In February 2007 a small UK team will attempt a big mountaineering challenge, in aid of Comic Relief. 3PeaksAfrica aims to climb the continent’s three highest mountains in just three weeks, raising as much money as possible for charity in the process.

In the order they’ll tackle them the peaks are: Margherita 5109m, Uganda; a remote and unusual glaciated equatorial alpine climb of about PD/AD grade, reached via several days’ worth of jungle bashing. Batian, Mt.Kenya 5199m; the Southwest Ridge is a long rock climb at altitude with difficulties up to Kenyan grade IV (which the team hopes equates to a fairly friendly VS!). Kilimanjaro 5895m, Tanzania; they expect to be well acclimatised by this stage, making the walk up more of a pleasure than a chore – that’s the plan, at least.

Team members are:

Steve Perry, team leader. 35 years old, an engineer from Todmorden Yorkshire. Steve’s previous charity fundraising epics include last year’s Winter284 challenge, the first non-motorised, non-stop ascent of all 284 Scottish Munros (3000-foot summits) in one winter season, 1500 miles on foot. 3PeaksAfrica is his brainchild, and the other team members are praying it’s not going to prove quite as hardcore. Steve is a member of Phantom Mountaineering Club.

Andrew Wilkinson, 30, a builder from Todmorden, Yorkshire. A keen climber and hillwalker who also enjoys a little fell running, Andrew has spent time in France, Germany and Norway training and competing in biathlon and cross country skiing events. Andrew was last in Africa in 2001 with the British Army, and is a member of Phantom Mountaineering club.

Lorraine McCall, 41, a Freelance Development Trainer in Edinburgh. No stranger to mountain masochism herself, Lorraine was the first (and so far only) woman ever to complete a non-stop self-powered round of Scotland’s Munros in summer 2005. She is a keen climber on both rock and ice, having done so extensively in Scotland, America and the Alps. Lorraine is a member of the Creag D'hont climbing club.

Dan Bailey 32, an outdoor sports writer based in Fife. Dan specialises in adventure travel journalism, and is the author of recent guidebook Scotland’s Mountain Ridges. He has climbed, walked and occasionally crawled in mountain ranges around the world, and he hopes he won’t get lost in the jungle. Again.

Sponsors include gear from Rab (www.rab.uk.com) and Outdoor Designs (www.outdoordesigns.co.uk). Tents supplied by Terra Nova (www.terra-nova.co.uk). Pacerpoles from (www.pacerpole.com).

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