin Brooke would be pleased to hear of any further successful rounds, particularly by v 50's.  Email: colinpbrooke@hotmail.com

Rules are as follows:

1. Start at sea-level at Fort William
2. Finish at sea-level at Caernarvon
3. Visit the top of Ben Nevis, Scafell and Snowdon on foot starting from the base of each mountain.
4. The Yorkshire 3 Peaks must be completed as a continuous run as normal starting at any point i.e. you are not allowed to run up and down and then drive between each peak as on the National 3 peaks.
5. At no time exceed local or national speed limits.
6. To take a minimum driving time of 10 hours 15 minutes time thus giving a maximum of 13 hours 45 minutes aggregate time to both run up and down the National 3 Peaks and run a continuous round of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks.

Links and Further Information

Three Peaks, Ten Tors, Ronald Turnbull (Cicerone, 2007) -  includes two relevant chapters: 'The National Three Peaks Challenge' and 'The National Three Peaks by public transport'.