Thomas Hollins
The Dales Mountains 30
Fundraising for SafeLives
Story
I've been very lucky during lockdown. I've been able to get out every day either to exercise or to go to work at the hospital. That's given me a focus and a sense of purpose and something to do which I feel is of value. I know I would have found having to stay at home hard. I am grateful that I didn't have to. And grateful for others that did. I also had a loving, supportive home to return to.
Others have not been so lucky. Difficult relationships become more difficult when placed under stress. Especially when there is no opportunity to get distance and cool things down. During the first 3 weeks of lockdown calls to domestic abuse helplines rose by 50% and murders due to domestic violence doubled.
SafeLives is a UK charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for good. No one should live in fear. It is not acceptable, not inevitable, and with your help – we can make it stop. Every year, over two million people in the UK experience domestic abuse. Not one of them should have to wait until they're in crisis before we pay attention. SafeLives believe that domestic abuse can be stopped. Stopped before it starts. Stopped before it ruins lives. Your donation will help us change lives and make families across the UK safe and well.
To support SafeLives this July I am hoping to do something new and exciting - run the 30 mountains in the Yorkshire Dales National Park back to back. Its a new route - like a mini Wainwrights.
When running events were cancelled this year I wanted to set myself a new challenge. Something that would be exciting to break out of lockdown with once restrictions eased. It also needed to be covid safe - local to me, run solo, within my capabilities (so minimising the chances of calling mountain rescue).
In 2016 the boundaries of the Yorkshire Dales National Park changed to incorporate a number of new mountains in beautiful terrain taking the park almost to the border of the lake district. Plotting a route of these 30 peaks gave me a run of 130 miles and 30000ft of ascent covering pretty much all of the Dales most beautiful high territory. With of course some spectacular bogs also thrown in. Start and finish is at that ionic Dales landmark - the Pen Y Ghent Café. Start date depending on weather.....