Yorkshire men to climb Dales 30 mountains to raise funds for Sue Ryder hospice

Dave Town and Chris Procter are preparing to face a mammoth feat.

They’re attempting to be the first to complete the Dales 30 Mountains Challenge completely unsupported, carrying everything they need from start to finish on their backs.

If they succeed, it is believed they will be the first in the world to do so.

Not only will it be an incredible personal accomplishment for the pair, the challenge will see them raise funds for the Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice, in Oxenhope near Keighley, which supports people across Bradford and Craven.

They’ve chosen to support the hospice in gratitude for the palliative care and support it provides for people in their local community, including for a friend’s husband in 2018.

Dave, of Wilsden, says: “Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice is very special and has a place in many people’s hearts after providing expert care for family members in the last weeks of their lives.”

“The hospice is crucial to many of our friends’ and families’ lives,” Chris, from Keighley, adds, “and the staff working there are amazing.

“You never know when you or your family might need the support of Manorlands, and so we really wanted to do something to help.”

Starting from the Pen-y-Ghent café in Horton, Ribblesdale to first tackle Ingleborough, the men are aiming to hike for a gruelling 26 miles per day.

Apart from water, which they will obtain from the streams they pass on their route, all other supplies will be carried in their 20kg backpacks.

And they will be wild camping throughout. “We’re basically doing a marathon a day for five days whilst climbing the equivalent of Mount Everest,” Dave says.

The Dales 30 are the mountains of the Yorkshire and Cumbrian Dales that reach over 607m (2,000ft), with a drop of at least 30 metres in each direction.

The highest is Whernside, reaching 736m (2415ft), which will be the third peak that they take on.

The route is a total of 209km, with a huge 8.6km of ascent – over the height of Mount Everest.

Chris and Dave are posting regularly on their fundraising page, providing updates on their training and progress.

They will also have a live tracker for people to follow them as they complete the trek.

The pair are also passionate about sharing the work of the Sue Ryder staff, as the hospices are reliant on funding to continue helping those who have a life-limiting condition and their families, as Harriet Wood, community fundraiser at Sue Ryder Manorlands explains.

“We wish Chris and Dave all the luck in the world and thank them for giving up their time to take on such a challenge as demanding as the Dales 30 to support Manorlands Hospice,” Harriet says.

“It is through fundraising challenges like this that we can continue to provide care and support to those in need.

“We hope that Chris and Dave’s efforts also inspire other people to take up challenges to raise funds for Sue Ryder.

“We are endlessly grateful for their support and are excited to see them complete the Dales 30.

Chris and Dave are looking for local businesses and organisations who would like to support their challenge as sponsors.

People can also donate to their fundraising page by visiting justgiving.com/fundraising/dales30