Looking like a line of miners with our head torches on at 5.09am on Saturday morning, we stood on the start line, fully briefed, eager and already very wet. The forecast rain and strong winds had definitely arrived! The countdown commences, and 5.10am we're off! There’s elation as we reach our first summit but no time to congratulate ourselves too much due to the worsening conditions and the ticking clock.

Another peak is secured shortly after but then the weather turns really nasty. By the top of our third peak there are a few heart stopping minutes when the winds are so fierce we are forced to play musical statues for 10 mins just to stay upright!

We escape the clutches of High Crag and are making good if painful progress under the superb navigation of our team leader.

A swift 5 minute lunch break in vicious winds and driving rain is enough, and then we push on again. The wind and rain had now reached torrential proportions, and the going feels extremely treacherous.

We hear that conditions mean the route has to be curtailed and begin our decent – an hour later arriving on the wrong side of the valley but happy enough when we spy the Wasdale Head Inn!

Our challenge on Day 1 had lasted 9 hours, covered almost 5 of the 10 allotted peaks and had pushed us all to the limit.

The joy of a lie in...alarm goes off at 4.15. Start time today 5.50am. We see conditions are not much better. We can't see more than 20 yards in front of us, conditions that continue for pretty much all the day, but the big difference is the wind is a notch slower and therefore less cold, but it's still raining just in case we dare feel too comfortable.

The team are faring well and we make swift and steady progress through the morning. Group spirits remain high despite an unplanned cliff edge scramble along a sheep track trying to find our way in the mist, due to a slight navigational miscalculation!

 

We are really motoring now, and ticking the mountains off in quick succession. Just the final route march to the finishing line left, made slightly more tricky by the wide expanse of bog in our way. Heads down, we squelch through it and have made it - tired, exhausted but ultimately jubilant.   

Thanks to all of you who sponsored us. It had been a fantastic experience and everyone was in agreement that we will be back next year.  Scottish Widows Team, Event Participant.

The Invesco Perpetual 24 Peaks Challenge 2008 raised a total of £108,000

The Sponsorship Award went to the Brooks-Dobson Brear team, who raised a fantastic £10,000.