Some of our lads completed the 3 Peak Challenge. Well done to all those who participated.
Posted on
September 23, 2022
By
The day started bright and early for the participants raising money for The Christie at Macclesfield, in memory of our late colleague Andy Tarrant. Meeting at 6am team A&F were on the road by 4:30am, with bags full of flapjacks, energy bars, sweets and plenty of water!
As the walk was part of the three peaks challenge, there were 140 people taking part on the day split into groups of around 12. A&F were round 9 to set off, so leaving at around 6:40 (5 minute intervals between set off’s). As part of the challenge, the aim is to complete in 12 hours. With 3 mountains and 24.3 miles of walking to do, it’s pure endurance and is definitely no easy task, even for the most experienced of hikers.
Upon leaving base camp, the first imposing mountain was in clear view. Ingleborough at 723m is the second largest peak, but by far the most striking, it’s a straight up burst, steep and a real leg burner to start the walk. We lost 2 members at this stage. They made a great effort to take part and this in itself is commendable. Sometimes on hikes like this, you can feel ready but as soon as you hit some real elevation, your legs have a way of finding old injuries!
So now team A&F made it up Ingleborough and the enormity of the task really hit home for some. Making our way back down the mountain, it was a steady 8 miles or so through rough terrain to Pen-Y-Ghent. It was during this stage that team A&F were starting to find their feet and their pace really picked up. After passing a few groups, this gave team A&F a bit of belief that this group of mainly non walkers and Sunday strollers had a little something about them and we're actually pretty good at this!
Upon reaching Pen-Y-Ghent, the team starting in 9th position, 40 minutes later than those in 1st position were now pretty much caught up with the leading pack. Pen-Y-Ghent is the smallest (ha) of the mountains at 694m, but each of these 3 peaks have their own caricaturists of how they can batter your legs and again, this was a hike up bit a bit more prolonged than its previous. That said, the team ever growing in confidence, showed some of the team spirit that is shown daily in the workplace and spurred each other on. It was rocking and some big steps required / a bit of scrambling when near the top but the team got to the top, admired the views and cracked on!
Now you’d imagine the hardest part would be done with two mountains down. But this is where you’d be mistaken, the walk from Pen-Y-Ghent to Whernside is over 10 miles. So a walk of around 3 hours from one to the next is quite a drag after already walking around 8 miles and climbing two mountains, this is where the mental strength is required. This didn’t faze team A&F though, as they smashed those walls down. After several hours / bags of Haribo’s / emergency toilet stops / half broken spirits, the team finally reached a much welcome sign post – ‘’Whernside – 4.5 miles’’. 4.5 miles in anyone’s language is a steady walk, but this was 4.5 miles of solidly walking up a mountain. 4.5 miles of pure agony for the legs. Heads down and stare at feet time!
After the very long slog up Whernside, we had made it. The final summit, the tallest summit at 736m, with great views of Morecambe bay to one side and the Lake District to the other, the sun was now out and the sense of achievement made all that pain worthwhile. With a few mile walk back down the mountain and to the starting point, the broken spirits now had a sense of pride and rightly so. This challenge is notably one of the toughest in the country and to attempt it is a valiant effort. 5069ft, 24.3 miles, 50,000 steps and 10.5 hours of being on your feet.
Team A&F got to the end finishing with a time of around 10.5 hours. The actual time taking away all the stoppages for other groups etc was closer to 8.5 hours, which either way you look at it is such a fantastic achievement for the level of experience amongst the walkers. Team A&F finished around 1 hour before any of the other teams, this really does show you the sense of the achievement. The most important thing though on the day, was to raise money for Andy’s charity and raise further awareness for cancer. Thank you to all those who donated. Team A&F have, to date, raised £1565 but it is not too late to donate now, as every penny counts - https://lnkd.in/ecMjcqSb
The day started bright and early for the participants raising money for The Christie at Macclesfield, in memory of our late colleague Andy Tarrant. Meeting at 6am team A&F were on the road by 4:30am, with bags full of flapjacks, energy bars, sweets and plenty of water!
As the walk was part of the three peaks challenge, there were 140 people taking part on the day split into groups of around 12. A&F were round 9 to set off, so leaving at around 6:40 (5 minute intervals between set off’s). As part of the challenge, the aim is to complete in 12 hours. With 3 mountains and 24.3 miles of walking to do, it’s pure endurance and is definitely no easy task, even for the most experienced of hikers.
Upon leaving base camp, the first imposing mountain was in clear view. Ingleborough at 723m is the second largest peak, but by far the most striking, it’s a straight up burst, steep and a real leg burner to start the walk. We lost 2 members at this stage. They made a great effort to take part and this in itself is commendable. Sometimes on hikes like this, you can feel ready but as soon as you hit some real elevation, your legs have a way of finding old injuries!
So now team A&F made it up Ingleborough and the enormity of the task really hit home for some. Making our way back down the mountain, it was a steady 8 miles or so through rough terrain to Pen-Y-Ghent. It was during this stage that team A&F were starting to find their feet and their pace really picked up. After passing a few groups, this gave team A&F a bit of belief that this group of mainly non walkers and Sunday strollers had a little something about them and we're actually pretty good at this!
Upon reaching Pen-Y-Ghent, the team starting in 9th position, 40 minutes later than those in 1st position were now pretty much caught up with the leading pack. Pen-Y-Ghent is the smallest (ha) of the mountains at 694m, but each of these 3 peaks have their own caricaturists of how they can batter your legs and again, this was a hike up bit a bit more prolonged than its previous. That said, the team ever growing in confidence, showed some of the team spirit that is shown daily in the workplace and spurred each other on. It was rocking and some big steps required / a bit of scrambling when near the top but the team got to the top, admired the views and cracked on!
Now you’d imagine the hardest part would be done with two mountains down. But this is where you’d be mistaken, the walk from Pen-Y-Ghent to Whernside is over 10 miles. So a walk of around 3 hours from one to the next is quite a drag after already walking around 8 miles and climbing two mountains, this is where the mental strength is required. This didn’t faze team A&F though, as they smashed those walls down. After several hours / bags of Haribo’s / emergency toilet stops / half broken spirits, the team finally reached a much welcome sign post – ‘’Whernside – 4.5 miles’’. 4.5 miles in anyone’s language is a steady walk, but this was 4.5 miles of solidly walking up a mountain. 4.5 miles of pure agony for the legs. Heads down and stare at feet time!
After the very long slog up Whernside, we had made it. The final summit, the tallest summit at 736m, with great views of Morecambe bay to one side and the Lake District to the other, the sun was now out and the sense of achievement made all that pain worthwhile. With a few mile walk back down the mountain and to the starting point, the broken spirits now had a sense of pride and rightly so. This challenge is notably one of the toughest in the country and to attempt it is a valiant effort. 5069ft, 24.3 miles, 50,000 steps and 10.5 hours of being on your feet.
Team A&F got to the end finishing with a time of around 10.5 hours. The actual time taking away all the stoppages for other groups etc was closer to 8.5 hours, which either way you look at it is such a fantastic achievement for the level of experience amongst the walkers. Team A&F finished around 1 hour before any of the other teams, this really does show you the sense of the achievement. The most important thing though on the day, was to raise money for Andy’s charity and raise further awareness for cancer. Thank you to all those who donated. Team A&F have, to date, raised £1565 but it is not too late to donate now, as every penny counts - https://lnkd.in/ecMjcqSb
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