What is the National Three Peaks Challenge?
Brace yourself for a fast-paced and physically challenging adventure, as you take on the three highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales. Considered one of Britain’s toughest outdoor challenges, the National 3 Peaks Challenge takes in the dizzy heights of Ben Nevis (1,344m), Scafell Pike (978m) and Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) (1,085m). Your challenge is to do all this in 24 hours!
Highlights include:
- Being one of the first hikers of the day to take on Ben Nevis.
- Hiking under the starry skies of the Lake District National Park and summiting Scafell Pike at night.
- Reaching the summit of the highest mountain in Wales, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), for sunrise.

What will I achieve?
Year after year, our National Three Peaks Challenge is our most popular sell-out UK challenge. It is a tough but incredibly exhilarating expedition all round! Whilst it’s definitely no easy stroll, completing this challenge comes with multiple rewards to be proud of…
- Hike around 28 miles in 24 hours (that’s over a marathon length!).
- Ascend around 3000m in total – almost the same amount of ascent when summiting Kilimanjaro.
- Trek for a total of 18 hour across undulating terrain, summiting the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales.
- Experience the best breathtaking UK views with a group of like-minded challengers.
- To top it all off, you will be tackling this in aid of a charity of your choice – making each step and summit all the more worth it.

I’m thinking of booking, what do I need to know?
For a quick overview of what to expect from the National Three Peaks challenge, we’ve pulled together some need-to-know essentials below – including some top tips straight from our experienced staff! For further information please visit our National Three Peaks Challenge webpage, which covers all information and details thoroughly.
1. Endurance, Endurance, Endurance
The Three Peaks Challenge is a real endurance test and training should be taken seriously. We recommend starting training 4-6 months beforehand, building up to exercising for prolonged periods of time, on varied terrain and getting comfortable with only a few hours rest in between. Remember, you’ll be trekking for a total of 18 hours, up and down the largest hills in the UK, with little recovery time!
Top Tips:
- Make sure to train on hills at a 4km/h pace and work on strengthening your leg and knee muscles – Laura Harris, Operations Manager
- Bring your favourite snacks – these will boost your mood whilst contributing to important energy levels. Electrolytes and energy drinks are also a must when exerting yourself over such a prolonged period of time – Rosie Graham, Office Administrator

2. Quality Clothing & Equipment
Making sure you have good quality, comfortable clothing will give you the best chance at success. Walking boots give much needed ankle support and grip over rough terrain – but remember to break them in well before the challenge to avoid any blisters slowing you down.
It’s the UK, so a waterproof jacket is a must! Ensure it can keep you dry for 10-12 hours at a time. Trekking poles and a head torch are also essential equipment for tackling the three peaks. You can view our full National Three Peaks Challenge Kit List here.
Top Tips:
- Bring a pair of socks to change into straight after you’ve descended each mountain, to allow your sweaty feet to dry and to avoid blisters. And don’t skip the walking poles – they take up to 33% of strain off you knees! – Laura Harris, Operations Manager

3. Prioritise Your Rest
After summiting Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike, you then have time to sleep on the minibus on the way to your last peak, Snowdon. Whilst our minibuses are chosen for their comfort, it’s up to you to ensure you get the best rest possible. Bringing a few comforts that aid your rest will help maintain your physical and mental endurance till the finish line.
Top Tips:
- Bringing a sleeping system for the bus will massively help your energy levels. A sleeping mask, pillow and big hoodie could make all the difference – Rosie Graham, Office Administrator
- The days are long and tiring, so take a blanket for the bus to keep warm (you can leave it on the bus between peaks!) – Toni Howden, Operations Manager

4. Enjoy Your Epic UK Adventure
When joining our N3P challenge, whether you book alone or with a friends, you’ll still be hiking with other charity fundraisers. Having a chat with fellow hikers can really uplift your spirits – never underestimate the effect of good camaraderie! Don’t forget to look around and enjoy the views – the National 3 Peaks allows you to see spectacular sights, from rugged rocky trails to mountain lakes from above.
It’s fast paced, but those summit moments where you get to take it all in at the top (and take a well-deserved photo) makes it worth it – three times over!
Top Tips:
- Ask your local leaders for interesting info about each peak – there’s so much interesting stuff to keep you motivated and upbeat as you’re going up Snowdon at 6am! – Laura Harris, Operations Manager
- Take time to chat with your fellow participants, be brave! These are the people you’ll lean on when it gets really hard, so creating bonds and relationships with them is important. Everyone is there for their own reason, and with their own story, and you can be immensely inspired by the people you meet – and even leave with new friends for life! – Rosie Graham, Office Administrator

Wondering what the views and vibe are like? Check out our National Three Peaks video below…
To conclude… start preparing!
If you are now seriously considering taking on the National Three Peaks Challenge, we strongly recommend heading over to our website to read through our full Itinerary, Costs, Kit List and extensive Essential Information tabs.
You’ll find everything you need to know here in detail, from timings, locations, accommodation, food and drink, difficulty level breakdowns, training advice, group safety, equipment and much, much more (including answers to those all-important ‘what if?’ questions).

Why should I book the National Three Peaks with Charity Challenge?
Over the years Charity Challenge has built up a wealth of experience that has enabled us to create the best National Three Peaks itinerary that is geared towards providing everyone with the very best experience and opportunity to complete the challenge successfully.
Since 1999, we have specialised in operating challenges for charity fundraisers. We partner with 1000’s of UK and Irish charities already – and our team is happy to reach out to a charity of your choice to make your dream fundraising challenge happen. (Or, if you don’t fancy fundraising, the good news is you can simply self-fund and join us on the peaks anyway!).
- We only use high quality minibuses to maximise the space and comfort for your trip.
- We use professional drivers, and adhere to driver hour regulations in order to keep you safe.
- Unlike other operators we include everything from accommodation, breakfast first thing in the morning, transfers to the start of the trek and back again and plenty of lunch and snacks whilst on the trek.
- We employ one leader to look after you for the full event, and then additional ‘fresh’ leaders on each mountain to help keep the group moving at an appropriate speed.
- We have also built in plenty of contingency time to our itinerary as delays can happen and we want to make sure everyone gets the opportunity to complete the challenge regardless as to what the traffic on the M6 is like!

Remember, the National Three Peaks Challenge is a very tough trek, testing your body and mind. With the right preparation, this expedition is incredibly rewarding and impressive to complete – making it an excellent choice for a UK charity fundraising challenge!

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