I attempted the UK National 3 Peaks Challenge in October 2024 with my good mate Sav. Lol — we flopped. Got so close to Ben Nevis’ summit, but our guide didn’t let us continue due to dumbass constraints.
But Kaj doesn’t give up!
Summited Ben Nevis on May 31 2025 😉
Yes, I did the 3 Peaks Challenge again. And no — I did not enjoy Ben Nevis one single bit.
Huffing. Puffing. Bitching. Moaning. Endless grey trek. No summit view. Horrendous hail making an already jarring climb significantly more tapped. And then you have to get down. -.-
Somewhere in the middle of that misery, Chris — a Scottish mountaineer buddy — goes: haha it’s funny isn’t it, how we hate it in the moment, but keep coming back for more?
And weirdly, that made me feel better.
Because even someone as machine-like as Chris just admitted he too hates the moments on a mountain. I thought it was just me.
That’s when he explained something mountaineers know well: Type-2 Fun. Type-2 Happiness.
You hate it while you’re in it. But you crave it after.
So that’s why I keep going back to the mountains… Peak two was Scafell Pike.
That’s where I injured my knee. Tears from the pain. Guide turned me back.
I was pissed.
Because I did not rebook this challenge with the intention of coming back for a third. This was supposed to be my training ground for Kilimanjaro the following month.
Tears were shed. Breakdowns were made.
I don’t even know why I assigned myself this crazy ass task to be the thing that saved me from whatever crap I was battling inside unbeknownst to me.
The next morning, I woke up ready for war.
Well — Snowdon.
No one gets to take this away from me.
They said Snowdon was the most beautiful. Sunrise views. Warm coffee at a summit café.
Did I mention I’d injured my knee on Scafell Pike?
Yep.
I climbed up and down Snowdon with that same injured knee.
And somehow — it vanished next to my defiant decision to conquer Snowdon no matter what.
And when I reached that summit?
TYPE-2 HAPPINESS EMBODIMENT MAXED OUT.
SHE WON'T SIT STILL OR SHUT UP 
Leave a comment