Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Rackspace Talent

Stinging sleet, driving rain, howling wind, raging torrents and swollen rivers… Sounds like a typical British summer’s day and just perfect conditions for climbing the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales over the course of 24 hours.

20 intrepid Rackers (backed up by three sterling drivers) made their way up north one chilly July morning ready to push their bodies to the limit to raise funds for the UK’s wonderful new charity partner – the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation.

Our mountaineering Rackers climbing the 3 Peaks battled the kind of conditions you expect in February, got soaked through to their very marrow and endured tortured muscles and savaged skin but kept each other going in true Racker spirit – singing and bonding as they waded waist-deep through water and chipped ice off their nostrils.

Setting off at 5pm from Fort William in dry conditions, they soon found themselves wrapped in rain and mist as they scaled the 4409 ft of Ben Nevis (Scotland’s highest peak). The view from the top was a touch disappointing with visibility down to a few feet, but nothing could diminish the satisfaction of making it up their first mountain. One down, two to go.

A long drive back across the border and Scafell Pike in England’s Lake District National Park awaited. Rackers emerged stiff and aching from the mini buses in the wee small hours, and did it all again. Scafell might not be quite so high (at 3209 ft) but presented a different challenge with running water flowing at speed down the much steeper paths making the climb very slow-going and treacherous.

By the time the team reached Snowdon in the Welsh National Park, the goal of making it up 3560 ft and down again within their 24 hour deadline was looking doubtful. In the end only two turbo-charged Rackers – David Jewell and Amanda Henman – made it before the clock stopped ticking, but as far as we’re concerned that’s just a technicality given what the elements threw at them!

A huge slap on the back is well deserved by the team. Well done. We are all incredibly proud of you. And how much did they raise? Well, drum roll please…… An incredible £6,000!

Catherine Arkley, CEO of CLDF was over the moon:

“This is a fantastic effort and a brilliant amount of money raised. Thank you to those who took part and to everyone who has supported the team’s effort. What a great way to kick off Rackspace’s Charity of Year. The money raised will be used to fund our first response service to families and ensure that we can help families as they start their journey of caring for a child with liver disease. Well done Rackers! Here’s to a great year.”

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