On Saturday 21 May 2022, 43 employees from Chase de Vere set out to complete the Yorkshire 3-Peaks challenge to raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Starting and finishing in Horton-in-Ribblesdale, this 24-mile walk includes three of the best-known peaks in Yorkshire – Pen-y-Ghent (694 metres), Whernside (736 metres) and Ingleborough (723 metres).
Employees travelled from Cambridge, London, Bath, Cardiff and Birmingham, while a coach, leaving at 6am, transported a number of our colleagues from Manchester, including our Chief Executive Officer, Kathleen Gallagher.
There was nervous excitement as everybody gathered in the car park at 8am, ready to start, especially as many of our colleagues had never taken on anything like this before and were moving completely out of their comfort zone.
The first peak, Pen-y-Ghent, proved much steeper than many of our walkers were expecting, and they needed to use their hands to pull themselves up to reach the summit. However, following the descent, they were then treated to an enjoyable walk in the glorious Yorkshire countryside towards the second peak.
Ascending Whernside didn’t require any rock-climbing skills, but it was a very long grind upwards, sapping the strength from our walkers’ legs, but not their spirits. This was followed by a steep descent, which wasn’t particularly appreciated by those with fragile knees, ankles or hips.
Ingleborough was considered to be the hardest peak, and as our walkers looked upwards it was a daunting sight, especially as legs were now tired. However, this didn’t stop 37 of our colleagues from conquering this final peak and standing triumphant at the top.
The job was not yet complete, as there was still a long walk back to the start, on rocky surfaces. However, inspired by the finishing line and the prospect of a welcome drink at the end, our intrepid walkers completed the challenge, and each was cheered by their colleagues as they arrived at the finish. Our walkers were battered and bruised with lots of aches and pains, but every single one was smiling.
And….we raised more than £8,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, which Chase de Vere has agreed to match, so we’ll donate about £16,000 to this fantastic charity !!