Lauren Swainston, one of our Sales team based in our Leeds office, has braved the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge to raise money for a great local charity this June.
The Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge includes a 24-mile circular route in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The famous Peaks are Pen-y-ghent (694m), Whernside (736m), and Ingleborough (723m)—with over 1,500 meters of total ascent. Many of the peaks are incredibly steep and have scramble sections in parts so it’s certainly not a walk in the park! It is often compared as an equivalent to a full marathon in distance with the added difficulty of significant elevation gain as an extra element to tackle throughout the challenge.
Lauren participated in the challenge as part of a group called the Rambling Rascals, fuelled by goodies from the iconic Betty’s Tearooms.
Reflecting on the experience, Lauren said
“It was a long day, up at 5am and not back in York until gone 11pm, but absolutely worth it… we managed a move time of 10hrs 7minutes and 12 hours total.
To be honest, I was out of breath within the first 30 minutes, so I’m genuinely surprised I managed the whole thing. I even ran the last 100 metres to get to the pub!”
The challenge route was 43km in total and 60,500 steps – literally the longest hike I’ve ever done!”
The team are raising money for Open Country, a Yorkshire charity with over 35 years of experience working alongside disabled people, helping them to access and enjoy the countryside. What started as a small local scheme has now grown into a thriving charity with hubs in Harrogate, Wakefield, and Teesside. They deliver nearly 10,000 outdoor activity sessions each year – from tandem cycling to abseiling – reaching over 500 people with disabilities across Yorkshire.
Their charity motto is “Out There Together,” advocating for countryside conservation and access. Over the years, their members have planted thousands of trees, cleared and opened up hundreds of miles of footpaths, and played a crucial role in protecting Yorkshire’s natural spaces.
The team have managed to collectively raise over £1500 for OpenCountry on this challenge alone! If you would like to donate to support Lauren’s superb effort, you can use the link below –
