Tain man’s Three peaks challenge for Parkinson’s
Lewis Mackenzie will tackle the three highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales, hiking over 23 miles and scaling 10,052 feet, as part of a fundraising challenge on Thursday.
Originally from Tain and now living in Glasgow, he works for family's builders business, Richard M Mackenzie Ltd, and is raising funds for Parkinson’s UK as his father-in-law, Alan Drummond, lives with the condition.
He will be joined in the challenge by friends Daniel Hill and David Thow, who are raising funds, respectively, for ocean conservation charity Blue Marine Foundation and the RAF Benevolent Fund.
They will start by climbing Ben Nevis, then travel down to England to tackle Scafell Pike, before finishing on the summit of Mount Snowdon in Wales.
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The trio will drive 426 miles in between climbs in order to complete the challenge in 24 hours.
Lewis set out to raise £2000, but has already collected more than £3500. Donations continue to come in and it’s looking promising that the final total could surpass £4000.
A seasoned climber, Lewis took up the pastime during the pandemic and now covers more than 20 Munros every year. Nonetheless, he’s been training hard for the past few months to get ready to take on the three peaks.
“It’s quite difficult to get out onto the hills in the winter, so during those months I train in the house, concentrating on high intensity workouts, running, lifting weights and yoga,” he said. “But then, once we got some good weather in May, I was able to get out and complete some pretty heavy hill sessions.
“I’m happy and confident where I am now. I’ve always enjoyed the endurance test, pushing yourself to your physical limit. I enjoy that physical challenge more than the scenery! I’m looking forward to challenging myself and seeing how it goes.”
The logistics of climbing the three peaks within the 24-hour timeframe are challenging.
“There’s a risk with the weather,” Lewis continued. “In the last few weeks there’s been snow on Ben Nevis. Equally, hot weather could cause problems. There’s also traffic, which is a concern, or if we have a breakdown. You also have to factor in fatigue.
“I’ve received a lot of fundraising support through work ties, merchants, material suppliers, clients we work for, which has been brilliant. There’s been a lot of support too from friends and family, particularly on my wife’s side, through the connection to Alan.
“Hopefully everything will run smoothly and the conditions will be favourable.”
Julie Ionta, community fundraiser for Parkinson’s UK, said: “We are massively grateful to Lewis for taking on this challenge to raise funds to improve the lives of people living with Parkinson’s. We are wishing him all the best for next week.
“Every penny raised goes to support our vital work to ensure people with Parkinson’s can live better with the condition and funding research into the most promising new treatments.”
Donations to support Lewis’s challenge can be made through his page on JustGiving.
Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, with almost 13,000 people living with the condition in Scotland. Parkinson’s UK estimates that, within five years, that number will have increased to around 15,000.
