Ben Nevis is one of the peaks the duo hopes to climb
Two charity fundraisers will attempt to climb the height of Everest – without leaving the British Isles.
The UK Everest Challenge 2009 will take place, not surprisingly, next year, when Darren Edwards and Bryn Posey tackle ten peaks and make 10,028m (32,900ft) of ascent.
Former Royal Marine Posey and conference events manager Edwards aim to summit the highest mountains in Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland, along with six other notable peaks. Cash raised will be shared among four charities: Help for Heroes; Children with Leukaemia; Skill Force Development, and the National Association of Crohn’s and Colitis Disease.
The pair will be supported in the August event by another former marine, Dan Thomas. The team hopes to ‘run, hike and crawl’ its way around the course in four or five days. The height climbed will exceed Everest’s 8,848m (29,029ft).
The men have in their sights Ben Macdui, Skiddaw, The Old Man of Coniston, Helvellyn, Cadair Idris and Pen y Fan, as well as the four top peaks of Ben Nevis, Slieve Donard, Snowdon and Scafell Pike.
Mr Posey, 31, said: “I lost my father to leukaemia back in 1999 and for many years didn’t dwell on it and pushed it to the back of my mind.
“In 2006 I realised I had spent a lot of time focusing on my life, and on my personal achievements. I was not really sure where I was going with my life.
“On New Year’s Eve 2007, I made a resolution to do something for someone else, that in no way benefited myself directly.
“Since then I have run the London Marathon for Children With Leukaemia – dressed I might add as Mr Tickle. At the end of that race I was so elated and realised I had made a difference; yet I realised I could do so much more. I promptly signed myself up for the Great North Run 2008 and the 2009 London Marathon.”
Mr Edwards added: “I snapped my achilles’ tendon in 2003 playing football, leaving one hell of a scar.
“I never thought I’d be walking without pain let alone running up mountains. [I had] more concussions, snapped body parts, scars and dislocated fingers than I could fit in this column – just the ideal person to take on the UK Everest Challenge then!”
“I often ask myself the above question several times during a training session, along with other pressing thoughts such as: why is the fog so thick I’ve fallen off yet another damn rock; does mud up to your arms really hold any therapeutic properties; and the classic why is that cow/dog/bull/large deer looking at me funny?
“I think I’ve been an incredibly selfish individual in my life thus far, and now I think it’s time to give something back. It sounds so exceptionally clichéd, but I do think Karma goes around and comes around. Maybe I’ve watched too many My Name is Earl episodes.”
Details of the event, along with how to help the charities, is on the men’s website.
