Crew members from Burnham on Crouch Lifeboat Station have completed a gruelling 25 mile walk in aid of the Floating Boathouse Appeal.

Senior Helm Tony Lacey, Deputy Launch Authority Buster Tickner and Crew Member and Mechanic Martin ‘Hippo’ Hipsey were accompanied by friend Craig Tyrell in Yorkshire to complete the notorious Yorkshire Peaks Challenge.

The Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge is a very demanding but rewarding walk and involves walking a circular route from Horton in Ribblesdale taking in the summits of Pen-y-ghent (694 metres – 2,276 feet), Whernside (736 metres – 2,415 feet) and Ingleborough (723 metres  2,372 feet).

The walk is 24.5 miles (39.2km) long and takes in over 5,000 feet (1,600 metres) of climbing. The walking is over a variety of terrains, and even though the paths have been improved immensely over recent years, certain sections can still be very boggy and energy sapping.

Buster Tickner said “We completed the challenge in 10 hours 45 mins. We started in grey gloom, which turned to drizzle, and then it got very boggy and finally fabulous sunshine and a howling gale up on the canopy of the summits. Beautiful scenery but the hardest challenge of my life. I’m still walking ‘crablike’ from blisters, twanging hamstrings , aching knees, calves and thighs and bruised arches at present!”

The Crew at the station are still trying to raise £130,000 towards the cost of a new floating boathouse to house a new Atlantic 85 Lifeboat due on station in early 2011.