The Three Off Peaks

On Saturday the 22nd October, four members of the Pelorus team, Venetia, Jonny, Bella and Megan climbed to the summit of three of the UK’s highest peaks in 24 hours. Beginning in Scotland, the team first scaled the Munro Cairn Gorm, which, at 1,245 metres, is the seventh-highest mountain in the British Isles. Then, through the night they climbed Skiddaw (931 metres) in the Lake District, before venturing onto Snowdonia to complete the challenge by getting to the top of Carned Llewelyn, 1,064 metres. It was an incredible feat to undertake as we headed into the British winter, with only 10 hours of daylight, the challenge took on a whole new sense of adventure in the dark. 

The team are raising funds for Pelorus Foundation’s project in Upemba, a national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which, 30 years ago, was abandoned as a consequence of civil war and economic crisis. The park, once a safe haven for some of Africa’s critically endangered wildlife like the forest elephant, descended into chaos as local militia groups infiltrated and began aggressively exploiting the financial worth of the park’s animals.  It became, and continues to be, one of the deadliest countries in the world to be an environmental defender. With the park under new management, and a Field Ranger force of just over 150 men and women willing to risk their lives each day, there is hope. To support the development of this emerging protection unit, Pelorus Foundation are working to deploy a Specialist Mentor to spend three months training a cohort of senior commander rangers.