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19th Feb 2011 - Well done to everyone who completed this challenge...

Weather reports for the weekend suggested very wintery conditions, with high winds, hail and snow. The predictions were not wrong. All of the walkers were up by 6.30am ready for their breakfast (cooked by our Merseyventure staff) in the bunkbarn, and the bacon and eggs were good preparation for the 13.5 hours of pain in front of them. At 7am, as I went outside of the bunkhouse in Horton-In-Ribblesdale, the large snowflakes were blowing horizontally across the car park. It was going to be a hard day...

The team was made up of 12 walkers preparing for their national Three Peaks Challenges later in the year, and this was the perfect training event..! 25 miles of inhospitable weather... Loverly ;-)

The light was just beginning to draw over the car park as the team departed, at 7.30am, a little behind schedule as Tony donned his many warm layers. Keith aslo joined the group at the start.

Our support vehicle was waiting at Ings Farm to offer warm drinks after Pen-Y-Ghent and the 'moss', and then again with soup and pasta at Ribblehead. Carl and Henry (dog) now joined the team as they climbed up into the mist and snowline again, heading for Whernside.

The next meeting was at Philpin Lane, along with a rather unfriendly local farmer. Philpin Lane is a public road with public rights of way, and is maintained by the public purse, despite his protests that it belongs to him..! The team were keen to carry on, and strode off towards Ingleborough as light faded.

13 hours and 30 minutes later, every one of the team triumphantly arrived at the bunkhouse, completing their winter challenge - very well done..! This was very good going in what can only be described as truly 'challenging' conditions.

To see some images from this Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, please click here.

To enter one of our Three Peaks events - click here.

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