Bristol runner's Ben Nevis ascent to complete final leg of nationwide endurance challenge

Dan Beaumont, from Southville will scale the UK's highest mountain as part of his fell running mega-marathon to raise money and awareness for the mental health charity Mind Over Mountains.

He is taking on the UK’s four big mountain running 'rounds' spread across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Each of these classic routes has to be completed in under 24 hours to gain ‘official’ recognition. Dan has already completed the first three – and will now take on the Scottish challenge over the weekend of August 3-4.

Collectively, 'The Big 4 Rounds’ include 152 mountain summits, more than 31,200m (102,362ft) of ascent, and almost 400km (248 miles) across the highest peaks of four of Britain’s most distinct mountain ranges.

“Ever since I was a kid, the great outdoors have played a precious role in my life,” says Dan. “As I've grown older, my affinity to nature has only strengthened, developing into a deep passion for mountain running. Now I am using the great outdoors to build resilience, navigate challenges in life and better manage my own mental and physical well-being.”

The charity Mind Over Mountains organises walks and weekend retreats in National Parks including Dartmoor and Eryri (Snowdonia). Not only is walking and talking in nature itself therapeutic, every walk includes mindfulness sessions and the walkers are accompanied by qualified coaches and counsellors.

Research shows as many as 1 in 4 people will struggle with their mental health at some time this year. Dan's fundraiser is part of a much bigger project to help provide support for more people in the south west.

Mind Over Mountains is aiming to raise £500,000 to help meet the growing demand for mental health services in the region. The charity is increasingly working with social prescribing link workers, who are based within primary care networks such as GP practices. Patients can then qualify for free or heavily subsided places on walks and retreats, funded by the charity.

“Evidence consistently shows a positive relationship between spending time in nature or exposure to nature and good health and wellbeing.” says the charity's chief executive Ian Sansbury. “Our ambition is to make nature- and activity-based responses to wellbeing the norm in mental health care and support.”

Dan completed the Bob Graham Round in the Lake District under the 24-hour threshold in May last year. Having spent autumn and winter 2023 recovering from an injury, Dan went on to complete the Dennis Rankin Round (Northern Ireland) this March in 22 hours 30 minutes and The Paddy Buckley Round in Eryri, Wales last month. He just managed that in 23 hrs 59 minutes.

His final round is the Charlie Ramsay in Scotland, scheduled for Saturday, August 3.

The Charlie Ramsay Round, is a long distance hill running challenge starting and ending at Fort William youth hostel. The route is a circuit of roughly 93 km (58 miles), taking in 24 summits with a total climb of around 8,700m (28,500ft). It includes Britain's highest peak Ben Nevis along with 22 other Munros and Sgurr an Iubhair, which was declassified as a Munro in 1997. The route was devised by Edinburgh runner Charlie Ramsay and first completed by Ramsay on 8-9 July 1978.

Dan is being sponsored on the final round of his endeavour by outdoor equipment suppliers Silva and Primus.

"We are thrilled to support his ambitious journey across the UK's toughest mountain terrains. His dedication to mountain running and raising mental health awareness aligns perfectly with our mission to empower outdoor enthusiasts,” says Madelene Öhlin, head of brands and communication at Primus-Silva. We believe Dan will not only conquer this challenge but also inspire countless individuals along the way."