Since finally getting the three UK (Scotland, Wales, and England) peaks out of the way, I keep getting asked about which mountain gave me the toughest challenge and why.

You may have heard of the Three Peak Challenge UK. Most people do this challenge within a 24-hour period not including the travelling and not necessarily one after the other (although some do – yikes!). If you're human like me and not able to do that then don't despair you are definitely not alone. I did the three peaks over the course of 3 years – one each summer and during COVID no less.

Below I'll be answering the question of which is hardest out of the three peaks.

I'll start with the easiest first...

Which UK peak should you start with first?

I would say start with Mount Snowdon in Snowdonia, Wales. It also depends on where you are located, if you live in the north of England then perhaps Ben Nevis in Scotland or even Scafell Pike in England would be better options but in terms of the easiest to the toughest climbs then Snowdon would be ideal. Hopefully, after reading this post, you can make that determination on your own.

It's worth noting that I began my journey without a specific plan, opting for a random starting point. However, if I were to undertake the same challenge once more, starting from Mount Snowdon would be how I would go about it.

Below are the reasons why I have arranged them in this fashion.

Related: How to Prepare for a Hike.

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3. Snowdon, Wales (Snowdonia National Park)

For those of you who have done the 24-hour 3 peak challenge and ended the challenge with Mount Snowdon then this may be an odd choice but hear me out.

Situated in the national park of Snowdonia, the highest peak in Wales offers magnificent views. I have spoken to friends who have ended the 24-hour challenge here and they mentioned this was the hardest of the three peaks however there are some things to consider here, for instance, are you completing the hike as part of the 24-hour challenge, and in which order out of the three peaks does it take up? Secondly, there are many trails to the summit and it seems I inadvertently took one of the least challenging ones. Whichever one you decide to take can drastically change your experience. I have not been to Snowdon enough times to determine which path I feel would be the easiest/hardest.

Ultimately the gradient wasn't as steep for as long a period of time unlike the other two peaks, this is the main reason why Snowdon comes in third position.

The views are magnificent in pretty much all of north Wales. The roads offer great riding potential as the vast amount of bikers on the road during our visit proved. Now, whether you are a hiker or biker or neither, Wales (especially northern Wales ) is definitely worth a visit regardless.

a still lake in between rocky hillsides and mountains in Snowdon, Wales

Small Lake at the bottom of Mount Snowdon

2. Scafell Pike, England (Lake District National Park)

You may think this is a no brainier seeing as Ben Nevis is an extra 367 meters higher (or 1204 feet), however, if you check my individual blog posts for each mountain you'll notice I have given only a .2 (out of 10) difference in difficulty rating between the two. Now whether that was because of my ill-prepared planning for Scafell, remains to be seen. Just know Scafell Pike was really tough and one that exceeded the difficulty expectations.

Located in the beautiful Lake district in the north of England, Scafell Pike offers a great view of the surrounding areas. Hiking in the Lake District area is not mandatory as you can find a lot of things to do here one of which is simply doing nothing on the largest lake in England – Lake Windermere. When the sun is out on this lake, it really does offer chilled vibes and excellent surrounding sights.

a large lake in lake district area with hills in the background and blue skies

Lake Windermere in the Lake District region of England (the largest lake in England)

1. Ben Nevis, Scotland

Aye, mi laddie. The UK's highest peak is at 1,345 meters. Most would simply assume that this would inevitably be the most challenging of the three peaks and even though I agree with the general consensus, in my experience it wasn't as straight forward as that.

Located in Fort William within the Scottish Highlands, Ben Nevis is a challenging hike overall and I would say it lived up to expectations rather than surprise me. I also didn’t find the way down to be nearly as hard as say Snowdon was which is part of why it only just came first.

It took slightly longer than it did at Scafell Pike, mainly because I was in better physical shape than I was when I attempted Scafell. This is another reason why I chose to put Ben Nevis as number one. The climb between the Scottish and English peaks barely differed in difficulty overall. Yet here we are with Big Ben at number one.

view from ben nevis summit overlooking mountains and hills in the distance. cloudy skies and lush greenery

View from Ben Nevis summit, Scotland

Thinking of taking on the three peaks?

If you are thinking of taking on the challenge then I would strongly urge you to do it. There are no extra points in finishing the peaks within a certain time, so I would suggest going at times when you can also explore the surrounding areas. The Lake District, the Highlands, and Snowdonia National Park(s) are all worthy places to visit without having to hike but if you can hike and explore then why wouldn't you?

If I was to start the peaks again I would start with Snowdon, then Scafell Pike, and finally Ben Nevis.

For more information, you can check out my individual posts for each mountain experience with the links below:

Surviving Scafell Pike...

Is Mount Snowdon hard to climb?

Scotland - a beginners climb up Ben Nevis.

image of mountain peaks in scotland, cloudy skies — The highlands in Scotland are stunning

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The Gymsy Traveller

Which Mountain is the Toughest to Hike in the UK: Snowdon, Ben Nevis, or Scafell Pike?

Which UK peak should you start with first?

3. Snowdon, Wales (Snowdonia National Park)

2. Scafell Pike, England (Lake District National Park)

1. Ben Nevis, Scotland

Thinking of taking on the three peaks?

Comments

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The Gymsy Traveller

Which Mountain is the Toughest to Hike in the UK: Snowdon, Ben Nevis, or Scafell Pike?

Which UK peak should you start with first?

3. Snowdon, Wales (Snowdonia National Park)

2. Scafell Pike, England (Lake District National Park)

1. Ben Nevis, Scotland

Thinking of taking on the three peaks?

Comments

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Girne Kyrenia Cyprus: A Guide to a Mediterranean Hidden Gem

Best Gyms in Enfield: A Comprehensive Guide from a Local

The Gymsy Traveller