Words and photos:
Jenny Spencer

British Canoeing Membership Marketing Manager 

So you’ve probably heard of the three peaks challenge, now add in the challenge of paddling the three longest lakes in the UK plus three rather hilly cycle rides and you are in for a roller coaster of a week.

Liv Life Adventure – the BIG three

three lakes, three peaks, three cycle passes

Day 1: Paddle Loch Awe (24 miles)
Day 2: Hike Ben Nevis (11.8 miles)
Day 3: Cycle (30 miles)
Day 4: Paddle Windermere (11 miles) & Cycle (25 miles)
Day 5: Hike Scafell Pike (6.3 miles)
Day 6: Paddle to the end of Lake Bala and back (7 miles) & Cycle (20 miles)
Day 7: Hike Snowdon (7.9 miles)

For the stat geeks amongst you that totals: 42 miles paddling, 26 miles walking, 75 miles cycling and a lot of driving in between. Your next question is probably, why?

Well, for us this was more than just a personal challenge, we wanted to do something that raised awareness of our story and the fantastic support that we received from Birmingham Women’s hospital. 16 months prior to the challenge my sister Claire was expecting her second child. Unfortunately late scans detected that things weren’t quite right and baby Olivia had fluid on her lungs. It was a very difficult time, as at this point the doctors were unable to work out why it was happening and what should be done. We were prepared for the worst but at the same time the doctors and nurses remained positive and took exceptional care of both my sister and the baby. It was discovered that Olivia had a rare condition called Congenital Chylothorax (the accumulation of chyle in the pleural space – ‘fluid on the lungs’).

In the month prior to birth the Birmingham Fetal Medicine Department performed a procedure that involved injecting a tiny syringe through my sisters stomach and draining the fluid from Olivia’s lungs. This helped for a couple of weeks, however things started to deteriorate quickly. At 36 weeks it was decided the only way for Olivia to be born safely was to repeat the drainage procedure and follow this up with an emergency C section. After her birth Olivia spent a month in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Special Baby Unit.

She was reliant on a ventilator, double chest drains and a long line (a tiny tube inserted in the vein at the foot threaded right up to the heart) which gave her vital nutrients whilst the doctors stopped all feeding until the fluid stopped accumulating. Olivia is now 18 months old and is a very happy and healthy little toddler with no long-term affects. If it hadn’t been for their pioneering work and specialist care the story could have been quite different. We are so grateful to the hospital for the incredible support and truly inspired by the 24 hour care they offer families on daily basis.

raise funds for the hospital

We decided we wanted to do a challenge to raise funds for the hospital; to keep up these fantastic services costs a fortune. Paddling is something we have always enjoyed as a family so we made this the core of the challenge. However we felt that if we were asking people to show their support financially we needed to do something that went the extra mile. Despite having little cycling or hiking experience my sister was determined to step out of her comfort zone and push her own personal boundaries through this challenge as well. The idea for the Big Three Challenge was born and the training and planning commenced. For the next six months we tried to meet up almost every other weekend and would fit training in around kiddy care and family time.

The part of the challenge we were most nervous about was Loch Awe. It’s a huge loch and has the potential to get very rough if the weather isn’t in your favour, at the widest point it’s over a mile wide. We decided to face our fears and start with this paddle first. We were rewarded for our choice as we had pure blue skies and the loch looked like glass. If you are used to paddling on rivers or canals (like me) there is nothing that prepares you for the sheer scale of the loch. On a number of occasions we stopped for a few moments to take on food and drink, but also take in the view.

The scenery around the loch is breathtaking and when you experience this from the water, with all the reflections, it’s incredible. We had a fabulous paddle but as you can imagine by the time we finally reached the end we were both very glad to be stepping out of the boat. Every part of our bodies ached after the 24 miles and we’d gained a few blisters and sore chaffed areas on our bodies. However, despite this I’d say this is one my favourite days I’ve ever had on the water.

We experienced exceptionally good weather for the whole time we were in Scotland. Day two saw us hiking up Ben Nevis in shorts and vests, again with incredible visibility and views. The hike felt long but our spirts were high. The following day we competed a hilly bike ride through one of the national parks. On the drive down to our next set of activities in Windermere we were feeling tired but looking forward to what lay ahead. 

When we woke up on day four we were in for a shock. The combination of the last three days alongside a long drive had suddenly taken its toll. We both woke up feeling like a whole herd of cows had trampled over us. I remember struggling to walk down the stairs without holding onto the banister and my sister could hardly sit on a chair. Delayed onset muscle soreness had well and truly set in and our legs had taken the brunt of it.

To add insult to injury this was going to be one of our toughest days. It was the first time we were doing a double activity, first up we were kayaking the length of Windermere then jumping straight onto our bikes to complete a brutally hilly ride back to our accommodation near Newby Bridge. We were both physically struggling that morning but it is amazing what you can achieve when you set your mind to it.

The night before my parents had arrived with my sisters two children to support us. Seeing them was the extra motivation we needed and as soon as we both got in the boat we were off and didn’t look back. The weather was starting to turn. We’d checked the forecast the night before and decided to start early, as this looked like the best weather window. We started the paddle from the south end of the lake to utilise the tailwind. At a few points it started to get quite choppy, but we relaxed through these sections and let the wind take us.

We really surprised ourselves with how fast we were going, so much so that when we got to the end of the lake our support crew weren’t there to meet us, as they’d stopped for coffee on route! But when they arrived we topped up on food and drink and were off on the bikes.

By day five our bodies were still really suffering, our hike up Scafell Pike was a tough one. On the way up we still had some beautiful views across the lakes, however at about the halfway point we entered low cloud cover giving zero visibility and 30mph winds at the top. In some ways this added a different element to the day and an extra sense of adventure, taking our minds off the slight sickness we were both feeling. We took it steady, focusing on one step at a time and remembered why we were doing it.

That evening we headed down to Snowdonia and although tired we were feeling excited as the end was in sight. The next two days weren’t going to be a walk in the park though, we still had quite a lot to do and the forecast really wasn’t looking good. On day six all we could see as we drove to start our paddle on Llyn Tegid was greyness and rain, it was looking grim. However as we arrived at the lake, despite the rain, it was actually quite flat and looked beautiful out there.

This really lifted our spirits, we set off hard and quickly got into a good rhythm. Today was our last paddle and every stroke counted as we wanted to get off the water feeling like we’d given it everything we had. We powered through torrential rain and didn’t hesitate for a second. It felt great and we were pleased to complete this lake in a good time. We gave ourselves a decent break and warmed up in a local coffee shop with tea and cake before setting off on our last bike ride.

Just one more day to go, time to go and conquer Snowdon. It wasn’t going to be easy as the weather forecast was awful. We had heavy rain and poor visibility from the off and despite being prepared with decent gear we were soon all soaked through. But like any challenge it’s the tough times and things you go through as part of the journey that make it. We kept our spirits high with laughter, jelly babies and the odd bit of singing in the rain. Four hours 21 minutes later and we made it off the mountain, feeling incredibly proud with a whole weeks worth of fantastic memories.

During the week we covered a total of 143 girl powered miles and ascended 5,612 metres, totalling an activity time of 28 hours; 32 mins; 37 seconds. Which was five hours quicker than we anticipated. We burnt 30,690 calories (between 4,000-5,000 per day) that’s a lot of cakes. But most importantly we made it over our fundraising target, raising £6,200! We were overwhelmed by people’s generosity and so grateful for the incredible support we received from our friends, work colleagues, family, the paddling community and people we met along the way. For further information or to make a donation visit www.justgiving.com/liv-life-adventure

Highlights of the challenge

Paddling with my sister, despite growing up in the sport we rarely paddled in a double kayak so it was great to do this together. We knew the challenge was going to be hard but we made a pact that we wanted to enjoy it. The best way to do this was to work together. There is something special about feeling a boat glide through the water when it’s running well. Especially when you are in a double and everything is in sync. Every stoke feels strong and in unison, you feel able to stretch that little bit further, add that extra bit of rotation and power. At the same time you are relaxed and the boat surges through the water below you.

The other thing we did was support each other. At times that involved being patient, at other times being silly and singing our way through the hard times. If one of us needed to have a quick break to have something to eat or a quick stretch then we made the time to do this and used it as a reset opportunity. If the boat wasn’t feeling quite right we’d stop for a few seconds, check we were both alright and then start again. It was a long week and it was important that we looked after both our bodies and minds. But most importantly we tried to laugh and soak up the experience of doing this together with the support of our family.

Toughest parts: It was definitely the hills, coming down off the mountains and then having to walk down the stairs and start again the next morning! We got cut bums, chaffed armpits and tummies, ridiculously sore legs and soaked right through. But if anyone is considering doing a challenge like this I would always say yes. The memories that you make and share along the way are incredible. Just make sure you plan and prepare well and you will be surprised with what you can achieve.

Recommendation

Paddling the three lakes is beautiful and takes you on an adventure through three of the most stunning locations in the UK. I’d recommend the Go Paddling Three Lakes Challenge to anyone who has a sense of adventure and is looking for a paddling challenge to train for. If you’re competitive you can see how fast you can complete the lakes and aim to make it onto the Three Lakes challenge leader board. We were really pleased to end up as the fifth fastest people to complete, with an overall paddling time of six hours; 28 minutes. If speed isn’t your thing, then why not plan to complete this adventure over a the year, ticking off one lake at a time. The choice is yours!

For more information on the Three Lakes Challenge take a look at the Go Paddling website: www.gopaddling.info/gopaddlingchallenges