Peaky Climbers!

Four intrepid explorers. Three peaks. One Derby-based event space. This is the writeup of the DCC Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge 2019!

What an achievement. On 5th October, our hiking enthusiasts – Rebecca Prime, Jessica Wood, Eleanor Sainsbury and Richard Hindley – took to the Dales of Yorkshire to raise a bit of money for me&dee. Through all the blood, sweat and tears (alright, there wasn’t any blood) they managed to raise a whopping £1,800. We’re mega proud of them all for their absolutely stellar effort.

You don’t just turn up and climb the Three Peaks, however. In the build-up to the big day, the team went through a rigorous training regime. Throughout 2019, they bested Snowdon (no mean feat in itself!), took up veritable residence in the local gym (will they keep it up? Let’s find out) and even marched around Edale’s Kinder Scout Trail twice in on stint. That’s about 17 miles – or like walking from Derby to Nottingham and a bit further.

If the training was tough, the climb itself was even tougher. After camping out for two nights, the climb started pretty well. The predicted rainfall held off – and the elements were mercifully calm as the team made the ascent.

The three mountains – Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent – have a combined height of 7,064 feet. Yes, ok, they’re not exactly stacked on top of each other, but 7,064 feet of ascent is the same distance as getting to the top of Kilimanjaro (and then carrying on a bit). Only you’re in Yorkshire.

The final third of the trip, up Pen-y-ghent, was the most mentally challenging. Notoriously steep, the physical strain was almost too much for the team. In the end, however, they prevailed. The view from the top, by all accounts, was well worth sweating out in the chilly Yorkshire breeze.

We asked the team why they’d decided to take on the challenge: “We think it’s incredibly important to support local charities. But why just hold a bake sale or a BBQ – we wanted to take on a new challenge that none of us had done before. And it’s safe to say we smashed it!” Very well put indeed.

The team are looking for another challenge for 2020 – one that tests them even more than the 2019 expedition. Answers on a postcard, please.

me&dee is a charity that supports families through difficult times and circumstances. They organise special memory holidays for people whose time is precious – it really is a great cause to fundraise for.