Climbing 5 Mountains in 55 Hours for Ty Hafan
The #5in55 challenge started with a telephone call from Gareth Jenkins at Ty Hafan, the young person’s hospice based in Sully, just outside Cardiff in South Wales.
“What do you think about photographing next year’s [2018] Ty Hafan Dad’s challenge? We are going to climb 5 mountains in 55 hours starting with Ben Nevis and ending at Pen-y-Fan. We will call it #5in55 and it will be great!”
My photographer’s mind started whirring seeing opportunities to capture some amazing images on the highest mountains in the UK.
“I’m in!”
Around 1 hour later I started thinking about the enormity of the challenge. In 55 hours we had to climb up and down 5 mountains and travel from Scotland to Mid Wales. And I had to carry my camera gear! This was the Ty Hafan Welsh 3 Peaks on steroids.
For donations, please go to the #5in55 Just Giving Page.
So, on the 4th July 2018, a group of Dads of children who are being or have been cared for by the amazing team at Ty Hafan will set off in mini buses for Ben Nevis in Scotland. On the morning of Thursday 5th July we will start climbing our first mountain. After Ben Nevis will will climb Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England located in the Lake District. Our assault on the final 3 mountains will follow the traditional Ty Hafan Welsh 3 Peaks route with Snowdon, Cadair Idris and, finally, Pen-y-Fan. 5 mountain in 55 hours. #5in55! We must be mad!
So why are we doing the #5in55?
The Dad’s group at Ty Hafan is something special. Originally started by Paul Fisher and Dan Notley, it has been developed by Gareth Jenkins into a fantastic support network for Dads of children and young people with life limiting illnesses. As Dads we are brought up to be the strong protector of the family, but when you have a son or daughter who is seriously ill, you soon discover that you need help and support to help you care for your loved ones. Ty Hafan provides that wonderful support.
Also, as Dads, we want to do something and take some sort of action, but sometimes there is nothing that can physically be done. That is where walking mountains comes in. This is our chance to do something. By walking mountains and taking on the #5in55 challenge we can raise money for and awareness of the amazing charity that is Ty Hafan.
In 2016, Ty Hafan Dads took their clothes off for the ‘Dads Bare All’ calendar. In 2018, we are walking 5 mountains in 55 hours #5in55. When we finish, I expect that there will still be some debate about which one was the most difficult!
To sponsor us on our #5in55 challenge, please visit our Just Giving page. We are also looking for help with mini buses, kit, and sponsorship for each of the mountains and so please get in touch if you can help (my email is paul@paulfearsphoto.co.uk).
I would like to say that it should be fun, but maybe that is being a little too hopeful!
Paul Fears is an industrial and commercial photography based in South Wales. For more information or to discuss a specific photography project, please contact Paul on:
Tel: 07909 103789 or 01443 207773
Email: paul@paulfearsphoto.co.uk
