Good morning everyone. Well as you may know I did my Yorkshire Three Peaks charity hike yesterday, in aid of the Saying Goodbye charity; they offer support for those who have lost babies during early pregnancy/birth, like I have. HOW DID I DO? I did record my exploits, which I will edit for you all to watch...The route takes in Yorkshires three highest peaks of Penyghent, Whernside (the highest) and finally Ingleborough; it is approx. 24 miles or so. Leaving my wife Sara and son Ben at Horton in Ribblesdale, I set off for Penyghent with my brother in law Simon Woodward at 6.50am at a steady pace (Im not the fittest person in the world, lol). At 8.15am we had reached the trig-point (the highest point of the mountain), before setting off on the descent and the journey to Whernside. It was clear even at this time of the day that it was going to be extremely hot. We met Sara and Ben at the Ribbleshead Viaduct (brilliant piece of Victorian engineering), for refreshments top-up and a sarnie; it was 11.30am. Both Simon and I did some running repairs to our feet (taped them up basically, as the dreaded sores and blisters were just beginning to make themselves known). Off we set again...The walk just to get to the start of Whernside is a real long slog, and for the most part is a long incline with differing terrain underfoot: one minute its a flat path, the next its loose rock and boulders, or even huge stone slabs arranged like steps (of a fashion!). This section can be quite demoralising as you can see the ridge of Whernside and the people on it, but the route meanders and wanders up and down, for ages before you actually get to the beginning of the ascent to the actual ridge. Temperature now was about 26-27°c and I was drinking fluids like they were going out of fashion (Id go on to drink 10ltrs throughout the hike!). My feet were now beginning to let me know that they were not entirely happy about doing this, as they were now at this point quite painful on the sole...and my left knee was now joining them in a vote sympathy (my knee support had been on a good while already). Eventually with sweat pouring off we got to the start of the ascent proper to Whernside ridge, it was horrendously hot now, and just to rub it in we walked past a lake/pond which - if it wasnt 300yds away downhill - was looking a good bet to jump into...but I really could not bothered, I was that zapped lol. So onward and literally upward we reached the trig-point to Whernside. Woo-hoo! After a small respite we then started our descent off of Yorkshires highest peak, and within a few minutes the terrain and angle of descent soon changed; steeper and over rocky outcrops, where one wrong move (or not picking your feet up properly) meant you were likely to end up with a face full of mountainside. Again this was another slow slog of varying angles...but the final section was a nightmare; a steep descent over a rocky trail (again, almost like steps in a warped kind of way), which battered the feet awfully; one member of a party actually did this section on their backside, it was that awkward - and probably safer too! But despite the now considerable pain in feet and knee - and the blazing sun relentlessly bearing down on us - we finished this section. At this point - and as a timely reminder of how dangerous this place can be if youre not careful - the mountain rescue chopper buzzed overhead, eventually landing on the summit of Whernside from where wed just been; someone had pitched over, smashing their leg on the rocks, which had swollen badly and could not be moved...Now it was yet another section of concrete slab-steps, which seemed to be everlasting, eventually giving way to a - you guessed it - a rock-strewn, uneven trail. After a considerable while - it seemed! - we hit a proper path which headed out toward the final mountain of Ingleborough. It was here that we had arranged to meet Sara and Ben again for another liquid top up, before going on. However, I was now beginning to hobble along rather than walk. My feet were seriously done-in, and the final rocky descent off Whernside had jarred my knee something terrible. Im not stupid, and with effectively another 7 miles to go, which included the ascent/descent of Ingleborough itself - the second highest peak - I knew I simply could not go on, my spirit was willing but I was in too much pain, and I have to think of the consequences if I had forced myself on; being stuck on a rocky mountainside in no fit state to walk is a dangerous situation, and I am sure that mountain rescue have more urgent call-outs to attend, rather than that of a man stuck on the mountain for making a stupid decision. When I got back to the campsite where Sara and Ben had been based I was in that much pain and that drained I experienced a bout of uncontrollable shivering (perhaps the sun and temperature was to blame also?). I was absolutely gutted and very emotional at not being able to complete this hike, not only for those people - mums and dads who have experienced losses and those that they lost - that this hike was dedicated to, but also for our 5 little angels. () I will complete the Ingleborough section at some point and will dedicate it to all those I have just mentioned. X Incidentally we had hiked for 10 HOURS! As I said, I will pop the edited video up on YouTube and provide the link as soon as I can. I would like to thank my brilliant bro-in-law Simon Woody Woodward for putting up with me, and for the encouragement shown. Simon actually continued to fly the flag for the cause, and went on to complete the Three Peaks in my absence: NICE ONE BRO, and thanks! And to Sara and Ben for being our fantastic refreshment crew! ;-) And last but not least I would like to thank ALL OF YOU who donated to this fundraiser in aid of the Saying Goodbye charity; YOU ARE ALL HEROES X :-)
Posted on: Sun, 27 Jul 2014 09:06:04 +0000