A pair of adventurers will take on the Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge this summer in support of a ‘dear and lovely friend’ who is being helped by Weston Hospicecare.
Wendy Clarkson and Michelle Nalley will lace up their hiking boots on 13 July to tackle the ‘beast’ of a route, which involves a hike of 26 miles and an ascent of 5,249 feet – all within just 12 hours.
The duo will complete a formidable feat of stamina by scaling Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, but will be spurred on by the knowledge they are doing so on behalf of a charity which has been supporting Wendy’s friend Sarah.
Wendy says she and Michelle – who met at Michelle’s gym – found a shared passion for outdoor adventure, but wanted to do ‘something big’ this year and use that challenge to support something important.
Wendy said: “This is a beast of a thing requiring a high level of fitness and some serious endurance; we have a window of 12 hours to climb three mountains and get to the pub on time for dinner.
“What is the point in just doing it though? We can enjoy the training, the event, the euphoria, the self-satisfaction, the short lived glory and the memories but why not add a new purpose?
“I met Sarah in work a long time ago when we worked for a retail company. Sarah has always inspired and supported me, in and out of work. She has made me a better version of me with her kind words and intelligent counsel.
“Sarah is a very dear and lovely friend. She is now living with a life-limiting illness.
“We asked Sarah to choose who we should raise money for and she gave us two options. We chose Weston Hospicecare because I know that she receives great care from (the hospice) and while she is living with such mind-muddling thoughts and worries, its support is worth more than just money.”
Training is well under way, and has seen the pair topping some of the most challenging peaks in the Midlands, as well as scaling Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales.
Wendy added: “We are now spending weekends in a tent, stomping about in mountains and enduring the indecisive British weather.
“To be honest, our weekend reports read like a 10-year-old excitedly chattering on; at the weekend we climbed a mountain, we climbed up rocks, we had to walk through a river, we made a camp fire. The training is tough but amazing.
“We have a few weekends left to get some more ascents and miles in to make sure we are ready and also to get some photos on social media to encourage people to dig deep and donate.”
Anyone who would like to donate in support of Wendy and Michelle’s efforts can do so by logging on to their JustGiving page.
Weston Hospicecare’s challenge manager Simon Angear said: “We’re extremely fortunate that people are willing to push themselves to such extremes on behalf of the hospice, and Wendy and Michelle have certainly set themselves a formidable challenge.
“Everyone at the hospice is grateful for their support and wishes them well for the trek ahead. It will be tough, but I’m sure it will also prove an immensely rewarding experience too.”
Weston Hospicecare offers a wide range of exhilarating options for people looking to challenge themselves for a good cause, ranging from UK treks to a Sahara Desert expedition, and including things like skydiving, abseiling and wing-walking.
Find out more here.