A woman who was at risk of losing her foot after a fall on ice has challenged herself to embark on a self-powered adventure ‘triathlon’ across England, Scotland and Wales.
Claire Hughes, 44, from Wylam, plans to undertake a journey across the three nations by packraft, bike and on foot between April 20 and 28th of this year to raise money for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), after she required their help following a fall in the Pennines.
In November 2021, Claire and her partner James Mackay were walking in icy conditions around the Blanchland area in Northumberland, in the aftermath of Storm Arwen, when she slipped.
Due to the ice and snow, it would have taken several hours for a road ambulance to reach Miss Hughes, so the Great North Air Ambulance Service was called, and their critical care team based in Langwathby, Penrith flew to the scene in just over 15 minutes.
The team found Claire to be at severe risk of losing her foot and developing hypothermia in the -20C wind-chill conditions.
As both of the bones in Claire's leg were broken, as well as her ankle pointing in the wrong direction, emergency treatment was delivered in a temporary shelter at the scene to help with the blood supply to the foot.
Ms Hughes was then airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, where she underwent surgery to treat breaks on the three main bones of her ankle.
Speaking about her challenge, she said: “My plan is to start in Wales, paddling Llyn Tegid (Lake Bala), cycle to Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), hike Snowdon, cycle to Newby Bridge, paddle Windermere, cycle to Langdale to hike Scafell, cycle to Loch Awe, paddle Loch Awe, cycle to Ben Nevis and finish with a hike up Ben Nevis.”
“For me, it's not about being the best, the fastest, going the furthest or being the first - it's about finding your own challenge, enjoying the journey and finding the adventure along the way. It doesn't have to always be about comparing yourself with others and measuring your success against their achievements, it's about taking that inspiration to create your own.
“I think the work GNAAS does is incredible, life-saving and essential. It also costs a lot to run, and I can't believe they are a charity, therefore I'm very mindful of the continuing need for financial support. By doing a fundraiser as well as a regular donation, it also offers a chance to raise awareness of GNAAS and the work they do and hopefully increase the network of regular support.”
She is no stranger to challenges, after completing a 3,000-mile row across the Atlantic in 42 days in 2019, at the time breaking the world record for the fastest mixed team of four.
You can sponsor Miss Hughes via her JustGiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/claire-hughes-1689324407825
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