From meadows to mountains: Becca Anderton is training in the Yorkshire Dales to climb Mount Kilimanjaro!

For the last 10 years, Becca Anderton has dreamed of hiking to the peak of the tallest freestanding mountain in the world, Mount Kilimanjaro. In just four months, this dream will become a reality. She’ll be taking on this challenging six day hike, to a height of 5895 metres, while also raising money for Bowel Cancer UK.

Born and raised in York, Becca decided that there was no better location to train for Mount Kilimanjaro than in the stunning Yorkshire countryside. That’s why, as part of her preparation, she will be completing a 16 mile walk at our upcoming Yorkshire Dales Festival on Sunday 21st August.  

The Dales are one of Becca’s favourite parts of the country, and she has many fond memories of hiking at spots such as the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail with her family and friends. Famed for its rustic barns, lush meadows, and heather-covered moors, it’s no surprise that she’s looking forward to completing some of her training in such a beautiful location.

Becca also frequently takes part in Run For All events in the city, such as the York 10K and corporate relay events. As the Head of Engineering at a web development company, Becca loves how running, walking and hiking give her the opportunity to get away from her desk. Her training partner is her energetic black Labrador, Forrest, who always motivates her to get moving.

As well as enjoying stunning views over Africa from the top of the world’s most renowned mountains, Becca’s trek will also help her to raise money for Bowel Cancer UK. Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK - more than 42,000 people are diagnosed with it every year.

This cause is particularly important to Becca, as her sister’s partner Andy passed away from bowel cancer in 2017, as did her friend Benjamin in 2020. For Becca, heading to Mount Kilimanjaro isn’t just a fun experience and fitness challenge, but also a powerful way to raise awareness and funds to fight against this tragic illness.

We wish Becca the best of luck on her training and journey! If you would like to donate to Becca’s JustGiving, click here.