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The Three Peaks Challenge.
Ben Nevis Highest in Scotland
Scafell Pike Highest in England
Snowdon Highest in Wales
Two trips have been made.
The first trip was with 45th Blackpool (St. Christopher's) Scouts, and included Stewart Addy (slimy bogtrotter) and the Needham brothers Kevin and Phillip. Mal Newlyn and Geraldine Patfield joined the party and we had to use the Ballachulish Ferry as the bridge did not exist at this time.
The second time was in 1972 when we took part in The Deputy Mayor of Blackpool Sponsored Three Peaks Expedition in support of the Variety Club of Great Britains Appeal. Others who took part were Tony Shaw, Stan Wilson, Mark Harrison (all connected with 23rd Blackpool) and John Clark, policeman and cousin of Tony. (I was to do the Pennine Way and Coast to Coast with John).
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Deputy Mayors Team: Nev. Tony Shaw. Stan Wilson. Mark Harrison. John Clarke.
On this trip we greeted the first person to arrive on the summit after ourselves with:-
1.A welcome from the Deputy Mayor (Myself) complete with Mayoral Chains.
2.A welcome from the General Manager of the Blackpool Evening Gazette (Tony), and the presentation of the Anniversary Edition of the paper.
3.A stick of Blackpool Rock.
4.The name of a request record to be played on Radio Blackpool Victoria Hospital.
A bin bag full of rubbish was collected from each summit.
John was our photographer and he also arranged for photos to be relayed by police cars back to Blackpool for inclusion in the next days Evening Gazette.
We stayed at Bunkbarns at Glencoe, Langdale and Wales and after Snowdon I was rushed to just catch the London train to be in time for a reception by the Variety Club attended by Prince Phillip. We raised over £3000 which in 1972 was worth considerably more than it is today.
One lasting memory is arriving at the top of Ben Nevis and not being able to find the Mayoral Chain.
The night before, in the Clachaig Pub. (before the rear extension), I had extracted a page from the visitors book concerning Stan Wilson and a Miss Tibbs. As Stan was shortly to be married, but not to Miss Tibbs, I thought that this document might provide amusement for a day or so. What I didn’t know was that the Mayoral Chain had fallen out of my corduroy trouser pocket onto the floor of the pub, and that Stanley had picked it up and kept it for similar amusement. Needless to say an amicable exchange was duly arranged on Ben Nevis.
