Super-Fundraiser Climbs Southern Britain’s Highest Peak 365 times in 365 days

Super-fundraiser, Des Lally has completed an epic challenge he set himself, to scale Pen Y Fan, Southern Britain’s highest peak, 365 times in 365 days.

He managed this extraordinary feat around his normal life as a full-time mortgage broker and in the process has raised in excess of £55,000 for two causes very close to his heart, Help for Heroes and Cancer Research UK.

 “I was inspired to take up this challenge by my Mum and Dad who’ve had three different types of cancer between them, and my Dad spent 26 years in the Irish Guards, so that’s the family connection. It’s just something I wanted to do to give a little back,” said Des (43).

Des, who wore through 7 pairs of trainers during his year of hiking up and down the southern Welsh peak in in the Brecon Beacons National Park, clocking up around 1,360 miles in the process, often walked late at night or early in the morning in the dark and enduring extreme weather conditions from gale force winds and snow through to the hottest summer in years last year.

For his summer holiday last year, Des took his family to the flattest place he could think of, Holland.

(Des making his ascent on St David’s Day)

His challenge inspired many people to support and walk with him including schools, choirs and other community groups, plus celebrities including Tour De France winner Geraint Thomas, gold medal cyclist Becky James, rugby stars George North and Andy Powell and Matt Pritchard, star of the Dirty Vegan TV series.

A cohort from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers military band which performs at all the international rugby matches at the Millennium Stadium played a fanfare for Des at the top of Pen Y Fan, having completed the 365th walk with him, as did his 78-year-old father Des Lally Snr, pictured top.

Anyone wishing to donate to Des’s challenge can do so at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DesLally