Challenge Catch Up .... Three Peaks Challenge

God this seems forever ago!
Ok ... at the start of August, I set out with six challengers - Dave, Dan, David, Chris, Dummy and Andy - in an attempt to do the Three Peaks Challenge in 24 hours.

23 hours and 59 minutes later, we completed it!

It is a really good challenge, and definitely one I would recommend trying if you enjoy trekking. It was such a nice experience to do as a group, and we made a real weekend of it.

We completed it about 3 or 4 weeks after the summer solstice, when you can actually do all the walking in daylight (we walked for 2 hours up Scafell Pike in the dark), but I would say it's still easy enough, and if you do have to do some walking in the dark, make it Ben Nevis is the path down is really clearly laid out.

We got extremely lost on Scafell Pike, and ended up having to hike up a really scary scree run, something I would definitely not advise! And we weren't the only team to get lost on that hill that morning!

My advice - make a weekend of it, go up to Fort William on the Friday, start around 5 or even later on the Saturday night, then do Ben Nevis, bomb it down to Scafell Pike, get the beast over and done with, and then negotiate the tourists on Snowdon!

Whatever you do, don't forget to fill the car with petrol like the boys did!!! Ooh and get yourself at least one driver - Laura was invaluable :)


Charly xxx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkerWMISdG4&feature=channel_page

I need action!

Oh dear, I don't think I'm cut out to be a sailor ... or at least not a cruising yacht sailor.

I am SO bored! It's just not high-paced enough, or scary enough! I'm definitely a thrill-seeker at heart, and pottering around the Solent really isn't doing it for me!

Hmm... maybe I shouldn't completely give up, but if I do another sailing-related challenge, I think it will be sailing to somewhere like Morocco, or doing the Isle of Wight Cowes Week 'Round the Island' race, or maybe something smaller like dinghy sailing?

Anyway, only one more day left, and then on Saturday I'm off to North Wales to do my Mountain Leadership training ... hopefully that will be a bit more active! And hopefully the sleeping arrangements (even if they turn out to be tents) will be more comfy ... yacht bunks are surprisingly hard :)

Charly xxx

Watery Challenges!

As promised I am attempting to write this blog a bit more frequently.

So ... I am on Day One of Challenge 10 - Learning to Sail. I'm still aching from Challenge 9 - Learning to Wakeboard, and I didn't even technically wakeboard! I spent two hours being dragged around on a knee board. I'm definitely looking forward to getting up on my feet though, and getting behind a boat!

But for now I'm on a boat. I'm down in Southampton doing my Royal Yachting Association 'Competent Crew' qualification, well technically I'm now in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, after my first day of sailing. The weather has been pretty bleak - grey and rainy, but no wind! Hardly ideal for sailing, but have learnt heaps already - SO much to remember!

So far I think my most successful part has been navigation, which is a relief, as I'm doing my Mountain Leadership training next week and I have a feeling map reading and compass bearings are going to feature highly during that.

By the looks of things June is going to be a really exciting month. In addition to the two courses I've already mentioned, I'm also doing a Bushcraft course, and I have lots of random day challenges planned. Hopefully should be squeezing in indoor sky diving, zorbing and ice-climbing either this month or next month. I've also signed up for the Leukemia Research and 'Banana Man Chase', Pirate Rampage in Dorset.

The most exciting thing has been a spontaneous last minute challenge which I'm really excited about - a friend from school who I literally haven't seen for at least 6 years messaged me on Facebook to ask if I'd like to join her on the Brighton to London cycle ride! So I now have just 2 weeks until I'm cycling in the 54 mile race :) Brilliant! That is JUST what Challenge Charly is all about - you guys challenging me, and ideally joining me on the challenges.

At the moment I am especially looking for challengers to join me doing the Three Peaks Challenge - Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis, all within 24 hours. I'll be doing the walk the first weekend of August - if you fancy joining me, either message me on the blog, or on YouTube, or via the Facebook group.


And if a random challenge has just sprung to mind, then let me know! I get inspiration for challenges everywhere! ... literally 2 days ago I caught a clip of Jordan and Peter Andre doing the Rally Master challenge at Brands Hatch and it looks brilliant! Just trying to work out when I can fit it in :)

Charly xxx

Introducing Challenge Charly!

Hello and welcome to Challenge Charly.

CC is an online VLOG, accessible on You Tube at www.uk.youtube/challengecharly which follows my adventures around the world and in the UK.

The whole point of Challenge Charly is to inspire normal people to try abnormal and daunting challenges.

The world has countless opportunities to offer .... go out and make the most of them.

I've already uploaded some footage from Everest Base Camp, which I hiked to over Christmas and New Year, and over the next few months I will be running the Rome Marathon, climbing to Mount Kinabalu in Borneo, and visiting AIDS orphans in South Africa.

Stay tuned, and remember to try this at home!!