Scottish weather defeats Bristol runner's mountain record attempt

Endurance athlete Dan Beaumont was attempting to complete all four classic fell-running circuits to raise money for mental health charity Mind Over Mountains.

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.

Dan, who lives in Southville, Bristol, completed the final Scottish route over the weekend – but he failed to do it in the 24 hours needed for an entry in the record books. He set off at 11am on Saturday and ran through the night over 24 peaks, including Britain's highest mountain Ben Nevis, to complete the circuit at 4pm on Sunday.

He was forced to battle through poor visibility in the mountain mist, heavy showers, gusting winds at the summits and very wet conditions underfoot.

“We knew all along that Dan would never lack determination and that his biggest enemy was the going to be the weather,” says Mind Over Mountains chief executive Ian Sansbury.

“His time is still an incredible achievement in the conditions and we are immensely grateful for his fundraising effort.”

The charity 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.

Mind Over Mountains is aiming to raise £500,000 to help meet the growing demand for mental health services in the south west 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.

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