Mazda UK is supporting Sophie Mackenney with a Mazda CX-60 to complete the gruelling Three Peaks Challenge. Under the patronage of the renowned explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes Bt OBE and with support from Bear Grylls amongst others, Sophie will attempt to conquer Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis mountains in under 24 hours in support of her Air Cadet squadron, 1064 (Honiton) in East Devon.
Taking on the arduous Three Peaks Challenge, the 16-year-old will overcome 10,000 feet of climbing and 23 miles of trekking, while the Mazda CX-60 support vehicle will provide much needed respite and cover over 460 miles of driving between the highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales. The funds raised will help buy adventure training equipment which the Air Cadets can use to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions.
Starting at the foot of the highest mountain in Wales at 08:00am on Saturday 13th July, Sophie’s first challenge will be to climb and descend the 3,600 foot peak of Snowdon in just four hours. This involves trekking for seven miles over challenging terrain consisting of large boulders and scree slopes before returning to her awaiting support driver in the Mazda CX-60 to whisk her off to the next leg of the challenge.
With 205 miles to cover and only five hours available to travel across Snowdonia National Park, battling through heavy weekend traffic and tight twisty roads of the Lake District, the quiet and comfortable cabin of the Mazda CX-60 3.3D 254ps AWD Takumi support vehicle will give Sophie a chance to get some needed rest before the next challenging ascent.
With darkness due to descend on Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain, at 9:30pm, it is imperative that Sophie starts her climb by 5:00pm in order to safely return before the sun sets. Any delay in reaching the foot of the mountain will make the ascent even more challenging as navigating over a barren and featureless landscape in the dark will add considerable risk. There will be no time at all to stop and enjoy the views.
Conquering Scafell Pike involves a six-mile hike and a 3,300 foot peak to climb, but having been on the go since 8:00am, she will no doubt start to tire, and it is at this point that her mental strength will have to take over. No sooner that she returns to her support vehicle, a long 260 mile drive through the night to Scotland will then follow, which should hopefully see Sophie and her team arrive at the foot of Ben Nevis at 3:00am in the morning.
Saving the toughest to the end, Sophie will now need to draw on all her willpower to climb the 4,400 foot mountain of Ben Nevis, the highest in the United Kingdom, before the 24 hour clock stops. With wind-chill temperatures known to drop to -10C in July, this final peak cannot be taken lightly and expedition clothing and survival equipment must be carried to be ready for the worst.
If all goes to plan, Sophie will summit Ben Nevis by 8:00am on Sunday 14th July, having successfully completed the arduous Three Peaks Challenge. Sophie has raised a staggering £1,690 for her squadron so far, with a further £500 pledged if she successfully completes the challenge within the 24-hour period.
