Medway 3 Peakers

The team have completed their physical (and mental) challenge to raise funds for Demelza Children’s Hospice and Shelterbox.

All, at the outset, novices at trekking mountains, the preparation included map reading, emergency first aid, dietary and equipment requirement advice; together with plenty of walking/stamina training over a period of months.

With the support of Medway Youth Service, who provided a minibus and Medway Rotary radios the group departed from Strood at 05.25 Wednesday 30th June, stopping overnight in Perth.  Read more... (270 words, estimated 1:05 mins reading time)

As you can see from the home page of the site, we completed the Three Peaks Challenge on the 1st and 2nd July 2010.

Unfortunately, due to a number of factors – not least of which was travel delays between mountains and poor weather on all three peaks -  we did not achieve one of our aims – to complete in 24 hours.  Read more... (142 words, estimated 34 secs reading time)

Well that’s it. Training and preparation over, next step is the challenge itself.

Over the last couple of weeks we have concentrated on the steep side of Bluebell Hill and Cardiac Hill at Shorne Country park – with the aim of building up the stamina as much as possible and getting the muscles used to extended periods of climbing. We added a number of additional session in over the original training plan – tiring but, we hope, prudent.  Read more... (152 words, estimated 36 secs reading time)

A couple of things came out of our recent Snowdon trip.

Firstly, some of us really need to get our energy levels and hydration sorted.

Thinking we were prepared, with plenty of water and snacks to eat on the climb, some of us (and one of us in particular) found that we did not actually eat enough energy snacks early/regularly enough.  The energy levels therefore dropped, and in the heat it became ever more difficult – especially negotiating the zig zags when all you really wanted to do was lie down and curl up in a ball. Running out of water half way up the zig zags didn’t help me either.  Read more... (283 words, estimated 1:08 mins reading time)

Four walks in this period. Concentrating on the steps at Shorne Country Park and the long (steep) slope at Bluebell Hill.

Nothing too exciting, but great for keeping up the momentum and slowly building the stamina.

We have also decided to add in some more local walks in the run up to the big day – two weeks to go and counting.

The big one – in terms of our training anyway. Starting off with our 10k route at Bluebell Hill then a 6.5 hour minibus ride to Snowdon, the climb, and back home.

I think every one of us found it more difficult than we ever imagined, but be were all glad to have completed it – and now we really have some idea of what we have to face for the Three Peaks itself.  Read more... (282 words, 10 images, estimated 1:08 mins reading time)

Keeping it local for these three walks.

All three took place at Bluebell Hill. The evening sessions concentrating on the steep side loop down to Burham, and the Saturday walk, the full 10k route.

Nothing too exciting to report, so we’ll keep this post short. Watch out for the next one though.

Bluebell Hill for the short evening walk and Bewl Water for the longer walk this week.

Great fun was had by a small but dedicated group on Wednesday evening completing the small loop (~1.5 miles) down and up Bluebell Hill three times in all.

Sunday saw six of us completing the 13.5 mile trek around the Bewl Water reservoir – plenty of up and down hill and lots and lots of heat – possibly the warmest day of the year so far!!  Read more... (112 words, 2 images, estimated 27 secs reading time)

Over the last two weeks (the evenings of 10 and 17 May) a group of us have been tackling an emergency first aid course.

Kindly run especially for us by Medway Outdoor Education, we thought it would be a good idea if some members of the team had an idea of how to deal with emergency medical situations whilst on the mountains.  Read more... (81 words, 1 image, estimated 19 secs reading time)

Two visits to Shorne Country Park this week – One on Wednesday evening and one on Saturday morning.

Wednesday saw us complete a couple of circuits and climb Cardiac Hill a total of four times.

On Saturday we had planned to go down to the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head. However a number of us had other commitments in the afternoon or early evening so we plumped for Shorne again. This time we went round the loop several times, climbing Cardiac Hill five times in all.  Read more... (114 words, estimated 27 secs reading time)