Royal Engineers scale Mt Snowdon three times in a row and raise over £2K for bereaved military children
“I was thinking of the kids, thinking of the difference Scotty’s makes, and using that to push myself on and get it done. It was 100% a case of mind over matter.”
Climbing Mount Snowdon is no small challenge. Standing at 3,560 feet above sea level, this extinct volcano is the highest mountain in Wales and requires a huge amount of strength, stamina and determination to tackle.
But, in aid of Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the charity for bereaved military children, veteran Danny Davies and fellow Royal Engineer, Luke Cole, climbed it not once, not twice, but three times in a row while wearing a 20kg bergen on their backs.
Luke and Danny waving the Scotty flag
Why support Scotty's?
“We raised £2,419, so I feel really good about that,” says Danny. “We put ourselves through 24 hours of pain, but that’s nothing compared to what Scotty’s members deal with. That’s what drove me to keep going. My climbing partner, Luke, still serves in the Royal Engineers, and I served for seven years. That’s where we met. We've both lost friends and some of those friends had kids. I've got a ten-year-old boy and I couldn’t imagine him not having me in his life.”
Climbing Mount Snowdon
Danny and Luke began their ascent during the early hours of Saturday morning, having had just three hours of sleep. Snowdon was still in darkness.
“We only had one headtorch, as our second broke early on, and even then, we could only see about three metres in front of us. There was practically zero visibility and we kept losing track of where we were. We were also lugging 20 kilos in our bergens as we climbed. I underestimated the weight of them, but we managed to complete our first run of Snowdon in roughly six hours. That was the hardest one. By the time we complete our first descent my body was already broken, so it was just a case just knuckling down and taking it one step at a time. Just pushing forward.”
Luke (left) and Danny (right)
Battling the weather
“We took a quick break to cook a pot noodle, eat some flapjacks and get a warm brew in us, then smashed the second run without any hitches.”
So far, so good. Despite a few issues, everything was moving on schedule. Then the weather started to turn.
“The third run is where things got complicated. We were about two thirds of the way up when we were hit by 60mph winds, and torrential rain started beating our heads. We were completely soaked. The track was turning into a waterfall by the minute, and we had to turn back. In the end we completed the challenge in around 15 hours. Our goal was to complete the three climbs in 18 hours, which we were on track to do had we not had to stop.”
Luke trekking past some ruins
Doing it for bereaved military children
Such an impressive achievement requires an equally impressive training routine. Fortunately, Danny and Luke’s history serving in the Armed Forces meant they were well prepared for challenge.
“I went out tabbing with a bergen on my back, increasing the weight week by week for about two and a half months to prepare. By the time the challenge arrived we were carrying full combat fighting order weight.”
Nonetheless, physical preparation can only take you so far. For Danny, preparing his mind was the most important thing.
“Physically, you train your body as much as you can, but it’s equally important to train your mind. My body was battered but my mind kept me going. I was thinking of the kids, thinking of the difference Scotty’s makes, and using that to push myself on and get it done. It was 100% a case of mind over matter. No matter how fit, strong and healthy you are, there’s only so much your body can take. At some point, your mind has start pulling the weight.”
Danny halfway up Snowdon
A helping hand
Throughout the challenge, Danny and Luke were constantly pushing each other on. Together, the pair motivated each other keep moving whenever they started to struggle.
“It definitely helped to have a partner. There are points when I started doubting myself, and there was a point where Luke wasn’t sure if he could go any further. Those are the times where you push each other on and remind each other why you’re doing it. The way I thought about it was, yeah, I was really hurting, but I wasn’t going to be hurting for the rest of my life. It was really helpful to be with someone who shared that mindset."
Seeking a challenge
“Anyone can climb Mount Snowdon with no weight on their back. A challenge is supposed to be challenging. That’s why it’s called a challenge. By making it so much more intense, I wanted to stand out and give people that extra reason to donate.”
Danny's 20kg weighted bergen
Supporting bereaved military children
Scotty’s Little Soldiers is a charity dedicated to supporting children and young people (0 to 25 years) who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.
Inspired by the experience of Army widow Nikki Scott, following the death of her husband Corporal Lee Scott in Afghanistan in 2009, the charity, which was set up in 2010, provides support and guidance to hundreds of bereaved military children and young people throughout their childhood.
Services offered to Scotty’s members include access to child bereavement support, guidance to parents and carers, personal education and learning assistance (including grants), and fun activities such as holiday respite breaks and group events. These are all designed to remind the children and young people supported by Scotty’s that they are not alone.
Scotty Members enjoying our annual Christmas party
Scotty’s founder, Nikki:
“What an achievement! Danny and Luke have gone above and beyond for Scotty’s and the amount they’ve raised will help us make a huge difference to the lives of bereaved military children we support. I can’t wait to see what they do next!
If you are the parent or carer of a bereaved military child or young person, click here.
If you work with bereaved children & young people, click here.
If you are a bereaved young person seeking support, click here.
Support Scotty's Little Soldiers' Family Programmes with a regular monthly donation
