6 walkers, 3 peaks, 24 hours all for one good cause - Help for Heroes!
Hello everybody, Team Lightwater has completed the three peak challenge in a very respectable 29.5hrs, a big congrats to all, especially Abi, Kev, James and Lee.
Six of us set off from Bagshot at 11am on Friday morning, arriving at our hotel at 10pm, some road trip. Upon arrival we dumped the bags in the rooms and headed straight for the bar. A quick beer or two was the initial thought....... Abi, the only sensible one, retired and prepared her self for the next day, the rest of us were not so sensible. My fellow team members had decided to try and sample all of the different whisky’s Scotland has to offer.....
After breakfast we finished are drive to Fort William, stopping once at the Green Welly Shop, and stocked up on sweets before we set off for the foot of 'The Ben'. At exactly 4.30pm we crossed the bridge and began are accent of Ben Nevis, no more then half an hour in had it dawned on us the mammoth task ahead but in good spirit we marched on to the summit. After walking through the snow and freezing wind we reached the peak after 3 hrs and 10 minutes. We stopped for a few photo’s and some jelly babies then it was straight back down. We reached the bridge again 5 hrs and 24 minutes after leaving it. Quick toilet stop and it was off to Scarfel.
After 6 hours of driving, well-done Lee and Kev, we reached Scarfel on a very wet and miserable Sunday morning, and at 5.15am we set about peak number two. Some clever person decided it would be easier on the team if we took the shortest route up the hill, the shortest route happened to be very very steep and shortly after an hour into the climb it clamed its first victim, me, which I guess was karma as I also choose the route.... It rained for most of the way up, and seamed to only get worse the higher we went but despite this the team, in the face of adversity, hot the peak after only 2hrs 45minutes. We didn’t hang around long up hear, quick snap, then straight down over the rocks to the bottom. It was a tough climb down, especially on the knees but the team made it to the end in an awesome, total time 5hrs and 50minutes. After a driver swap and a quick toilet break we hit the road again to north Wales and Snowdon.
With a four hour drive ahead of us and the weather closing in we realised we were going to be tight for the 24hrs but determined not to be defeated JohnZ got the most out of the bus, which incidentally leaks like a sieve from every window, the roof vent and even the doors and the dashboard, but eventually we made the foot of Snowdon and at 5pm we set off to conquer the summit. We set off up the Pyg Track, unfortunately I was forced to turn back and join John in the mini bus for an early bath, old age got the better of my knees, but Abi, James, Lee and Kev pushed on and took one for the team. I’m told the weather was rather nasty the further they went, and due to this there is just the one pic of the team on the summit of Snowdon, which will be posted shortly. The team then decided to take a slightly easier, yet longer route down. AT this point the team were soaked through, blisters were starting to form, and knees were shot, it was an emotional time for the team. Whilst the team were up Snowdon getting wet JohnZ and I decided it would be nice to get out of the leaky bus and have a hot chocolate, so we did. And we waited, and we waited. The rain soon stopped, the wind picked up and people kept on coming down the mountain but no sign of Team Lightwater. With no communication between the team and the bus it is fair to say we were getting a little worried. 5 hours passed and by this point we were the only bus left in the car park, and it would seam our team were the only ones on the mountain. Darkness fell, and at about 10.15pm a flicker of light appeared on the mountain, Team Lightwater were safe, and some 29.5hrs after we set off up Ben Nevis the challenge was complete.....A big congratulations to everyone , Abi, John, Lee, James and Kev on a job well done.
Also a big thank you to all of you who have donated, we are up to 15% of are target, some £615 but there is still time to donate, and you can do this by visiting www.justgiving.com/lightwaterrfc
Much love to you all Chris
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