On Sunday the 19th of May, a dedicated group of Giggleswick School students, staff and parents will be taking on their bi-annual challenge, the Gigg2Gigg. The route involves walking from Giggleswick to the three peaks, traversing all three peaks and then making the journey on foot back to the school.

It is estimated that the origins of the event stretch back to 1887, when three Giggleswick schoolmasters became the first to complete what is known today as the Yorkshire 3 Peaks. Over the years the school has been involved in and organised numerous events around the 3 peaks in different formats. Latterly however, these have evolved into the 35-mile walk that is now referred to as the Gigg2Gigg. 

As well as being a physical test, the event has a history of supporting charity. The walks have cumulatively raised tens of thousands of pounds for a variety of causes, and this year is no different, with the school’s elected charity being The Solomon Project, which aims to improve the lives of Kenya’s poorest children. Volunteers work to provide daily meals to chronically hungry children, which encourages them to attend school, gain an education and lay the foundations for an improved quality of life.

Pete Keron, Head of Outdoor Pursuits at Giggleswick, adds: “this is the kind of event that outdoor enthusiasts might refer to as ‘type 2 fun’ - an experience which is much more enjoyable once it has finished.” This is certainly understandable as it is likely that the walk will take 16 hours to complete and the group’s mental and physical stamina will be put to the test when they are required to ascend roughly 6000 feet of rugged Yorkshire Dales landscape. Pete also comments that the Gigg2Gigg is, in his opinion: “the quintessence of adventure. It is an excellent example of the kind of ‘journey’ that connects us to the environment in which we live”.

Donations to the Solomon Project can be made on the Gigg2Gigg 2024 JustGiving page.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/peter-keron-1713603270699