Three weekends. Nine of the UK's highest peaks. Three charities that mean the world to me.

The 3x3 Peak Challenge page goes live.  Watch this space for future updates.

Donations have started coming in already - Thank you for your support!

Kinder Scout Training Walk

Another fantastic day of training in the Dark Peak with my walking buddy, Jayne.

We covered 11 miles with over 2,000ft of ascent, taking on the iconic Jacob's Ladder before reaching the Kinder plateau. We stopped to enjoy our sandwiches and snacks while taking in the incredible views, watched closely by a few curious sheep! The day finished with a tough descent through a steep gully, scrambling over boulders and crossing streams. My knees weren't too impressed by the descent, but it was a brilliant day on the hills and another important step towards September's challenge.

The support for the challenge has been incredible already. Donations are starting to come in, and raffle prizes are arriving too. So far, we've had a fantastic local flight experience pledged, along with wine and some lovely toiletries, with more offers hopefully still to come.

A huge thank you to everyone who has donated, shared the challenge or offered support so far – it really does mean a lot.

Leicestershire 3 Peaks – A Different Kind of Test

This weekend's training took me around the Leicestershire 3 Peaks – 17.3 miles (27.8km) with 709m of ascent, completed in 6 hours 35 minutes. This walk I was sporting my Alzheimer's Society T-Shirt 😁.

Although these hills are a long way from the mountains I'll be climbing in September, it was still a really valuable day. I walked the first half with a friend before continuing the final seven miles solo, which added a different mental challenge.

The biggest lesson was the importance of fuelling properly. I didn't eat enough after lunch and could feel my energy levels dropping during the final few miles. It's a timely reminder that long days in the mountains are about much more than fitness – getting nutrition and hydration right can make just as much difference.

Overall, it felt like another positive step. The distance felt manageable, my confidence continues to grow, and each training walk is teaching me something new that I'll take into the 3×3 Peaks Challenge in September.