I did it! It was the hardest thing I've ever done!

7 Peaks In 7 Days For Autism   -    My trip to India was cancelled due to flash floods (see link).  Determined to challenge myself and raise awareness for autism, I conquered 7 peaks in 7 days in 3 countries instead.  It was a total of 44 hours hiking and 6,420 metres of ascent and descent!  For more photos of the challenge click here...For videos of the challenge click here...

To everyone who has sponsored me so far - a massive thank you - your generosity and well wishes mean everything.

Which mountains did I climb? 

Day 1:Carn Ban Mor (Scot): 5 hours hiking - 1052m altitude

Day 2:Ben Nevis (Scot): 7 1/2 hours hiking - 1344m altitude

Day 3:Ben Lomond (Scot): 6 hours hiking - 974m altitude
Day 4:Skiddaw (Eng): 4 hours hiking - 931m altitude
Day 5:Broad Crag (Eng): 9 hours hiking - 934m altitude
Day 6:Helvellyn (Eng): 4 hours hiking - 950m altitude
Day 7:Snowdon (Wales): 6 1/2 hours hiking - 1085m altitude

(Finished on Sunday 22nd August 2010) 

Plan B

Unfortunately I am not going to the Indian Himalayas. :( The area that I was going to, Leh, has been hit by devastating floods last week which has left a death toll of 185 and 200 people still missing. It has barely been reported by the British press. Please pray for the people of Leh and their lives that they will need to rebuild. The decision got made yesterday (Thursday) to cancel the trip. Naturally I am very disappointed after 7 months of preparation but am currently preparing Plan B, the goal now is 7 British mountains in 7 days, starting the new trip on Sunday... :)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-10937196
http://m.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/terrified-trekkers-recount-hell-in-himalayas-20100813-12270.html

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I would like to sincerely thank everyone for their support, kindness and generosity for the 'teampetertrek' project. The support, both financial and emotional, from family, friends, school colleagues and parents from school, has been overwhelming. The donations, sponsorship and fundraising have exceeded my expectations, meaning it has already broken the £3,500 barrier (including gift aid). All of this money will go (and most already has) to the National Autistic Society, as I have completely self-funded the trip. For more information on the charity itself, you can visit http://www.autism.org.uk/ - A week to go, and I am nervous but excited about the challenge ahead!Http://www.justgiving.com/teampetertrek

My knee

I set off hiking on Friday with Frank only to find my knee was sufferring from too much excerise. I was gutted! The hike was cancelled and I drove home dejected.

I'd covered 46 miles during the week either running or walking. Two days later, and after resting, wearing a knee support and a good massage my dear old dad, my knee's feeling much better. Confidence is crucial now, and if I think I can do it, then I will do it.

Off today to be my best mate's best man!

Another 16 and a half miles

I've just walked through the door after hiking 16 and a half miles.  So far this week, covered 46 miles by foot training!  Is it weird to take a photo of yourself?

Check out this ace article by Chris Ollett on my trek

http://www.wolverineden.com/

Helvellyn 2: The Sequel

To cap off my training weekend, I woke up tired but determined to get more miles under my belt.  I headed to the lakes to summit Helvellyn, a hike I did a couple of months ago.  Much to my own annoyance, I forgot to take my jacket with me, and ended up very glad it didn't rain at all!

It took 5 hours in total but I wanted to do 6 hours in total so did another hour hike when I got back to good old Standish.  It was definitely difficult to wake up this morning after hiking yesterday, but feel chuffed after completing these last two days.  A well earned rest now!

Tired but still smiling

It really is no rest for the wicked!

I broke up from school yesterday and have just completed a 16 and a half mile walk (the half definitely counts!) in 5 hours 40min. I walked a 5.5 mile circuit that I know 3 times, and I walked the first lap with Honey.  The highlight had to be the couple who thought I was joking that I was on the 3rd time around!  Now, a can of pop, pasta and a pizza for tea and a long bath.

:)

Tour De Wigan - 21 mile hike in 7 and a half hours.

Tour De Wigan - 21 mile hike in 7 and a half hours.

Hiked 21 miles today. Went from Standish to Wigan to Pemberton to Orrell to Gathurst to Shevington to Appley Bridge to Parbold to Wrightington to Standish to Worthington and home. Pretty tired now!

Only 4 weeks to go...

Arrrggghhh!!!

Ok now I've got that out of the way, it really does feel pressing and I don't feel as in shape as I should be.  But I think that's just because it's so close now.  I've got my injections done, received my VISA sorted, and thanks to Philippa Russman now have my 4-season sleeping bag ready.  Been mega busy at work over the last 3 weeks so am now chomping at the bit to get out on the road.  Gonna plan to train some tomorrow and some Sunday.

Onwards and upwards....

fundraising video outtakes- a funny video

Cream crackered.

Training hike today - 18 and a half miles, 6 and a half hours - I didn't know my body and feet could feel so sore and tired! Trekking the Himalayan mountains in only 7 weeks now for the National Autistic Society. Please could you sponsor me? www.justgiving.com/teampetertrek

Fundraising and training going very well!

25th June 2010: Fundraising and training going very well! Your support has been incredible!  I've paid for the trip myself now (£1860).  So, just in case you weren't sure, ALL of the money that gets raised goes STRAIGHT to the NAS.  I've paid for the trip completely by myself.  Follow my progress in my preparations: teampetertrek.blogspot.com/  and twitter.com/teampetertrek


£134 raised at Hesketh-with-Becconsall All Saints CE Primary School on a non-uniform day. Thank you parents, children and staff!Donation by HWB All Saints CE Primary School 25/06/10


£123.45 raised in a car boot sales by Carla Ryall (sister) and James Mather (brother) - Well done guys!Donation by Carla Ryall and James Mather 25/06/10

Crown Fundraiser

£690 raised at the Crown Fundraiser on 19th June - (Quiz, Games, Raffle, Disco) Thank you so much everyone! Paul x

Wigan Reporter - June 2010 (2nd newspaper)

Join the world's first virtual Talkathon

Talk about Autism is a new campaign by autism charity TreeHouse, supported by TalkTalk. The campaign aims to increase public understanding of autism. TreeHouse wants everyone to watch young people and their families, including Nick Hornby and son Danny, talking about autism in our film – and then to join in the conversation.

Wigan Evening Post - June 2010

2-peak challenge: Scafel Pike and Helvellyn in 2 consecutive days

Now that was an exhausting 2 days! I needed to do two mountains back-to-back, because when it comes to August, I'll need to be able to do it for a whole week. So, on Wednesday I climbed Helvellyn, England's third highest mountain. I took the Wythburn route which took 2 hours to get to the top, and then 3 hours down in a long-winded loop route. The weather was scorching so the sweat was dripping off me after only 15 minutes of ascent! There were stunning views at the top though of Swirral Edge and Striding Edge.

I had set off at 2:30pm, and got back at 7:30pm. By the time I got back to the tent and had tea, I was tucked up in bed at 9:30pm, sore and tired. What was different from anything else I had done before though, was the prospect of doing Scafel Pike the next day...

I slept in to have as much energy as possible. However, I still felt the effects of the previous day's outing at the start at the hike at 1pm.

It took me 5 hours to get to the summit of Scafel Pike. It felt awesome to get there, especially adding it onto the previous day's achievement. However, during the whole 5 hour trip to the top, I just kept wondering if I should just stop and turn around. The picture at the top is of me at the top of Scafel Pike.

The 4 hour trip back down to Langdale was exhausting. I don't know HOW the guy on the internet had done it in 6 hours altogether?? As Frank says,"There's always someone who goes one better!"

5 hours on Wednesday, then 9 hours on Thursday. Plus the temperature was in the low-to-mid 20s which made it tougher. Time for a well-earned pint I think!

www.justgiving.com/teampetertrek

Halfway up Helvellyn, England's 3rd highest mountain

Paul BJ Mather is fundraising for National Autistic Society - JustGiving

Paul BJ Mather is fundraising for National Autistic Society - JustGiving: "I will be completing a weeklong trek through the Indus Valley, in Ladakh, In the Indian controlled Kashmir.� The trek will cover 16km per day through tough Himilayan terrain.� The trek starts out at Leh, in Ladakh, sitting over 3000m above sea level, this gives the challenge of coping with Acute Mountain Sickness, therefore a week prior to the startout of the trek will be spent acclimatising to the altitude.� Ladakh is currently the only region of the Kashmir deemed safe to travel to by the Foreign Office and British High Commission."

This is how your donations and support can make a difference

£15 - helps pay for one of their Autism Helpline advisers to send information about autism support to five worried parents

£25 - pays for the first stage of training a volunteer befriender, who will spend a few hours a week with a person with autism or their family, offering much-needed support or friendship

£50 - gives ten people access to our Autism helpline, a crucial service providing information and support to people with autism and their families

£75 - pays for three families to attend out EarlyBird programme, which provides vital help and support to families of pre-school children with autism

£100 - helps pay for a child to be diagnosed at our assessment centre

£500 - provides gardening equipment for up to 50 adults at one of our adult services

£1000 - replaces play equipment at one of our schools and benefits more than 50 children

£2,500 - gives a person with autism the opportunity to gain full-time, supported employment. Companies taking part in the scheme include Boots, HSBC, Marks & Spencer and BT

This is what makes the NAS a great charity to support!

Did you know that in one year:

• 2.6 million people visited their website
• 38,000 queries were dealt with by their helpline
• 1,650 families were supported by our Parent to Parent support line
• 2,788 families attended their help! family support programmes
• 432 places were available for children in their schools
• 388 children attended their out-of-school clubs
• 344 adults were supported by their Prospects employment service
• 250 adults used their residential services
• 177 adults received day support

Making The News: Hesketh-with-Becconsall All Saints CE Primary

Making The News: Hesketh-with-Becconsall All Saints CE Primary

Team Peter Trek Video

Leh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is the town I will fly to: Leh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

May Training

Video: Team Peter Trek

Come on Honey, let's go up those hills!

Well, in the last two weeks me and Honey have been walking for at least an hour a day, which included taking in Snowdon and Yr Eifl in Wales!  Snowdon was great, especially within a month of getting to the top of Scafel Pike  (I've heard Ben Nevis is a bit of a drive away!)

Autism Myth Buster

Want to understand more about autism? Sort the truth from the fiction with our autism myth buster.

Myth: Autism (including Asperger syndrome) is a rare condition.
Fact: Autism (including Asperger syndrome) is no longer a rare condition and is thought to affect about 588,000 people in the UK today.

Myth: All people with autism have a extraordinary ability like the Dustin Hoffman character in the film Rainman.
Fact: People with autism who have an extraordinary talent are referred to as 'autistic savants'. Savants are rare: Between 2 and 3% of the UK population have some degree of learning disability, but only 0.06% of these were initially estimated to possess an unusually high level of specific ability. Savant ability is more frequently associated with those having some form of autism rather than with other disabilities. Current thinking holds that at most 1 or 2 in 200 individuals with an autism spectrum disorder might have a genuine savant talent. However, there is no reliable frequency estimate as yet as there is still no register of people with autism in the UK.

Myth: Asperger syndrome is a middle class malady made up by parents to excuse their badly behaved children.
Fact: Asperger syndrome is a very real and very disabling condition that has its own set of diagnostic criteria. It is often diagnosed slightly later than autism at around 11-13 years but its effects are just as real and can be devastating if people's needs are not met.

Myth: Only children have autism and they can get better or grow out of it.
Fact: Autism is a lifelong developmental disability with no cure. Children with autism grow up to be adults with autism.

Myth: Autism is the result of emotional deprivation or emotional stress.
Fact: Autism is a complex developmental disability involving a biological or organic defect in the functioning of the brain.

Myth: Autism is a new phenomenon.
Fact: The first detailed description of a child we now know had autism was written in 1799 by Jean Itard in his account of The Wild Boy of Aveyron.

Myth: A person with autism cannot be educated.
Fact: With the right structured support within and outside of school, individuals with autism can be helped to reach their full potential.

Myth: People with autism wish to avoid social contact.
Fact: People with autism are often keen to make friends but, due to their disability, find this difficult.

Myth: Autism is due to parental rejection or cold, unemotional parents.
Fact: Autism has nothing whatsoever to do with the way parents bring up their children.

More information about autism can be found on the National Autistic Society website

Young, Autistic & Stagestruck

Watched this tonight, what amazing people: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/young-autistic-stagestruck

World Autism Awareness Day

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=253&a=21390

Scafel Pike

Boy, that was tough! I managed to climb it yesterday, taking 9 hours in total. (set off at 6:50am on a Saturday to get there)

I definitely had the stamina but lacked a little 'direction'! I went the wrong way going up so it took me 4 hours to get to the top. When I got to a certain point, the weather lifted so I could see where I was going. Tired but determined, I could see the Pike in the distance, it took about another hour to get to the top.

Coming down was a nightmare, I got lost because the weather came in, and I couldn't see a thing. At one point, I didn't know which way to go, so I sledged down the snow to a point where the weather was clear, and then I could see the way back.

Well, I can now start to build a list of peaks I've climbed in order to train for the Himalayas: Scafel Pike, Great Whernside and good old Winter Hill.

My dad and sister!

Map of Zaskar Mountains

Here is a map of where I am going. I've learnt more about where I'm going in the past 24 hours than I have in the last 7 weeks!

Going well...

Well the secret is out and there is no going back! Sponsorship has started which is a great feeling. However, this week's cold hasn't helped. Itching to get out to train but haven't been able to. And what my sister and dad are doing is truly inspirational (see justgiving.com/teampeter).

I love this quote...

A quote from George Mallory (Everest Mountaineer):

"So, if you cannot understand that there is something in man which responds to the challenge...and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself, upward and forever upward, then you won't see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. This is what life means and what life is for."

Don't Write Me Off

http://www.dontwritemeoff.org.uk/

I must be mad!

I must be mad!

I can usually be seen teaching children at All Saints Primary, in Hesketh Bank, but on August 14th I will be leaving for the Himalayas and trekking 71 kilometres to raise money for The National Autistic Society. I've never even walked up Ben Nevis, but now I'll have to take on high altitude and 5 days of continuous trekking.

It will all be worthwhile if I succeed in raising £3,000 for The National Autistic Society. My five-year-old nephew, Peter, was diagnosed with autism two years ago and the charity has been a constant support ever since for my sister's family. When Peter was diagnosed with autism it was a very difficult and confusing time for my family. They didn't know much about the condition and had no idea what sort of help or support was available for Peter.

But they were put in touch with The National Autistic Society and they have been amazing. They helped my sister’s family talk to the local education authority about how best to help Peter and put them in touch with other parents with autistic children. They have always been there whenever they've needed advice or support. The National Autistic Society has done so much for my sister’s family, now it's time I did something for them.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.

What is autism?

http://www.autism.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2493

Video: February Training

Taken from the wikitravel site: http://wikitravel.org/en/Altitude_sickness

A minority of people, about 20%, have some symptoms of altitude sickness if they ascend to about 2500 meters (8000 feet) above sea level and sleep there. However, most people will acclimatize to 3000 meters (10,000 feet) with relative ease, perhaps having symptoms after the first night.
Acclimatizing to heights of 3000–5000 meters (10,000–16,000 feet) is much more difficult, and it is here that it is absolutely necessary to ascend slowly and return to a lower altitude to sleep if you have been travelling around at a higher altitude during the day. Over 50% of people will become ill if they ascend rapidly from sea level to 3500 meters (11,000 feet) without acclimatization, and everyone will if they ascend rapidly to 5000 meters (16,000 feet).