Fundraiser stories: Emily's 2026 Mend Our Mountains challenge

Access News
25 Mar
2 min read

Meet Emily Taylor, the BMC member who has chosen the BMC Access & Conservation Trust's Mend Our Mountains campaign for her trig point challenge this year.

This year, BMC member Emily Taylor, a Mountain Leader and Content Creator based in Glossop, Derbyshire, has chosen to fundraise for the BMC Access & Conservation Trust's Mend Our Mountains campaign. Thank you Emily!

Emily's story is particularly pertinent because she has managed to turn a life-changing trauma into therapy and inspiration, which she shares to help others via her Instagram account, @trigsandteeth.

Unfortunately Emily can't make our sponsored Wildfire Walk Sat 30 May, which is now open for registration, but follow her progress on Instagram to be inspired by her enthusiasm for her own hill walking challenge - getting triggy with it... read on for more!

Wildfire walk

Fundraise for us anytime!

We welcome fundraising from anyone, anytime! If you're keen to help the BMC Access & Conservation Trust repair paths, conserve upland landscapes and habitats and restore the moorlands in our Mend Our Mountains and The Climate Project campaigns, here's everything you need to get started.

Emily leading a hike taking in the trig point on Black Hill, Peak District.

What is your day job?

My job is a bit of a patchwork at the moment! I’m a Mountain Leader and Content Creator so as well as running women’s hiking events and courses through my Peak Outdoor Community, I also have an online community on Instagram under my handle @trigsandteeth. I feel very fortunate to work with some amazing brands, testing out products and running community hikes for them.

Where are you based?

In Glossop on the edge of the Peak District.

How did you get into the outdoors?

I’ve always been outdoorsy since being a young girl as my dad was a keen rock climber. But the mountains came later in life when I started to travel around the UK and Europe in a campervan with my now husband in our early 20s.

What do you love most about this passion of yours?

I love that the hills and mountains bring me so much peace. It doesn’t feel like hiking is a hobby - it feels like a necessity to keep my mental health in check. I feel very fortunate that I’ve been able to build a career from my passion for the outdoors.

And why are you a member of the BMC?

I’ve been a member of the BMC since I signed up with the Mountain Training Association at the beginning of my Hill and Moorland Leader journey back in 2022. I’ve since gone on to become a Mountain Leader and will continue with my BMC membership as it’s a fantastic organisation and it’s my way of giving something back to the beautiful outdoor spaces that I work and play in so often.

How did you first hear about the BMC Access & Conservation Trust?

I was volunteering on a BMC sphagnum moss planting day when I first heard about it and I’ve been on a mailing list to help out when dates actually align! Until then, I hope to raise funds to help towards this important work.

What made you choose our Mend Our Mountains campaign for your fundraising in 2026?

I’m turning 40 in December this year and it is also the 90th anniversary of the trig pillar, so I’ve set myself a challenge to visit every mountain in England with a trig pillar on or near the summit. That’s 52 mountains in 52 weeks. Since the mountains bring me and so many others joy, this feels like a great way to give something back.

On a personal level, trig points became an obsession for me after losing my dad to suicide. A week before he died, we spent the day hiking and bagging trigs together. Trig-bagging has become a way for me to deal with the grief of losing him.

Emily bagging the trig on Nine Standards Rigg, North Pennines.

What have been the highs of your challenge so far?

Finally getting some sunshine in the Howgills and seeing some summit views from The Calf!

Any lows or particularly challenging parts so far?

My waterproofs have taken a battering! High Pike in the Lake District was a particularly tough one. A solo hike with wind chill temperatures around -10 deg C. That was type 2 fun!

What is your secret to raising a significant amount in sponsorship?

No secrets, I’ll just continue sharing my story on my Instagram page. With almost 50k followers now, I’m hoping to get the message far and wide!

How can the BMC Access & Conservation Trust encourage more people to be like you and take on sponsored challenges to raise money for us?

Since social media is having such a huge impact at the moment and the outdoors niche is in a period of growth, it would definitely be worth tapping into that and working with outdoor influencers to raise awareness of the work the BMC does and the benefits of being a member.

What’s next for you with your challenge and your fundraising?

I would really like to join one of the Mend Our Mountains Get Stuck In days as a volunteer so I can showcase the work that is being done.

More fundraiser stories

Access News

Fundraiser stories: Emily's 2026 Mend Our Mountains challenge

Meet Emily Taylor, the BMC member who has chosen the BMC Access & Conservation Trust's Mend Our Mountains campaign for her trig point challenge this year.

25 Mar
2 min read

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Wildfire Walk

Sign up for our 25km sponsored Wildfire Walk from Hathersage, Sat 30 May, to help protect the Sheffield Moors from wildfire. This is part of the BMC Big Walking Weekend and supports our Wildfire Appeal which aims to raise £50,000 to safeguard Stanage, Burbage, Froggatt Edges and Curbar, areas deeply affected by recent fires.

BMC Big Hill Walking Weekend

Throughout the weekend we're running walks, talks, workshops and a chance to meet like-minded hikers, based in Edale, with additional satellite events like the Wildfire Walk from nearby Hathersage.

Protect the Sheffield Moors

We have already raised £50,000 to fund a dedicated Wildfire Ranger to protect the Sheffield Moors area from wildfire this season. Please now help the BMC Access & Conservation Trust raise a further £50,000 to support the team with equipment and restore the moorland for future generations.

£10 funds a roll of 20 sphagnum moss plugs

£25 fully restores 1m2 of moorland

£50 stabilises bare peat with cut heather

£100 funds ten educational social media posts

£200 builds a 2m dam to rewet an eroded gully

£2,000 hires one wildfire-prevention road sign

£10,000 buys a wildfire-detection drone

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Join the BMC

Cotswold Outdoor Discount

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