The Story of Sagacity's Three Peaks Challenge

A team of Sagacity employees took on the Three Peaks Challenge for two amazing charities completing it in 23 hours and 36 minutes.

Idea Conception

The idea of tackling the well-known Three Peaks Challenge was conceived months before planning even began. It was following a Sagacity team day out at the London Olympic Velodrome where a few colleagues discussed ways in which we could challenge each other whilst raising money for charities close to our hearts. It was here where the Three Peaks Challenge seemed like the perfect fit.

As soon as the idea gained traction, a planning team was formed to put the challenge together. This included logistics, costs, employee interest and much more. We also put it out to all Sagacity staff to recommended charities where we could make a big impact and highlight why it was important to the individual. A large list of charities was shortlisted to Mission EmployAble (a local charity close to where Sagacity was founded focusing on supporting young adults with learning difficulties to train and prepare them for a paid job, allowing them to lead purposeful and fulfilled lives) and Children with Cancer (a charity which has a big importance for Sagacity who specialise in the care and support of young children and their families living with cancer to understand and develop new treatments). Hiking the UK’s three biggest peaks, one after another in a 24-hour window is no mean feat, so to do it on behalf of two worthy charities was the obvious choice. A team of 12 assembled and with a plan in place so ‘training’ could begin.

Training and Preparation
The need for training was taken very differently among the group, with some like Owen and James doing very little preparation and relying on their youthful exuberance and sporting backgrounds to pull them through. However, there were some like Charlotte who put in the hours to emulate the longevity of the challenge whilst others prepared by taking on shorter hikes across the buildup period. Ironman events and long distance cycling were also utilised as prep by Ben - even yoga and daily stretching formed part of Mike’s preparations.

What the team couldn’t prepare for though was Mother Nature and the aches and pains of new equipment. Those that did try to wear in their new boots clearly were the clever ones! Come the day though, the team were prepped and ready to go.

The Journey and Disruption
With train strikes threatening the event completely, even days before the event was looking unlikely, it was only due to a last minute minibus scramble did the team manage to get on the road successfully – not the ideal start to a mammoth trip ahead. Now leaving a day prior, the team had a long drive to Scotland with a few planned stops enroute. Upon arriving at the hotel and with an early start ahead, the team enjoyed a nice, full meal before bed.

Peak 1: Ben Nevis
The team started the day with a very early breakfast, quickly followed by loading up the bus and driving to the first peak; Ben Nevis. With safety equipment and hiking sticks at the ready, they were off. With the target of 24 hours in the back of their minds, there needed to a be a good, consistent pace of climb in order to achieve their goal. Although a few steeper, yet faster detours were considered, the team stuck together in smaller groups as they tackled the ascent. Upon reaching the summit in 2 and a ½ hours, the realisation of weather soon kicked in. Those in t-shirts soon wrapped up, and with scatterings of snow at the peak, going from a warm and humid start to a cold and foggy finish really hit home – the fact they were atop a mountain!

The descent soon began, again in two or three groups. Upon exiting the mountain, most were straight to the Visitor Centre to hydrate and stock up on ice lollies and anything else cold. It was then back to the bus and on the road to Scafell Pike. This was soon interrupted though by an over turned lorry and significant road delays.

Peak 2: Scafell Pike
Heading into darkness, the team began to ascend Scafell Pike whilst it was still humid. With head torches on, it was going to be a long night ahead where safety was of paramount importance. Sticking together was key given both the impending darkness and treacherous terrain. Unfortunately, the rain soon started making it extremely slippery and tougher to navigate. Tiredness was kicking in but the team stuck at it. The wind also picked up the higher they got and although it was a shorter, faster ascent, the team still got horrendous weather at the summit. It was completely dark so there was a quick selfie and then it was back down the mountain. At this point, “we’ve had every type of weather so far except hailstones” could be heard, which meant they all knew what was coming later! Although the descent was very tough, morale stayed high and the team stuck at it in small groups once again. The team did not let tiredness win the day as they overcame every obstacle including two of the group wandering off the wrong way but excellent re-navigation from Ben meant the team stayed on track.

Peak 3: Snowdon
Having endured another long bus ride, some of the team took the opportunity to have a little sleep, which at this stage, was very well deserved. With only Snowdon ahead, the end was in sight but with a very steep route, there was still plenty of work to do. Given it was now approaching daylight again, the peak was much busier with other hikers also on site and although it started bright, it soon moved to miserable weather again. Visibility was poor and with several different terrains to navigate it was becoming very tough…but they did soon reach the top!

That hail that they hadn’t yet seen soon hit whilst descending back down the mountain to round off a complete set of weather changes. A quarter of the way down, the group stumbled across a lost child and after having helped him to reconnect with his group, the final descent was in sight. It was going to be close on time but thankfully, they all completed the challenge in 23hours and 36 minutes! This was celebrated with champagne and celebratory photos, as well as a well-earned rest.

There's No I in Team
Jim, the driver who kindly gave up his time to share the long drives with Jamie, who himself also took part in the challenge, deserves a big thank you, as do Walter, Jamie, Ben and Beckie for organising a fantastic event. The team would also like to thank Sagacity’s Partners; Anita, Malka and Harry for being on board with the challenge and the charitable endeavors as well as their flexibility last minute to allow the team to leave a day earlier than planned.

Perseverance and hard work were the traits of the day for sure, but being with colleagues and friends with unmatched comradery is what pulled everyone through and whilst participating in the challenge for charity was always high on the list of priorities, getting stuck in and testing yourself is also a fundamental part of life at Sagacity. Being with colleagues, making memories and achieving something real, together, is what makes it so great.

Jamie Crouch, a planner of the expedition, said, “It was a fantastic experience, enjoyed by everyone. There were certainly tough moments, but we all dug in and stuck together. I was very proud that we managed to get so many participants over the line within the 24 hours. Although, none of this would have been possible without Sagacity’s partners, so thank you for supporting our expedition.”