The Best Mountain Challenges for 2025: Top Picks
With the year coming to a close and all the excitement of a fresh start ahead, many outdoor enthusiasts will be looking for the perfect mountain challenge for 2025. Having an event to work towards can be hugely motivating and gives us a reason to seek out new adventures and push ourselves a little harder and further. With this in mind, we wanted to publish our Six for 2025 – an inspiring list of the five mountain challenges you should consider for next year.
Welsh 3000s Challenge
In our humble opinion, there probably isn’t a tougher single-day mountain challenge in the UK than the fantastic Welsh 3000s. Taking in all 15 Welsh peaks that exceed 3,000 feet (roughly 900 metres), it crosses three mountain ranges – the Snowdon Massif, the Glyderau and the Carneddau – taking you on an epic adventure across the spectacular landscapes of Eryri.
Covering more than 30 miles (50 km) and featuring around 4,200 metres of ascent, the route requires excellent physical fitness, a good head for heights (you will be scrambling across Crib Goch), and a mental resilience that will keep you pushing on even as your tired legs tell you enough is enough and it’s time to call it a day.
At RAW Adventures, our team has extensive experience guiding individuals and groups through the Welsh 3000s. Our intimate knowledge of the route ensures you don’t have to worry about navigation and can make the most of our challenge expertise. As well as facilitating single-day challenges, we offer a three-day option that enables you to take things at a slower pace and enjoy the experience without worrying about cut-off times and finishing within the allotted time.
Check out our Welsh 3000s Challenge page »
Lakeland 24 Peaks Challenge
A two-day challenge (usually – some people do attempt a single-day hike) that sees you tackle 24 Lake District peaks, this is an excellent way to experience Lakeland’s natural beauty and visit some of its lesser-known summits, as well as more iconic peaks like Scafell Pike.
With the Lakeland 24 Peaks Challenge, there is no official route and participants can opt for a point-to-point linear route or a circular route that ensures you end up back where you started. Either way, the 24 peaks must all exceed 2,400 feet (roughly 730 metres). In completing the trek, you will likely trek around 30-35 miles (48-55 km) and have to ascend somewhere between 3,500 and 4,000 metres.
If you’re looking for help planning and executing the Lakeland 24 Peaks Challenge, our Climb Scafell Pike team are the people to talk to.
Edale Skyline
For the next mountain challenge, we head over to the Peak District to take a look at the Edale Skyline Challenge. A brilliant option if you want more of a physical than technical test, it generally involves walking well-established trails and Roman roads, so there is none of the scrambling you see in the Welsh 3000s route. It’s a 20-mile (32 km) route that features approximately 1,200 metres of ascent, includes breathtaking panoramic views and visits some truly iconic locations, including Kinder Scout (the site of the hugely important and influential Kinder Trespass) and the Great Ridge between Mam Tor and Lose Hill.
Ideal for those attempting their first long-distance walking challenge or preparing for harder challenges, you can expect to be walking for around 8-10 hours. As with all Peak District walks, the terrain is often boggy and wet, so make sure you’re appropriately dressed and your footwear is up to the task. The circular route means logistics are relatively simple, and walkers can start from almost anywhere on the route. That said, Hope tends to be the most popular starting point due to ease of access, ample parking and the diverse range of amenities.
Yorkshire 3 Peaks
Encompassing Pen-y-Ghent (694 metres), Ingleborough (723 metres) and Whernside (736 metres), the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge is a fantastic route in the north-east of England. Situated in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the challenge requires participants to scale all three mountains within 12 hours.
Beloved for the striking scenery, the route is 25 miles (40km) long and typically involves 1,600 metres of ascent. You can start in Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Chapel-le-Dale or Ribblehead, all of which have car parks available for visitors. If travelling by train, Horton-in-Ribblesdale is the best starting and finishing point.
Ring of Steall
Often talked of as the best ridgeline route in Scotland, the Ring of Steall is an absolute classic. Along a 10-mile (16 km) route, you will summit four Munros and enjoy plenty of scrambling along narrow, exposed arêtes. With around 1,800 metres of climbing, you can expect the challenge to take you somewhere between 9 and 12 hours, and the nature of the terrain makes this an exhausting and technically difficult day.
Located in the West Highlands, at the heart of the Mamores, the route is relatively easy to reach from Fort William, and there is a bus service that runs to the Lower Falls car park at the start of the walk. By the end of the walk, you will have summited An Gearanach, Stob Choire a Chàirn, Am Bodach and Sgùrr a’Mhaim, while also traversing Devil’s Ridge. If you’re looking for an unforgettable Highlands experience, this is the challenge for you.
If you want to know more about the Ring of Steall route or organise a group challenge, get in touch with our friendly Climb Ben Nevis team.
Lakeland 3000s
Another Lake District challenge to test your legs, the Lakeland 3000s involves summiting all four Lakeland peaks that exceed 3,000 feet (900 metres) – namely Scafell Pike, Scafell, Skiddaw and Helvellyn. This is usually attempted within 24 hours and the distance between the mountains makes this a really tough proposition. You can expect to cover over 45 miles (72 km) and ascend 3,350 metres, making it arguably more difficult than the Yorkshire Three Peaks, Lakeland 24 or the National Three Peaks.
We really can’t over-stress just how challenging this route is, so we recommend attempting other “easier” routes before committing. If you are considering the Lakeland 3000s, make sure to leverage our Climb Scafell Pike team’s local expertise.
Mountain challenges with RAW Adventures
RAW Mountain Leaders are highly experienced local experts who ensure you have the best chance of achieving your goals and completing your mountain challenge. From helping with navigation and keeping participants safe to providing pacing advice and guidance on the terrain ahead, they help you avoid many issues that cause trekkers trouble. We’re here to help whether you’re tackling a pacy, time-restricted challenge that requires careful planning or attempting a challenge over several days and want a guide that can take on the stress of navigational responsibilities so you can enjoy the experience.
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