Badger track © Philip Precey
Alex from Lancashire Peat Partnership initially floated the idea in August 2025, and slowly but surely more and more people were recruited to the affectionately named ‘Team adder ‘nuff’.
Partially pressure to do some exercise and training, and partially to raise money for LWT we spent the next year training (and worrying a bit) for what was to come at Cheshire Showground in October.
The day arrived.
Wet before even beginning - Kirsty Tyler
Extremely nervous energy on the drive, we arrived in good time, unfortunately that also meant that we had a bit of waiting around in the rain, so were soaked before we’d even started – which was the beginning of another 4.5 hours of being absolutely soaked through to the bone...
After some warm-up exercises (designed less for warmth and more to stop us caring about being muddy) we were off. Tough Mudder, let’s go!
Alex and Kate on the mud mile - Sportograf
There were so many different obstacles, as well as the actual 15 kilometres of running, but teamwork was key to a lot of it – giving each other a leg up over hero walls, pulling each other over and through the mud mile, and just generally supporting each other, especially when we were over halfway, feeling colder than we’d ever been before and knowing that we had yet more to come.
Sploshing down a drainage pipe into a massive muddy puddle through the aptly named ‘sewer rat’ then clambering over and through yet more piles of mud. Then hoping our grip was strong enough to get over rope nets and to hold onto various forms of monkey bars with increasingly slippy and numb hands, taking a dunk through a massive pool of muddy water with a grill just a few inches above the water, and then finally seeing that last three obstacles ahead, and knowing we might one day be warm again.
Danny on 'Hang Tough' - Sportograf
However, three of the toughest obstacles were yet to come – Everest, a greased 13 foot high quarterpipe was first up. There’s actually no chance of doing this one without help, it’s basically run fast, try and get as far up the slippy vert as possible then hope there’s a hand within reach to pull you the rest of the way.
With varying degrees of success and effort from the team (some made it! Some tried and failed, and some were basically in the ninth circle of hell by this point), it was the penultimate obstacle. Mudderhorn.
Team Adder nuff at the top of the Mudderhorn
40 feet of rope net, with a 6 foot gap at the bottom meaning yet again it’s all hands to the grindstone just to get on. Up over and down, without a serious case of vertigo hopefully.
By this point, just a few of the seriously brave were up to it, and well done to them.
There’s a nice treat for the final obstacle, a refreshing trudge through water while receiving some electric shocks to power you back up – however most of us were too numb with cold at this point to feel anything at all!
And it was done.
Over 4 hours, 15 kilometres, more vertical distance than we’d imagined and a feeling that we may just remain damp and chilled to the bone for ever.
It was...an experience...however the thing that I think kept us going was the knowledge of how much money we’d raised for our lovely Trust - £1000 by the day, and hopefully still more to come!
If you’d like to sponsor us after reading about all of that discomfort, you can do so at:
On behalf of the trust, and all the wildlife we support, thank you!
Amy, Jamie and Kirsty at Tough Mudder, 2026 - Sportograf
Kate, Danny, Alex, Laura and Jo - Sportograf
If this has inspired you to do your own fundraising challenge (and it doesn't have to be this muddy) check out our fundraising page and download a fundraising pack to get you started.
