Three Peaks Challenge 2012

Many thanks to Dr Saxon Ridley for organising such a successful event!

The aims of the Three Peaks Challenge were to raise the Foundation’s public profile and generate unrestricted funds to support the Foundation’s research efforts. The Challenge is to climb the three highest peaks on mainland UK within 24 hours. In all the participants are required to walk 24 miles, climb 10,000 ft and travel over 1100 miles.

By the end of March, all the places were taken by Ian Tweedie (Consultant Intensivist at the Walton Centre), Ian Hicks (Consultant Intensivist at The Conquest Hospital), Lindsay Bisiker (Postgraduate at Oxford), Jeremy Fowke (Eli Lilly), Helen Eggar (Physiotherapist at Cambridge), Chris Harrison, Martin Jenks, Tony Rigden and Lynn McCready, all of Fresenius Kabi UK. Ian Ridley of Mountain-Skills was in charge of mountain safety while I drove and provided logistic support (i.e. tea, sandwiches and scones) at the end of each climb.

The minibus set off from North Wales at 05:30 on a sunny Tuesday morning. Despite the poor forecast, the weather remained fine as we drove north. We picked up Chris, Martin, Lindsay and Lynn en route. The views of Loch Lomond, Glencoe and Loch Linnhe were spectacular. Unlike the first year when the event was held over a weekend, the car parks and mountains were much less crowded. This made the whole event feel more like an expedition. After taking on supplies at Fort William, the team was ready for their 4000 ft initial climb at 16:53. The cloud level was above the summit and the temperature was warm with mild winds.

After what seemed like a very short time, the group returned in good spirits at just before 21:30. After a hot drink, freshly made sandwiches and jammed scones, we bundled into the minibus for the six hour night time drive to Wasdale Head in the south western area of the Lakes.
The governor on the minibus limited our progress to a maximum of 62 mph! Fortunately at that time of night traffic was light but we passed under belts of rain. When we arrived at the start point for Scafell Pike, the car park was empty (most unusual) and so at 04:00, the team set off in reasonably good spirits bearing in mind the sleep they had not had. There was cloud but the rain seemed to have passed.

If you would like to take part in a Foundation run fundraising event then please contact Nina Taylor nina@ics.ac.uk