On Saturday 13 September a team from Parsons Chartered Accountants (Ian Parsons, Andy Lucas and Elliot Marling) took on the challenge of the Yorkshire Three Peaks – Pen Y Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. 25 miles (or 40 kilometres) of walking with over 2,000 metres of vertical ascent to stand on the three highest points in North Yorkshire.
The team set off at 7:00 in the morning and endured sun, rain, hail and fog to reach the peaks of Pen-Y-Ghent (8:08am), Whernside (1:11pm) and Ingleborough (4:29pm) in good time. To ‘win’ the challenge teams have to return to their start point within twelve hours. The team slowed in the last five miles after reaching the final summit but, following a quick final kilometre which included a jog, the team arrived at the start point after 11 hours, 59 minutes and 43 seconds, only seventeen seconds inside the challenge time!
Andy Lucas, Audit Senior Manager commented “The team may have slightly under-estimated the challenge at hand. A busy August left little time for physical practice and the relentless uphill and downhill took its toll on all our calves. The steep ascent to and last four miles down from the peak from Ingleborough were demanding. Starting on Pen Y Ghent and leaving this tough section to last was a real mistake! The challenge was in honour of my late father. The fact that at sixty years old he was still going round all three peaks in less than ten hours was phenomenal.”
This challenge follows other events in 2025 including participation in the Wakefield 10k with more sedate events – including a cake sale and pumpkin carving competition – to round off the activities of the year, all of which have been in support of Mountain Rescue England and Wales following the death of Andy’s father on Scafell Pike in May 2024.
With this the firm has powered through its annual charity target of £1,000 with total donations currently totalling £1,370! Should anyone wish to donate the link can be found below.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/parsons2025businessforgood
Image provided by Parsons Chartered Accountants
