Walkers Raising Funds for the RSPB

Some members of the Worcester and Malvern Local Group of the RSPB will be taking part in the Three Peaks Trial and using the event to raise funds for the RSPB.

Cardiff Outdoor Group Awarded the Abergavenny Town Shield

On the 14th October 2013 Cardiff Outdoor Group were awarded the Abergavenny Town Shield to commemorate 50 years of the Three Peaks Trial. The ceremony was attended by members of Cardiff Outdoor Group who were presented with the shield by Madam Mayor Sheila Woodhouse.

Cardiff Outdoor Group are delighted and honoured to receive the Abergavenny Town Shield and very much enjoyed the evening and meeting the Abergavenny Town Council Members.

Thank You To All Participants on the 2013 Event!

Many thanks to all those walkers who braved the elements and took part in this year’s Three Peaks Trial. The snow caused additional (unwanted!) challenges for both walkers and organisers but with the advice, guidance and support of the fantastic Longtown Mountain Rescue Team we managed to put on an albeit modified event of the Silver and Bronze routes.

 

We’d been advised on the Thursday evening, that with deep snow above 500m, we should revise all the routes. So we identified revised locations for lower checkpoints on Blorenge,  Sugar Loaf and Skirrid. However for the linear Platinum Route it wasn’t possible to relocate checkpoints below 500m without adding significant mileage so we had to cancel that route. Then on the Saturday morning the forecast showed further significant snowfall in the evening so in order to ensure everyone got home safely we also had to cancel the Gold Route.

 

It was the first time we've ever had to cancel Platinum and we were very disappointed we couldn’t run the full event but people’s safety is the primary concern and, of course, nothing can take priority over that. Cardiff Outdoor Group, the organizers, would like to thank all the participants for your patience and understanding in this matter.

 

Also by coincidence the Gold Route, which mostly follows the original event held in 1963, had to be postponed when the event was first held in the 'big freeze' of 1963. On that occasion Chris Barber, the event founder, took those who turned up caving on Blorenge. It was suggested we could have asked Chris to have done the same this year, the 50th Anniversary!

Platinum Route Cancelled and Changes Due to Weather

Apologies, due to poor weather the mountain rescue have advised us not to do Platinum Route. Those who turn up to do platinum route will be put on an amended Gold Route (Gold Route changes shown on link below).

We are very sorry about this, the Platinum Route has been run for nearly twenty years and this is the first time we've had to cancel but walkers safety is our paramount concern.

Also the mountain top checkpoints on the other routes are moved to positions lower down as shown on  http://threepeakstrial.co.uk/bad-weather-changes.jpg Again, this follows advice from the Mountain Rescue.

Weather Update

There is some snow on the tops which could still be there on saturday and the forecast is for it to be very cold. As well as waterproofs etc., make sure you wear appropriate warm clothing including hat, scarf and gloves.

Offer From The Kings Arms

The Kings Arms Hotel Abergavenny

Three Peaks 50th Anniversary Hotel Special 20% Off Room Rates 22nd -23rd March 2013

 

The Kings Arms Hotel in Abergavenny is a late 16th Century coaching inn, a stunning example of what much of Abergavenny would have looked like before more formal Georgian modifications.

 

The hotel offers 11 fabulous en suite bedrooms, a first-class breakfast, excellent food from Jim Hamilton and his team.

 

Call to book and quote ref: 3PEAKS50 Tel: 01873 855 074 www.kingsarmsabergavenny.co.uk

Offer From Fairfield Guest House

We are a 5* rated Guest House/B&B based in Llandogo and would be delighted to provide accommodation for entrants for the upcoming event on 23rd March.

We can offer a special rate of £30 per person per night for bed & breakfast (based on 2 sharing). We can also provide evening meals if booked in advance.

We are one of only a few 5* rated properties in the area and we have also retained the Welsh Tourism Gold Award again for 2013.

We are on the web at www.fairfieldonwye.co.uk, Click Here

Wishing you good luck & fine weather for the event.

Stuart Myttion
07837 013345

Walker Fundraising For Velindre Hospital

Three Peaks Trialer Mike Locke plans to use the event as part of training/fundraising for a climb of Africa's highest peak, Kilimanjaro to raise funds for Velindre, the specialist cancer hospital in Cardiff. Mike started fundraising for Velindre after his grandmother passed away in February last year from cancer. Mike says "I was already aware that Velindre were organising another Kilimanjaro climb and I just thought “Right, let’s do it and try to help change things!”

So in the last 12 months his fundraising team have organized band nights, pub quizzes, a black tie dinner, auctions, raffles, Christmas shopping & a pamper evening, created a fantasy football league, football tournaments and ran the Swansea 10k and the Cardiff Half Marathon.

Mike adds "I’m over the moon with how the fundraising has gone so far as, including the Gift Aid, the total is now over £9000 with 9 months still to go before the big climb. As happy as I am with that amount I know that the research and development of cancer treatments are extremely expensive so although the original target was £4500 I aim to continue fundraising right up to the climb and get as much as possible as it is literally vital to peoples lives."

If you'd like to contribute to Mike's fundraising go to http://www.justgiving.com/teams/MikesHike2013 Also Mike has a blog at www.mikeshike2013.wordpress.com

THANK YOU TO THE 847 WHO TOOK PART IN THE 2012 EVENT!!!!!!!!

Many thanks to the 847 walkers who took part in this year’s Three Peaks Trial! Another superb turnout.

Cardiff Outdoor Group would particularly like to thank:

• Longtown Mountain Rescue Team – LMRT for marshalling all the mountain top checkpoints. They also had to cover a call out to a collapsed walker on Skirrid Fawr (the walker was not part of the Three Peaks Trial).
• The Elenydd Wilderness Trust – Volunteers from the EWT gave support on the day making and giving out refreshments to returning walkers.
• Welsh Warrior (The Richard Hunt Foundation ) – Gave out cakes, supplied by Usk’s Glan Yr Afon Hotel, to walkers at various points on the routes .
• The Police Support Unit – Also gave out cakes, teas and coffees at various points on the routes.
• Richard Keech of Deli-Delicious (Click Here), 16 Nevill Street, Abergavenny, who supplied piles of tasty flapjacks which walkers could take with them at the start of the walk.

The charities and fundraisers who supported the event:

• St David’s Foundation;
• The Multiple Sclerosis Society (including former Wales rugby captain Colin Charvis winner of Wales 94 caps and 2 caps for the British & Irish Lions)
• Diabetes UK;
• Barnardos;
• Mind;
• Against Breast Cancer;
• Natalyas Fund;

 We hope to see you at the 2013 event when the Three Peaks Trial is 50 years old!!!!

Walker Raising Sponsorship For MIND

Lizz Brocklesby has set up a JustGiving page for MIND (the mental health charity). If you'd like to donate her page is here: http://www.justgiving.com/LizzBrocklesby

10 Walkers Raising Funds for University Hospital of Wales Critical Care Unit and Neville Hall Hospital

Karon Thomas will be walking the Silver Route with 9 friends to Raise funds for the UHW Critical Care Unit and Neville Hall Hospital.

Karon says “This year I have gathered a group of 10 people to complete the SILVER challenge ...all of whom saw me through a 5 month period of illness in Critical Care (3 of which I was 'Asleep' for) in aid of both hospitals ...UHW and Neville Hall.”

Event Now Full - ALL ROUTES!

Sorry, the event is now full. Ideally we'd like to accept everyone who wants to do the event but unfortunately we are limited to 900, once we reach that number we can't accept any more entries.

This follows advice from the Mountain Rescue and our insurance also corresponds with this limit. Its very frustrating for us to turn people away but we have no option.

Rugby Legend Colin Charvis Raising Money For the MS Society!

As reported in the South Wales Echo article above, rugby legend Colin Charvis will be walking to raise money for the MS Society. Thanks for taking part and good luck Colin!

Gold Route Full!

Gold Route is now full. Thanks to all those who've entered.

736 Entries So Far!

More than 100 entries in the past week, many thanks! Only 164 places left.

Welsh Warrior - The Richard Hunt Foundation Cakes

WW-RHF will also be providing cakes alongside Cardiff Outdoor Group in the hall at the end of the walk. Whilst the Cardiff Outdoor Group cakes are free to entrants WW-RHF request that you give a donation if you take one of their (superior!) cakes.

The Welsh Warrior - Richard Hunt Foundation and the Police Support Team will be providing some refreshments on the route. They'll also have boxes for donations, so if you have a cake on the route then please do give a donation. The cakes are supplied by the Glen yr Afon House Hotel in Usk.

622 Entries So Far!

Nearly 100 more people have entered in the past week (thanks!). There are 278 places left.

Diabetes UK Sponsorship Article in the South Wales Echo

The article on the left appeared in the South Wales Echo on 17th February. If you'd like to raise sponsorship for Diabetes UK contact Joseph Cuff at joseph.cuff@diabetes.org.uk.

526 Entries So Far!!

Thanks to all who've entered so far. Please note places are filling fast and with a little over a month to go to the closing date for pre-entries we have only 374 places left.

THANKYOU TO THE 860 WHO TOOK PART IN THE 2011 EVENT!

Saturday's 860 walkers was another record, up from last year's 812. Thank you to all who took part. Also for the first time we were not able to take 'on the day' entries due to limitations imposed on us by insurance and us as volunteers being able to safely manage a maximum number of 900 walkers. Cardiff Outdoor Group would particularly like to thank:

• Longtown Mountain Rescue Team for their support marshalling all the mountain top checkpoints;


• The Welsh Warrior/Richard Hunt Foundation for again supplying fantastic cakes both on locations around the route and at the Refreshments Hall at the end;


• The Elenydd Wilderness Trust volunteers for assisting on Llwynfranc checkpoint and in the kitchen supplying refreshments.

Other charities that also benefitted from walkers using the event to raise funds include:

• St David's Foundation Hospice Care;


• Multiple Sclerosis Society;


• British Heart Foundation;


• Action for Children;


• Alzheimer's Society.

We hope to see you at next year's event on Saturday 31st March 2012!!!!