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5 Peaks Challange

davy boy
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davy boy

+davy boy

Posted
Posted

We are going to attempt to do the 5 peaks in approx 3.5 days starting on first light on sun 22nd may in Ireland and work our way up to Northern Ireland then back to the uk for the last 3 peaks.

The team consists of Mike of the Molinnis crew,the Cornish mouse and i and will be caching under the name of Team Southwest (uk).

Any one is welcome to join us on any of the peaks for the hike,times will be posted nearer the time.

On Sat the 28 of may we will attend the Scottish geocachers day out if we can still walk!!!!!!

Check out the peaks here.

My Webpage

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Molinnis

+Molinnis

Posted
Posted

Many thanks for all your best wishes.

 

Anyone wishing to join us for one ....or more :D peaks. Rough start times are as follows:-

 

Corran Tuathail. Around 4am Sunday 22nd May.

Slieve Donard. 8am Monday 23rd.

Snowdon, 2.30am Tuesday 24th. (Straight from the ferry)

Scafell, 2pm Tuesday 24th.

Ben Nevis, 4am Wednesday 25th.

 

If we get down from Ben Nevis by 4pm in the afternoon we will have achieved our goal of completing it within 3 1/2 days.

 

Cachemad has kindly agreed to log our caches daily under the Team Southwest UK" banner. I am hoping he may also post the latest news on these forums if he has time.

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klaus23

+klaus23

Posted
Posted
I have a laminated (1:25000) waterproof map of MacGillycuddy's reeks you can borrow for the irish peak.

Too late - he's got mine already :anibad:

 

Mike and Dave - I'll be touch and go about Carrauntohill until (literally) the day before. I don't think I'll be able to make it, but I'll ring you beforehand.

 

From all at geocachingireland, the very best of (Irish and British) luck :D

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klaus23

+klaus23

Posted
Posted
We're expecting a comprehensive review from wildlifewriter tomorrow - he is shuttle-ing Mike, Dave and Demelza between the two car parks at The King Of Mourne (Slieve Donard) - he should be able to comment first hand on motivation, fatigue, blisters and petrol levels. :P

Just got off the phone to wildlifewriter who is en route back to Belfast after seeing our three friends off on the right road towards Dublin. The second cache was found in very poor conditions, but they're all safe and travelling on towards Snowdon Summit. The comprensive post should be here shortly, once he gets home (and dried off) :D

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wildlifewriter

+wildlifewriter

Posted
Posted

Latest news:

 

In atrocious conditions, the team logged GCKAEZ (2790ft/850m) at 12.15hrs to complete leg two of the challenge.

 

After a grim start on Carantouhill yesterday, things were no better at Slieve Donard today. Torrential overnight rain had turned most of the approach paths into rivers, and the rain continued for most of the morning making the ascent even more difficult than usual.

 

At the summit, winds gusting to 100kph meant that Cornish Mouse had to stay in the lee of the trigpoint cairn, (she would have been blown away, else) while Mike and Davy retrieved the cache.

 

This done, they descended in a Mourne "special" thunderstorm to the car park at Newcastle, where another load of soaked gear was added to the collection. (see photo.)

 

The team are now en route to the Dublin-Holyhead ferry (yes, THAT one :P) for an 04.00 ascent of Snowdon.

 

They are, of course, completely bonkers...

 

-Wlw.

mcrew1ca.JPG

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klaus23

+klaus23

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Posted

Breaking News :blink:

 

I just spoke to Mike and the 'Five Peaks' Challenge is off... in his own words: "there were 60-70 mph winds on Snowdon and it was bucketing it down. Coming up the Pyg Track we hit a wall of wind and you couldn't stand up."

 

Due to the poor weather our three adventurers also have no dry clothes left, so they've taken the decision to go straight up to Scotland, take some time to dry their gear out, climb Ben Nevis and attend the Scottish Geocachers Day Out. They are bypassing Scarfell Pike and probably won't get to do it on the way back - so it a modified "Three Peaks Challenge" now.

 

Shame it came down to the weather - I guess the positive is that they'll have done Ben Nevis and the two peaks in Ireland, meaning that Scarfell and Snowdon can be re-visited next summer.

 

I think they deserve some serious respect and congratulations ;)

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Stuey

+Stuey

Posted
Posted
I'm glad I turned down Dave's offer of joining them now. My excuse was that I couldn't get the time off work but I like to think its being sensible. :laughing:

Me too! My excuse was that I was on holiday. I just got nack today and can confirm that the weather in North Devon was infinitely better than any of the three peaks that the team completed.

 

So sorry that you had to make the sensible decision to abort the five, but I hope you enjoy the far north of Scotland this weekend!

 

Stuey

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Molinnis

+Molinnis

Posted
Posted

Hi Guys

 

Well were back in Cornwall and Devon respectively and the suns shining which is something we hardly saw the whole week away.

Our five peaks became three and three quarters as you have gathered.

 

Carantouhill

Was a 04:10 start in the dry. With the summit reached at 07:50 in driving hail and limited visibility. Finding the cache took about 10 minutes and we then beat a hasty retreat. The ladder was interesting go down at the top, sort of one step forward then slide another three. We reached our tents just before 11am. So 6h 50 min for the round trip.

 

Slieve Donard.

We started at 09:15 at Bloody Bridge. in the dry again. Then rain and wind by the old quarry. We reached the wall and started climbing. we were treated occasionally to some lovely views across the mournes before the clouds swept back in again. But as we reached the top the wind really set in blowing us along the last few hundred yards. Time at the summit was 12:00. We left Demelza in the lee of the trig whilst we located the cache. Visibility was such that we couldnt see from one cairn to another. With the cache logged Myself and davy struggled back against the wind to the trig and we resumed our way along the wall downwards to tackle the Ice House cache. This was achieved in torrential rain and thunder before finally emerging at the car park in brilliant sunshine at 14:30. The overall time was 5h 15min.

 

Snowdon

Arrival at Snowdon was 02:00, Raining. Slept in the car till 06:00, Still Raining. So at 07:00 we started up the Pyg track. Still raining. (Get the picture). On reaching the point were you turn to ascend to the ridge we were faced with 60-70mph winds and driving rain. So we beat a hasty retreat. Arrival back at the car was 09:45. Faced with a forecast that showed no sign of improvement the desicion was taken to abandon Snowdon and Scafell and head to Scotland.

 

Ben Nevis (Thur 26th)

After a couple of nights rest we started at 10:00 from Glen Nevis campsite and up the track. Good visibility till we reached the ZigZags were the cloudbase started and drizzle. The summit was reached at 13:50. The summit was covered in approx 3-4 feet of snow. We were fortunate in that the drizzle/rain/hail stopped briefly allowing us to sign the log and take photo's but it started again as we began our descent. After clearing the cloudbase we were back into sunshine for the last half of the descent. Time back at the tents was 16:50. Overall time 6h 50min.

 

We then proceeded up to the Scottish Geocachers 3rd Annual Cache Bash at Talmine (Right at the top of Scotland). We arrived there late Friday afternoon in windy but dry conditions. An enjoyable evening was had meeting the scottish lads and lasses friday evening at the local hotel. But overnight the weather turned for the worse with gales and torrential rain. Faced with nearly flattened tents and a deep desire not too go caching in yet more rain. The desicion was taken to strike camp, log the meet and head south. So this done we headed along the road to John O'Groats, Took our photo's at the signpost and then headed south picking up any roadside caches on the way. We left John O'Groats at 13:00 and reached Exeter Services at 01:30.

 

Summary

A good trip, 2500 miles of driving. We completed 3 of our 5 objectives. With good weather I think we would have achieved our aim of all 5 in 3 1/2 days. But the weather was not kind too us. But we enjoyed ourselves and thats the main thing. and we also met some extremely kind and pleasent People/Geocachers in both Ireland and Scotland.

 

Thanks to everyone for their support and encouragment.

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Stuey

+Stuey

Posted
Posted

Thanks Mike for the update! I must admit I thought last years trip that I made with you to Scotland for the SGDO was slightly mad, but this 5 peaks idea was very brave indeed. Madly brave! It's just a shame you encountered such inclement weather. From what Davy Boy told me on the phone earlier, you definitely took the right decision, but I'm glad that you were able to get to the event, and also to Dunnet Head to set free all of our TB's for their race to Land's End.

 

Thanks mate, and let me know what your next mad idea is.... I'll give it due consideration, hehe.

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