Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean. 
If you’re an adventurous man living on these fair isles you’ve likley considered tackling one of the nations’s famous three peaks. Namely, Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike.
But what happens when you take on all three in the same stretch? That’s the three peaks challenge — one that’s seen many Brits emerge triumphant. One plucky Brit, however, decided to take it to the next level and go one further, by summiting each mountain and walking to the next.
Meet Drew Collins, a photographer who took on the challenge. His numbers talk — clocking-in over 400 miles of sweat, sun-burn, blisters and more, he summited, and walked between, each of the three peaks across 24 days.
“Over the past few years, I’ve begun to enjoy scaling mountains and hiking scenic trails,” says Drew, when MH asks him why on earth he tried the challenge. “The only issue is that most mountains have been summited and all trails have been walked...after some research I found that nobody had walked the entire route before, I felt as though I had stumbled on to a truly unique idea.”
He wasn’t wrong. Unsurprisingly, the modern world played a key role in nudging Drew out the door. “I feel we live in an age where everybody is glued to their smartphone — myself included sometimes — and I would love to inspire people to get outside just that little bit more. We should all seek adventure and explore often.”
Too right. Not only will a boost in Vitamin D increase your mood-boosting endorphins, it also fast-tracks your fat-loss, according to the University of Minnesota. Likewise, Vitamin D iron-clads your bones to help fight (and prevent) fractures — especially handy if you find yourself in Collins’ situation.
As you’ll know, preparation is key for any new endeavor, and Collins knew this. “[My training] included sport climbing, light cardio and strength training,” says Collins. “The physical aspect is important, of course. However, you can be in the fittest shape of your life and still fail if you’re not mentally prepared…you need to be in the right frame of mind to succeed.”
But, training soon finished and it was time to hit the track. The challenges weren’t far behind, though. “I experienced something incredible called ‘crotch rot’”, says Collins. MH cringes. “It’s pretty nasty. Thankfully, I had packed some cream to help clear it up, but for two days the pain was unbearable.”
The injuries didn’t end there, either. Sun-burn, intense blistering and knee issues followed Collins everywhere between the three peaks, but his strife wasn’t just physical. His mind struggled, too. “[At the half-way point] I’d hit a pretty serious wall, both physically and mentally and just wanted to give up. “
Thankfully, Collins did anything but. Even when a bull decided to chase him down near Annadale Way in Scotland. “If you ever feel at your physical limit — having slogged hundreds of miles with 10kg of weight on your back — then nothing will show you how much further you can push your body than an angry bull chasing you.”
Surviving on a diet of freeze-dried foods, trail mix and protein-rich snacks like beef jerky and protein bars, Collins eventually made his way around the country, tackling each peak and coming out on top.
But, afterwards, things weren’t as celebratory as you’d imagine. “Post-expedition depression really got on top of me,” admits Collins. His closing advice for someone looking to go on their next adventure?
“Mental preparation is also important, you need to truly expose yourself to the magnitude of what you're about to attempt in order to come to terms of what lies ahead.” Once you've done that, you're well on your way. Happy adventuring.