Honiton Air Cadet Sophie Mackenney three peaks challenge

Sophie’s team took part in the Three Peaks Challenge and consisted of two support climbers, James and her dad Mac, along with support driver ‘Aitch’, who were all serving or ex-military personnel.

The team drove to Pen Y Pass at the base of the 3,560 foot high Mount Snowdon in readiness for climbing their first peak on Saturday July 13.

The route up Snowdon was easy at first, but soon turned into a challenging scramble over boulders, scree slopes and up steep rock faces. She finished the first peak in 1:58 hours. 

It was then a 205 mile drive to mountain number two, Scafell Pike, the highest in England. The weather turned but Sophie made quick work of the 3,209 feet ascent, atop England’s highest mountain and then it was a rapid descent to the valley floor.

The third peak was a 260-mile drive through the night to the foot of Ben Nevis. The team had been awake since 5am that morning and pushing hard since 8am when the clock started, which meant that they’d been on the go for 16 ½ hours.

Through the night the team drove, arriving at the foot of the UK’s tallest mountain at 03:15 hours in the morning. Mac added: "They’d left the hardest to the end and unlike the other two mountains where they could drive part of the way up before setting off, with Ben Nevis you start at just 65 feet above sea level, that’s 4,348 feet of gruelling climbing to do."

She finished at around 7am on Sunday July 14 to mark the finish of her three Peaks Challenge. Her total time – 23 hours and 16 minutes.

Mac added: "She’d endured over 10,000 feet of climbing, 462 miles of driving, 18 miles of trekking and summitting the 3 highest mountains, but not for one minute did she give up." 

Sophie’s fundraising for 1064 (Honiton) Squadron Air Cadets stands at £3,115 and is still open for people to donate.

This money will now allow the squadron to purchase a range of expedition equipment such as tents, rucksacks and stoves for other cadets.