Peak Rage Hits Lakes

Three Peak Challenge charity hikers are driving local Lakelanders to distraction says today's Guardian. Unfortunately for the residents of Seathwaite at the base of Scafell Pike, the normal timings for the Ben Nevis / Scafell Pike / Snowdon epic mean that minibuses and coaches roll up in the early hours of the morning before waking residents with engine noise and reverse beepers and disgorging hordes of chattering walkers. Already there have been incidents of 'peak rage' with locals hurling abuse at walkers. The latest incident involved around 100 walkers from a Birmingham primary school fund raising group.

Protests have led to the Park authorities reissuing a code of practice agreed with charities last year which lays down a number of conditions, including a stipulation that walks begin between 5am and 10pm. Unfortunately, although some groups have dropped the Three Peaks altogether, many of the smaller charities seem unaware of the code.

No-one can reasonably object to charities raising money, but the whole Three Peaks circus has attracted huge amounts of flak as a cause of erosion and the mere mention of the name on UK walking news groups and forums is the spur for, er, energetic objections. To many, the idea comes close to prostituting mountains.

Incidentally, the other Three Peaks - Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen y Gent - in the Dales has been blighted by serious erosion problems with the result that many conscientious walkers choose not to hike the route at all.

What exactly is this infernal Three Peaks Challenge: The aim is to climb the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours including the driving. The total ascent in metres is approximately 3,020 metres, the total distance walked is around 38.5km.