Climb The UK - Alex Staniforth

Taking mental health to the top of all 100 UK counties

On July 23rd 2017 I completed my biggest journey yet and raised over £25,271 for mental health charity Young Minds UK. Climbing to the highest point of all 100 UK counties in 72 days, with 48 ceremonial counties in England, 13 historic counties in Wales, 6 in Northern Ireland and 33 historic counties in Scotland.

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#ClimbTheUK involved cycling between the highest points before walking up (sometimes cycling to them directly) and even kayaking across to the Isle of Wight before mountain biking to its’ highest point. I was entirely human-powered barring any essential ferries.

By touching every corner of the UK, the challenge gave the opportunity for people of all ages to get outside and take part, climbing their own county high point, or perhaps their first mountain. Over 1,000 students were engaged through six talks at schools and events mid-challenge.

Why Climb The UK?

My daily updates not only show-cased the wonders of UK adventure but shared an open account of mental ill health, helping to reduce the stigma; one conversation at a time. The extreme physical challenge aimed to break down the idea that mental illness is a sign of weakness – instead, talking about is the greatest sign of strength.

People see the adventurer, athlete and ‘confident’ person speaking on stage but need to see the human side too. Many are afraid to seek help and speak out, which is the first step to overcome mental health challenges. Even then, many still don’t get the understanding or support they desperately need. It took less time to complete Climb The UK than to get a proper assessment through the NHS mental health services. That isn’t good enough.

This is why I chose Young Minds UK to campaign, provide training, research and ultimately provide better support for young people facing mental illness.

Massive thanks to all who donated: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/climbtheuk

Try it yourself!

View the full list of UK counties and schedule for my county tops challenge #ClimbTheUK here>

You can still view the entire day-by-day route from my live tracker here>

What kit did you bring?

I was self-sufficient for the duration of the trip - see my blog post here for the full list: https://alexstaniforth.com/the-5000-mile-adventure-kit-list/

Where did you sleep?

I stayed mostly in youth hostels and camping in a tent (including wild camping) - with hotels, B&B accommodation and the luxury of friends or family spare rooms for a few of the nights.

How many miles a day?

My longest day was 18 hours, the biggest day on the bike was 122 miles, and up to almost 20 miles on foot! View my daily tracks here.

How many people joined you?

I had around 150 individuals supporting me at various stages of the challenge for walks, cycles, simply saying hello, or putting me up for the night. Huge thanks to each and every one of you!

How do you define a county?

Good question and not a simple answer. Each country in the UK has different classifications. I will be climbing the 48 ceremonial counties of England, 33 historic counties (shires) of Scotland, 6 former administrative counties of Northern Ireland and 13 historic counties of Wales. Confused yet? Some county tops were on the border of two counties, hence the list adds up to 97 rather than 100.

Kayaking?!

Yep! Over to the Isle of Wight, about 4km each way, with support from Tackt-Isle Adventures. I hired a mountain bike from them which was waiting for me on the beach, and I left my own bike at Lepe Country Park beach.

Did you have a support vehicle?

No. I carried my gear on the bike and only used motorized transport in the form of ferries to N Ireland, Orkney, Shetland and the Isle of Arran with a brief drive back to my route on the Isle of Wight when my bike broke. On two days I had some supplies carried by friends who were walking with me that day. Where speaking commitments meant I had to divert off route I always returned to the exact point I left off.

How fast did you go?

It was a mix of walking, running and cycling - usually walking up hills and running down them to save time. My average pace on the bike was around 13 mph.

Which was the hardest county?

Undoubtedly the Scottish ones... but you'll have to read my new book to find out more!

Can I have a go?

Go for it! However fast you go, whether you try all 100 or even a few of the county tops at your own pace - it's an amazing journey that showcases the best of the UK outdoors. I hope the info below is useful but I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.