Ground Engineering Flight completes 3 Peaks Challenge 2007

Members of the RAF Marham Ground Engineering Flights recently undertook an Expedition to train for and completing the 3 Peaks Challenge. The Challenge was to complete the Highest Mountains of Scotland, England and Wales in less than 24 hours, including the 800mile drive between the mountains. A true test of endurance, navigation and fitness as the team members are required to climb and descend the mountains at a rapid pace, in daylight, at night and in the early hours of the morning. This combined with long distances sat in vehicles.

The training part of the Expedition commenced with the 12hour drive to Aviemore in Scotland, which would be the base for a weeks training. Working on fitness the team undertook activities including mountain biking the steep peaks of the Cairngorms, forced to carry the bikes over several miles of un-cyclable terrain and cycling down a river!

After deciding better routes were available the teams continued the fitness training with days spent climbing the peaks of the Cairngorms. Honing the navigation skills required for undertaking Britain’s highest mountains at night, the team developed their knowledge and application of operating in remote environments.

All the activities were carried out in teams of 6, building the team work and interaction as the teams operated in “The Scottish Summer”, a great deal of rain and fog, with the occasional sunny spell. To further enhance the teamwork and trust everyone also spent time learning and experience Rock Climbing and Abseiling.

After 5days training, a recovery day allowed everyone to prepare for the 24hours of endurance required. The party were split in a lead team of 6 and main party of 9 for transport arrangement. Mini-buses and vehicles were packed, routes planned and timings required to complete the challenge in 24hours established. At 5am Sunday morning the teams were awoken to leave and start the 3 peaks challenge!

Arriving at Ben Nevis, our first mountain at 7.20am, final snacks and stretches were had. At 7.35am the stopwatches were started. As was going to be the theme for the day, the top of Ben Nevis disappeared into the rain clouds above us. For an early start Ben Nevis does not give you an easy start, from the Youth Hostel a 300m gentle climb turns into a more substantial climb. Fresh and well trained the teams tackled this with gusto. At around half way the track turns into 8 zigzags cutting up the mountainside, these were counted down as the teams worked towards the first peak of the day. At the end of the zigzags, with our heads truly in the clouds and less than a mile to the top we hit the final climb through the snow to peak of Ben Nevis at over 4,400 ft. The small lead team arrived at 9.41am, with the main party arriving shortly after at 10.15am. A sense of exhilaration was shortly lived as the cold, lack of visibility and time constraint saw a quick photograph and turning around for the decent. Whist the lead team were able to run the saver stretches, the main party kept a brisk walking pace arriving back at the vehicles at 11.05am and 12.29pm respectively. The support crew at the base were made aware of the imminent arrival of the teams and prepared hot drinks and snacks which could be taken into the vehicles for the long drive to Scafell in Cumbria.

With bags, food, and men wet from the earlier mountain squeezed into a MPV and Minibus the teamwork and friendships were vital as space was at a premium unable to stretch aching limbs or truly rest tired bodies. With the lead team having the advantage of an earlier departure and a MPV able to drive at Motorway speeds they arrive at Scarfell at 5.36pm. The main party in a minibus were limited to 62mph adding to the journey length, arriving at 7.12pm. Straight from the confines of the vehicles with minimum time to warm or stretch an immediate start was made in the dusk for the Peak of Scafell. Although the peak was again hidden in the cloud above us, this time the start was made without the rain. As the main party strived for the peak, the lead team passed us on their decent with a cheerful, “you’re over half way”, having reached the peak at 7.19pm. Again climbing into the clouds the main team persevered main false horizons before reaching the peak at 8.54pm. A short photo before descending back to the hot food and drinks, courtesy of our support crew.

Travelling to the final mountain, Snowdon in Wales through the night the lead party arrived in the dark at 1.40am and began their decent, with the main party starting approaching dawn at 3.18am. As the parties climbed towards their final peak, dawn breaking around us, a combination of exhaustion and reflection as we approached the end resulted in tranquillity amongst the groups. The lead party know they were heading for a good time, however until returning to the vehicles anything could happen and a continue drive to set the best possible time drove the team on. The main party were operating closer to the timings required to compete within 24hrs, so a dogged determination persevered pushing the teams through the pain of blisters and complaints of a tired body. Reaching the peak at 2.55am, the lead team started the final walk of the Challenge back to the vehicles. With the Main party pushing on, seeing the lead team returning on the track below us, gave a boost to all the team. The team dug into the reserves reaching the peak at 5.09am.

The final push of energy to get back to the vehicles showed the strength of character of all the personnel who completed the team, at 4.05am the lead team returned to the vehicles, heads held high setting an amazing time of 21hrs 25minutes. With blisters and muscles demanding rest, the team showed true loyalty to the main team, waiting at the final checkpoint for the return of the main party at 6.50am, having completed the 3 peaks challenge in 23hrs 15minutes.

The team had carried out the Expedition and Challenge as part of the Adventurous Training programme within the Royal Air Force, where personnel are taken beyond their comfort zone to develop the characterises required by the Armed Services. However, further to this development opportunity, the teams worked to raise awareness of the charities for which the Ground Engineering Flights raise money. Therefore they approached a number of companies who support the Royal Air Force seeking sponsorship for the completion of the 3 peaks in aid of the charities. The event has raised money for causes close to the heart of the Engineers as personnel within the Flights have been supported by the very worthy charities, which often go unrecognised. Therefore Tanya’s Courage Trust, which provides supports to the families of children suffering cancer, was chosen. The trust had offered an invaluable support to the family of one of the Engineers at Marham and therefore we wished to give something back. The second Charity is the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, which is the sole UK Charity focused on treatment and cures for Muscular Dystrophy. Again this is a cause close to the hearts of the Ground Engineers as this has affected the family of one of our engineers. The genetic disorder causes progressive weaken of the muscles from birth, with children often confined to a wheel chair around age 11, untimely shortening life expectancy.

The support we have received for completing this event has been very generous. The East Anglican Company, Factair, which provides compressors to the Air Force, has provided a significant donation. Further to this Testfuchs, our supplier of hydraulic test equipment, has provided donations for a charity raffle. And Sun HML Engineering, who assist in the repair of Aircraft Ground Support Equipment have provided a donation. On behalf of all the personnel who took part and supported this event, we would like to thank these companies for their assistance in raising funds and awareness on behalf of these charities.

The Ground Engineering Flights continue to support these charities and plan future activities to raise funds and awareness. We rotate charities on a twelve monthly basis, having recently raised nearly £1000 for the First Response Scheme in East Anglia; we now aim to concentrate on funds for Muscular Dystrophy. If you are able or willing to donate to this worthy cause, this can be done directly online at their website www.muscular-dystrophy.org. The Ground Engineers at Marham continue to work hard for these charities, any donations for this and future events can be sent by Cheque payable to “Service Funds, RAF Marham”, addressed to Officer Commanding Ground Engineering Flight, RAF Marham, Kings Lynn, PE33 9NP. Companies able to support events will receive details of our next sponsored event and publicity on T-shirts and press releases.

Notes to Editor:

Article written by Flt Lt Christian Harris, OC GEF





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