Gwen’s story on completing the Cal Chall

The Caledonian Challenge is one of the toughest endurance events in the calendar. Individuals sign up to test their mental and physical stamina while tackling 54 miles in 24 hours or 24 miles in 12 hours. The Caledonian Challenge is one of Scotland’s toughest challenges.

“Harder than you think. More rewarding than you can imagine” is the phrase used to describe the 24 mile challenge on the official website. The route beings at Glen Nevis. The Caledonian Challenge joins the route of the West Highland Way to Kinlochleven. From Kinlochleven the route zig-zags from sea level to the 550m summit of the Devil’s Staircase. The challengers power through to finish at Glencoe ski centre.

Three teams in support of the Women’s Fund for Scotland signed up to tackle the 24 mile journey and began their training and fundraising efforts. The teams decided to push themselves mentally and physically to raise funds for the women in our communities. The Women’s Fund teams were: Women’s Fund Stravaigers 1, We just popped out for a pint of Heineken and Women’s Fund Wanderers. Gwen Stewart from Women’s Fund Stravaigers 1, who is a member of the Women’s Fund development board shares her story about completing the Cal Chall…

“I enjoyed the camaraderie of being part of the combined WFS 3 – team squad and enjoyed walking and talking with people I hadn’t met before. The training walks were fun and I visited places I’d never seen before. Beautiful scenery all the way from Glen Nevis to Glencoe and a superbly organised event.

Sue and Gwen, both members of the Women’s Fund Development Board out on a training walk at Conic Hill, Loch Lomond.

I felt a sense of responsibility to sponsors, team and WFS to stay fit and not get injured before and during the event. A lovely thing happened at Registration on the evening before the event – the event T-shirts were being handed out by a volunteer who turned out to be a project worker in an organisation whose post was funded by WFS! It made me proud to be doing the Cal Chal for WFS and made the reason we were doing it all the more meaningful and relevant.

A fitting end to a great day was the rare opportunity to have dinner in front of the log fire inside the iconic Ladies Scottish Climbers bothy, Black Rock cottage in Glencoe, thanks to our support team member, Ruth.

“We all felt a great sense of satisfaction in completing the hike!!”

The Women’s Fund Stravaigers 1 at the top of the Devil’s staircase!

A massive well done to everyone who completed the Cal Chall this year!

It is not too late to donate to the WFS teams. So far the teams have raised an amazing amount. Find the links to donate at the bottom of this post.

Women’s Fund Stravaigers 1 exceed their fundraising target by raising £2223. The Heineken gals have raised £1028 but there is an additional £500 on top of matched funding from Heineken. The Women’s Fund Wanderers have raised an impressive amount of £848.