This Sunday (13 June) sees Ross Jenkin set out on a challenge never completed before. The Big 4 Grand Round is a continuous traverse of all four of the national 24 hour mountain challenges, only resting on the travel legs in between.
Starting with the Ramsey Round in Scotland, then the Dennis Rankin Round in Northern Ireland, next the Paddy Buckley Round in North Wales, and finishing with the Bob Graham Round in the Lake District – a total of 152 summits, 387km and 31,800m of ascent.
This is take two on the challenge, Jenkin attempted the Big 4 Grand Round last August but was thwarted by injury and Storm Francis. The Dynafit-sponsored athlete is raising funds for CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably).
Ross says, “Turning 40, a mid-life crisis of sorts, this is a challenge I can’t get out of my head. Plus, I want to raise money for a cause which means a lot to me; I suffer from depression so encouraging others to do something which helps their own mental health and promotes talking about your problems.”
So far Jenkin has raised nearly £7,000 and is aiming for £15,000. As he says, “The power of the mind is immense. I can safely say that I am stronger now than I was before all this. Don’t man-up, speak-up!”
We will bring you his tracking link closer to the attempt. Good luck Ross! Let’s hope the weather is better and you stay injury free.
His fundraising page is here. You can find out what happened in the first attempt.
