HARDY FLEETWOOD CADETS BATTLE ELEMENTS FOR CHARITY

Posted: 10:31AM - Wed 25th June 2008

24 June 2008

Cadets and staff acted as marshals for the British and International Sailors' Society/Cargill Three Peaks Challenge 2008 on Helvellyn for the second consecutive time this weekend.

The event is held every two years and involves teams from various financial houses climbing three of Britain's highest peaks in 24 hours: Ben Nevis, Helvellyn and Snowdon.

The College Team arrived on Saturday afternoon and established a base camp at the foot of the mountain, then climbed to the summit.  Pairs of cadets were left at seven points along the route, with provisions and shelter.  These stations marked the route to keep the runners away from the sheer drops in the dark, and to facilitate communications.

Our ascent was hampered by strong winds, cold, and driving rain, but the summit teams had finally overcome their wildly thrashing tents and encamped by 1900.  After a hot drink, staff and students bedded down in damp sleeping bags to warm up and wait for the teams of runners to arrive.

Before leaving College, Nathan Hackney, the Campus Enrichment Co-ordinator organising and marshalling this year had said "Helvellyn is a challenging classic Lakeland peak that will test the participants' navigation, fitness, teamwork and willingness to succeed."

This year the weather was very different from the 2006 Challenge, and Helvellyn lived up to his assessment.  Four coaches of teams, fresh from their successful climb of Ben Nevis, arrived at about 0100 on Sunday morning to tackle our mountain.  One coach load aborted on the way to the summit, while those that made it to the top were cheerfully greeted by the chilly marshals.

The weather had deteriorated further by 0230, and the ascent was aborted.  The marshals returned to their tents to warm up in the wet and try to rest before returning.  The summit teams struck camp at 0800, and had returned to base camp in time for bacon butties at 1000.  "They are preparing a fine breakfast for you down there!", said a threesome we passed, just starting their climb.

Head of Offshore Joe Bottomley greeted the returning teams with good news that £600,000 had been raised, and thanked all of us for our efforts.

  Jonathan Warren, 2008