THE RUN
The run is the least prescribed part of this challenge. Here you need to make choices. The basic requirement is that you go to the summit of each of the “three thousand foot mountains”; namely Scafell, Scafell Pike, Helvellyn and Skiddaw. It is hopefully implicit that all this distance is covered on foot from, and back to, Ashness landing.
The distance advised for this is the traditional 45 miles for “The Lakeland Three-thousands”. I haven’t measured it but I suspect the actual distance is probably marginally less than that. I believe that adds tiny percentage to account for inclines as it is a distance taken from maps.
You can choose the route and whether to go clockwise or anti-clockwise. Factors to consider, including where you are during the hours of darkness and hence start time, are discussed further under schedules.
The only condition applied albeit with some reluctance, is that the route using Broad Stand between Scafell and Scafell Pike [or vice versa] is not allowed. The reasoning behind this is as follows; there is a significant time gain using Broad Stand compared with the other routes. Broad Stand can be scrambled in the dry but is unsafe in the wet without a rope assist. Someone having support that pre-roped Broad Stand would have an unfair advantage in wet conditions over someone not having that level of support. In addition the idea of needing to use a rope is alien to triathlon.
You may wish to give some thought as to which mountain you would be happy to be on in the dark [and mist and rain quite possibly]. In order of safest/easiest in the dark I would put them as Skiddaw followed byHelvellyn with the Scafells best avoided. You should consider safety issues re the road sections at night. You may also wish to consider different shoes for the road sections.
My route was anticlockwise. Down the road to Seathwaite, then the Corridor Route to Lingmell Coll. Lords Rake and West Wall traverse to the summit and Lords Rake off Scafell. Scafell Pike to Esk Hause, Angle Tarn, Stake Pass, High Raise, Greenup Edge, Wythburn Valley, Wythburn Church car park. Helvellyn, Swirls car park, along A591and B5322 through St Johns in the Vale, Wanthwaite, Brundholme, Latrigg car park, Skiddaw out and back, Keswick, Ashness Landing.
If you don’t know the Lakeland fells well, you would be advised to “recce” your run sections. I would consider it somewhere between brave and stupid to attempt it straight off, even if skilled with maps or GPS. You may however be encouraged to know that I don’t have a GPS and am pretty rubbish with maps.
The run is the least prescribed part of this challenge. Here you need to make choices. The basic requirement is that you go to the summit of each of the “three thousand foot mountains”; namely Scafell, Scafell Pike, Helvellyn and Skiddaw. It is hopefully implicit that all this distance is covered on foot from, and back to, Ashness landing.
The distance advised for this is the traditional 45 miles for “The Lakeland Three-thousands”. I haven’t measured it but I suspect the actual distance is probably marginally less than that. I believe that adds tiny percentage to account for inclines as it is a distance taken from maps.
You can choose the route and whether to go clockwise or anti-clockwise. Factors to consider, including where you are during the hours of darkness and hence start time, are discussed further under schedules.
The only condition applied albeit with some reluctance, is that the route using Broad Stand between Scafell and Scafell Pike [or vice versa] is not allowed. The reasoning behind this is as follows; there is a significant time gain using Broad Stand compared with the other routes. Broad Stand can be scrambled in the dry but is unsafe in the wet without a rope assist. Someone having support that pre-roped Broad Stand would have an unfair advantage in wet conditions over someone not having that level of support. In addition the idea of needing to use a rope is alien to triathlon.
You may wish to give some thought as to which mountain you would be happy to be on in the dark [and mist and rain quite possibly]. In order of safest/easiest in the dark I would put them as Skiddaw followed byHelvellyn with the Scafells best avoided. You should consider safety issues re the road sections at night. You may also wish to consider different shoes for the road sections.
My route was anticlockwise. Down the road to Seathwaite, then the Corridor Route to Lingmell Coll. Lords Rake and West Wall traverse to the summit and Lords Rake off Scafell. Scafell Pike to Esk Hause, Angle Tarn, Stake Pass, High Raise, Greenup Edge, Wythburn Valley, Wythburn Church car park. Helvellyn, Swirls car park, along A591and B5322 through St Johns in the Vale, Wanthwaite, Brundholme, Latrigg car park, Skiddaw out and back, Keswick, Ashness Landing.
If you don’t know the Lakeland fells well, you would be advised to “recce” your run sections. I would consider it somewhere between brave and stupid to attempt it straight off, even if skilled with maps or GPS. You may however be encouraged to know that I don’t have a GPS and am pretty rubbish with maps.
