This is the experience of the Yorkshire Peaks Challenge submitted by Team FT in 2010.
Well folks we have done it again; the FT team came, climbed and conquered the Yorkshire Three Peaks on Saturday 17th April 2010 raising over £1,100 for the worthy Youth Cancer Trust. It was a tremendous challenge, with everybody stepping up to the mark and giving 110%!
Here is our story in more detail
After arriving at the Craven Heifer near Settle in Yorkshire on Friday night (some earlier than others due to shoe related memory lapses – Mr and Mrs Godsall!), the team got straight into their elite athlete training and headed straight to the bar. After a couple of preparatory libations we were set for a good nights sleep. This didn’t include Nick and Terry who locked their key in their bedroom and offended some neighbours with their pillow talk.
We arose bright and early to a beautiful Saturday morning and set off at 7:30am sharp from Horton-in-Ribblesdale. We followed the circular route taken by most walkers but did the summits in the reverse order (or as we liked to say “we did it the right way) hitting Ingleborough (2,372ft) first followed by Whernside (2,415ft) then Pen-y-ghent (2,276ft). The walk is 24.5 miles in length over various terrains. For once mother nature was on our side and due to a prolonged dry spell leading up to the challenge, the ordinarily boggie sections were not too bad. This is with the exception of the walk to the final summit at Pen-y-ghent where our very own Terry Wright was taken from us and transformed into a mud monster following a wrong step.
A very strenuous walk, the FT team strode out and kept a quick pace finally returning to the starting point in 10 hours 34 minutes (a very competitive time). As is always the case, for people who had been sapped of all energy, we shot to the hotel like bullets and quenched our thirsts like the stealthy ninja’s we were. The likes of Hamilton and Button would have a tough job keeping up with Kirstin, Dan and Terry who drove like mentalists to the Craven at light speed. The sense of pride and joy at completing this challenge was clear to see on the faces (some slightly sunburnt faces; Steve, Liz!) of the team. After asking “where’s Nick” we all relaxed and talked about our adventure before retiring to our rooms to refresh and hit the dining room.
Now here comes the real challenge. Anybody who has ever stayed at the Craven Heifer will be well aware of the portion sizes. We had all encountered their seriously grand sized pies the night before and thought given the days antics we deserved a royal feeding. That being said Nick, Steve, Terry and Kirstin ordered the Farmhouse Grill comprising of 2 sausages, 2 burgers, 2 rashers of bacon, 2 bits of black pudding, an egg, onions rings, tomato, veg and chips. Man alive! It was a heart attack on a plate and possibly more challenging than the walk itself. Needless to say we didn’t finish them. Steve Smith probably won it for the London Office, as his plate looked the emptiest. When Nick had left the table to powder his nose he returned to a plate full of everyone’s left overs and an angry cook asking him why he did finish his dinner to which he replied “Erm!”
With weary legs and blistered feet we returned home and thought what the hell will George and Kirstin rope us into next!