Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page to sponsor me in aid of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys.

We started the challenge on Saturday 23 June in appalling weather (the wettest weekend for 100 years). The walks up and down each peak against the clock were tough, almost as tough being squashed into the back of my car for what seemed like an entire weekend surrounded by sodden walking gear, knees to chin, while we drove in a freightingly (for my passengers) aggressive manner along the bends and hairpins through the almost deserted highlands, Dipping and weaving between caravans and coaches not prepaired to match 'full speed'.

Ben Nevis was first and extremely arduous. It was a busy highway of climbers. The summit was still snow capped and the freezing clouds, howling winds and hard rain took visibility to 20 yards but I was happy to have made it in such a harsh environment. We and all the gear were saturated at the end of it. But we felt strangely full of energy and ready for the next peak - so I hit the gas.

Scafell Pike was tougher. This was curiously void of people as it was 23:30hrs when the team went up. Not the most pleasant experience on a mountain for the lads, I can tell you. There were just a few headlamps in the distance that belonged to other climbers doing their own challenges. The rain did not let up for a second. There was a swollen river to cross that was knee deep with fast  moving white water… and the route after was so steep. Also, it was pitch black - so no reference points to guide us, at dawn we reached the bottom after crossing 1 million boulders and even though fatigue was now a real issue and the tormenting waves of midges were in constant attack mode, we had to push on (thanks to Michael and the GPS system for saving the expedition - again)

We hopped into the car and escaped at the best speed I could safely do in the traitorous conditions, dodging sheep on the narrow lanes. We continued on into the early hours of the morning, looking for somewhere to get dry (again). Apparently I did get 3 hours sleep at this stage. I managed to get one of the others to take a turn at the wheel as I was breaking matchsticks with my eye lids and didn’t want to take any chances on the road - the rumble strips bringing on the cry "BLACK STUFF"!!!

We saw a rare sight when we arrived in Snowdonia…the Sun. It put in a brief appearance for the last peak. The quaint little railway up it looked appealing, but a challenge is a challenge – so we started up the Pyg route in high spirits.

I was impressed by the whole team at this stage. Tom and I were actually starting to enjoy the whole phenomenon, the fresh air and exercise. The trip back down was tough on the knees and between our blisters caused by sheer water volume after so much rain and my Achilles Tendons being as tight as piano wire I was relieved to get back to the hotel in one piece.

We probably all looked comical as we tried to go up and down the stairs! I was comatosed almost instantly and knew nothing of seized muscles and pain till the morning…the best and most deserved sleep I have had for many a year.

1250 miles covered by road from Luton, 10,961 feet total assent on our routes that spanned over 26 miles and when all told - the challenge took us 28 hours to complete.

Thanks to all those who have shown their support and have sponsored me for the 2015 festival. Special thanks to the brethren of Someries and Biscot Lodges, the Staff at Network Rail (special thanks to Michael Theodore for his encouragement) and all the friends and family who have helped us reach 86% of our goal – one last push from the province will help us hit the target! 

To those that didn’t sponsor, maybe having read this may change your mind???

Work like providing in-kind support to Lifelites and the Stepping Stones scheme that has made grants to:

• Aspire
• British Schools Exploring Society
• Centrepoint
• Family Support Work
• Feed the Children (UK)
• Friendship Works
• Home-Start Sutton
• Motability
• National Literacy Trust
• Sailors' Children's Society
• The Roundhouse Trust
• Trax: Motor Project
• Venturers Search and Rescue
• WellChild
• Young Lives Foundation

all helping reduce severe child poverty by breaking the link between the lack of access to education and the cycle of poverty, all part of the RMTGB. With your donation, this work will continue and go from strength to strength.

Thanks to you all,

John / Tom