63 teams competed. The Yompettes (Girls) were placed 36 overall completing the challenge in 47 hours 20 minutes. The Yompas (Boys) were 22 overall completing the challenge in 47 hours 8 minutes. We walked / ran 31 miles, climbed 14500 feet and the chauffeurs (Claire and Claire) drove 1541 miles. For those of you who like statistics:

Despite the torture of sleep deprivation the challenge was (mostly) good humoured. To say the event was well organised, is a huge understatement. The officials, marshals and their arrangements were superb and the Galaxy and SMax kindly loaned by Ford were more than equal to the caning the Claires gave them.

We set off from Leeming Bar at 5.00 am on Thursday morning only stopping for a huge breakfast at Tyndrum. After team photos in Fort William we were ready for the start.

Ben Nevis

The weather was mixed but everyone was up for it despite the long trudge to the summit. The girls descent was slightly hampered as they flirted with 10 teams of fireman ascending their first of 3 peaks. We all felt relieved to have got the first one away after all the months of anticipation. There followed a gruelling drive for the Claires to Threkeld in the Lake District where we slept in the Cricket Club car park.

The boys finishing Ben Nevis

Helvellyn

We were all up just after dawn, everyone stiff from awkward sleeping positions. Weather conditions were mixed and blustery. Helvellyn passed in a daze. I came a cropper running off the top, flattening my metal water bottle. Only my pride injured! There followed a huge breakfast at Threkeld Cricket Club then another gruelling drive to Wales.

Happy after Helvellyn

Snowdon

Snowdon became our nemesis. The weather conditions were appalling. Low cloud and bucketing rain. No enthusiasm left whatsoever. Grim determination required. A howling wind, cold at the summit, still cold by the finish. We were all very pleased afterwards to stiffly ease ourselves into our sleeping bags for a four hour kip on the overnight Holyhead / Dublin ferry. The Ford Galaxy was by now full of sweaty, wet gear so we all reeked as we set out for the Macgillicuddy's Reeks in the far west of Ireland! Another five hour gruelling journey only punctuated by yet another huge breakfast.

Both teams finishing Snowden

Carantouhill

This is a mountain none of us had climbed before. Its main feature is the Devils Ladder a 600ft near 50 degree scree climb from the valley floor which sounds and initially looks scary but is really OK provided you don't slip and don't mind water cascading down on all sides as you climb. Helmets were required because of the danger of falling rocks! Claire and Claire donned their boots for this one and were excellent pacemakers encouraging us on this final objective. The weather seemed fair until the summit where the full force of an Atlantic storm was apparent. We didn't linger! There were many tumbles on the descent, Debbie went flying grazing her knees, Steve Jackson comically fell over wading across the river near the finish. Ah yes, the finish - we were all pleased to see that!

Looking down the Devils Ladder

Claire, Al and Debbie on the summit of Carantouhill

The awards ceremony was a great party but we were all wacked, a proper bed was harder to resist than the Guinness. Next morning yet another full Irish breakfast set us up for the long journey home via Fishguard. Unsurprisingly since getting back home Debbie has hidden all the sausages and bacon fearing I might develop a chronic addiction. I must say big breakfasts and junk food were a welcome diversion from the colossal effort required to complete this challenge.

It's nearly over!

Of course we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has sponsored us. Your generosity has been overwhelming and really spurred us on through the those teeth gritting moments of last weekend.

Our total funds raised so far are just over £10,000. If you haven't quite got round to sponsoring yet then it is not too late to send us a cheque made payable to Wooden Spoon or simply log on to www.dentalshop.co.uk and follow the Four Peaks Challenge links or log on to www.justgiving.com/yorkshireyompas.

Finally, a mention for the Challenge winning team, The Flyers, who not only ran the mountains in an incredible 8 hours 4 minutes but also raised over £34,000. Respect!

Big thanks on behalf of the teams - Alistair Hall

Our pretty chauffers

Visit www.spoonchallenges.com