Smiling through the Fatigue

It's a testament to pointing a camera lens at people that my companions in the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge should still be smiling after 22 miles and more than 12 hours of walking/climbing/scrambling over mountains.

Mark, Louise, Russ, Kathy, Joe, Ben and Sam had endured the trials and tribulations of the challenge, only two of them ever having walked this far before in their lives, with a stoicism and spirit of adventure that had me smiling throughout the day.  I had a good idea what we were letting ourselves in for, and it proved every bit as challenging as expected, yet they kept going despite various aches, pains and fatigue.  There were cries of anguish at times, particularly when the downhill sections became steeper and unforgiving.

20 years ago, some of the older members of the party, including me, tackled the National Three Peaks Challenge as part of Russ's 40th birthday celebrations.  It was my first real experience of mountain walking and it has remained one of my enduring favourite things to do since.  I only wish I'd still got a 40 year old body to use nowadays!  I remember telling Russ at the end of that challenge that next time he decided to do something like this, 'don't call me'!  Well that didn't happen and in many ways I sowed the seed of the idea for this walk.

This time Russ had his whole family with him.  His wife, Louise was joined by their three sons and I know how much it meant to Russ that they all did it together.