Sixteen colleagues from across Hodgson Sealants have successfully completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, taking on 24 miles and 5,200 feet of ascent in what team members are calling one of the toughest things they have ever done.
The group, made up of 11 walkers from the Heckmondwike site and five from Beverley, took on the classic anti-clockwise circuit from Horton-in-Ribblesdale, tackling Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough in a single day last weekend.
The challenge started out as a simple team bonding idea but soon grew into a much bigger undertaking in aid of The Howarth Foundation – a small, self-funded, family-run Yorkshire charity that helps people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or fleeing domestic violence back into meaningful employment and training.
Steve Smith, Operations Manager, who helped bring the two sites together for the challenge, summed things up perfectly: “It was a great event, very rewarding and without doubt the most demanding and gruelling event most of us have ever undertaken.
“As the day unfolded, smaller splinter groups formed based on varying levels of fitness, but the one value that was common in all groups was a sense of togetherness.
“We looked out for each other, we motivated each other and we kept each other going when fatigue set in. I was proud of everyone who took part, and the sense of being one family is something that will benefit us and our company for years to come.”
How a brutal but rewarding day unfolded
The team made strong progress early on despite taking a wrong turn, bounding up Pen-y-Ghent before the long walk to Ribblehead.
Whernside, the highest of the three peaks, came next and proved a real test on the way down. Ingleborough, the final peak, pushed the team to its limits.
“We shot up the first peak like mountain goats and at this stage thought we would be back by 4pm having drinks in the pub,” Steve explained.
“Whernside was a beast when descending it and took great skill and alertness to navigate.
“Climbing the final peak was brutal, and at times we were reduced to climbing on all fours due to fatigue and the high level of difficulty.
“Smiles at the final trig point were wiped out after remembering that completing the challenge required another five-mile hike over, at times, very rocky terrain.
“Would I have wished to have anyone different in my team? No. Would I have changed anything about the day? No. Am I glad I signed up for the challenge? Yes. Let’s do it again in 2027!”
The team was backed on the day by Carl Hedley of the Howarth Foundation, Managing Director Danielle Houghton and her family, and Customer Services Director Jonathan Metcalfe and his wife Sharon, who kept spirits high with welcome refreshment stops along the route. Their support was crucial, with only one team member unable to continue after the second peak and the remaining 15 challengers all making it to the finish line.
Every penny raised from the challenge will go to support The Howarth Foundation’s work across Yorkshire, and donations to their JustGiving page remain open until Friday 31st July for anyone wishing to support the cause.
