Guiding Ben Shephard Through Guinness World Records Three Peaks Challenge
We’ve been keeping this one quiet for a few weeks.
Our Chief Instructor Cai Jarvis recently joined TV presenter Ben Shephard for JAECOO’s National Three Peaks campaign, guiding him over Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Yr Wyddfa as part of the wider Guinness World Records attempt.
The challenge took place over 19–20 September and combined three major mountain ascents with almost 470 miles of driving between them.
While Cai and Ben tackled the mountains, efficiency specialists Kevin Booker and Sam Clarke took on the road sections in the JAECOO 7 SHS-P.
The vehicle went on to secure the Guinness World Records title for the “lowest fuel consumption for a UK National Three Peaks Challenge with a plug-in hybrid powered production Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)”, achieving 68.7 mpg across 469.5 miles.
Three Mountains, Three Nations
The National Three Peaks Challenge takes in the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales: Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Yr Wyddfa.
Each mountain brings something different, and taking on all three in quick succession means managing not just the terrain and weather, but also fatigue, pacing and the logistics of moving between them.
For Cai, that meant joining Ben for each of the mountain sections and keeping things moving safely from the first ascent through to the final descent.
Cai accompanied Ben throughout all three ascents and descents, helping with route choice, pacing and the changing conditions encountered along the way.
The Road Challenge
While Ben and Cai were on the mountains, Kevin and Sam were tackling a very different part of the challenge.
Their aim was to complete the road sections between the three peaks as efficiently as possible in the JAECOO 7 SHS-P.
Across the full journey, the vehicle travelled 469.5 miles and achieved an average fuel consumption figure of 68.7 mpg.
The attempt was independently verified, with the journey tracked throughout before the final result was confirmed by Guinness World Records.
Long Days in the Mountains
Although the wider project involved cameras, vehicles and a Guinness World Records attempt, the mountain sections themselves came back to the familiar realities of a National Three Peaks challenge.
There were long hours on foot, changing weather and sections completed in darkness, all while managing the cumulative effect of three substantial ascents.
That is familiar territory for our instructors. Lost Earth Adventures regularly guides mountain challenges across the UK, and the same principles apply whether it is a private group, charity team, corporate event or a large-scale campaign: good planning, sensible pacing and making decisions based on the conditions on the day.
A Memorable Project for the Team
For Lost Earth Adventures, it was great to be involved in a project that brought together two very different sides of the challenge: the mountains and the road journey between them.
Sarah Allard, Director and Co-founder of Lost Earth Adventures, said:
“We’re really proud of Cai and pleased that Lost Earth Adventures was asked to provide the mountain guiding for the challenge.
“The National Three Peaks is something our team knows extremely well, but being part of a project involving Ben, JAECOO and a Guinness World Records attempt certainly made this one a little more unusual.”
The challenge finished with the JAECOO team securing the official Guinness World Records title, bringing together the work of Ben and Cai on the mountains, Kevin and Sam on the road, and the wider crew supporting the attempt.
A huge congratulations to Ben, Kevin, Sam, JAECOO and everyone involved behind the scenes.
Watch the Full Challenge
The full JAECOO film follows the team throughout the challenge, from the road sections between the peaks to the mountain ascents themselves.
Taking on the National Three Peaks?
Lost Earth Adventures organises professionally guided National Three Peaks Challenges for private groups, charities and organisations.
Our experienced mountain team can support the planning, logistics and guiding needed to take on one of Britain’s best-known mountain challenges.
Teacher’s Guide to Organising Outdoor Adventure Residentials
Check List for both First Time and Experienced Leaders
By Natalie Atkinson – former teacher, now part of the Lost Earth Adventures team.
After ten years of organising residentials, day trips and activity weeks, I know that booking an outdoor adventure for your pupils can feel like juggling paperwork, price lists and parent queries all at once. Now that I’m on the other side of the fence, helping schools plan adventures across the UK, I can honestly say it’s worth every minute. Those trips transform pupils – and teachers – in ways you simply can’t achieve within four classroom walls.
This guide pulls together my best advice from both worlds: the teacher’s perspective and the provider’s. Whether you’re planning your first overnight stay or refining a well-worn system, here’s how to make it smoother, safer and more rewarding for everyone.
Step 1: Clarify Your Why
Before you start looking at venues or quotes, take a step back and think about why you’re running a trip in the first place. This isn’t just box-ticking for PE or PSHE – it’s about educational impact.
The National Curriculum for PE says: “Pupils should take part in outdoor and adventurous activities which present intellectual and physical challenges and be encouraged to work in a team, building trust and developing skills to solve problems, either individually or as a group.”
That’s the formal part – but we all know learning isn’t black and white. Outdoor adventures foster resilience, empathy, confidence and real-world problem solving. For post-COVID pupils, these experiences are often their first taste of nature, challenge and independence.
To sell the idea to senior leadership, build your case around:
Curriculum alignment – PE, Geography, Science, PSHE and personal development outcomes.
Positive school culture – the relationships built between staff and pupils spill over into classroom life, long after the trip.
Tip: Link to your school improvement plan or personal development framework when pitching – it helps leadership see it as essential, not optional.
Step 2: Choosing the Right Provider
Not all residentials are created equal. You’ll find a huge range of setups, from purpose-built centres with climbing walls and activity fields to wild-country adventures run by outdoor specialists. The best choice for your school will balance comfort, challenge and curriculum value. When shortlisting, look for:
Accreditation and Safety
LOtC Quality Badge: confirms the provider meets both learning and safety standards.
AALA Licence: legally required for adventurous activities involving under-18s.
These are your baseline checks – if a provider doesn’t have them, move on.
Type of Experience
Ask yourself:
Are the activities on-site, off-site, or a mix of both?
Does your group get bored easily?
What’s the right balance between adventure and accessibility for your pupils?
Both on-site and off-site activities have real educational value. On-site sessions, such as team-building games or introductory challenges, help pupils gain confidence, bond as a group and ease into their new environment. Off-site activities however, provide that next level of development with genuine adventure – taking pupils into natural settings like gorges, caves and crags where the sense of achievement is amplified by the environment itself. Real adventure is likely to engage and excite pupils, and hopefully tire them out by the evening!
The most memorable programmes combine the two: on-site for collaboration and confidence-building, off-site for adventure and personal growth.
Accommodation and Practicalities
Consider:
Travel time – ideally within around three to four hours to keep logistics manageable and energy levels high.
Room setup – smaller dorms often lead to better sleep and fewer distractions.
Shared or sole use – some schools prefer exclusive use for safeguarding, while others are comfortable sharing with another group.
Evening activities – structured downtime after dinner can help prevent homesickness and maintain engagement.
Remember, cost doesn’t always reflect value. Lower-priced options may offer fewer instructor hours or more artificial environments, while a slightly higher-cost provider can deliver deeper learning and stronger outcomes.
At Lost Earth Adventures, many of our programmes begin with an on-site welcome session to build teamwork and set the tone for the week, followed by off-site adventures in authentic outdoor environments. Every session is led by qualified instructors, typically at a 1:10 ratio, ensuring pupils are safe, supported and inspired throughout. You’re not just booking activities – you’re investing in genuine experiences that stay with pupils long after the coach journey home. See the packages we offer.
Here comes the question every teacher dreads: “You want us to spend how much?!”
Outdoor education is an investment — one that delivers lifelong lessons and experiences pupils simply can’t get in the classroom. The key is to highlight its value and use a little creativity when presenting costs to SLT and parents.
Where to Find Support
PE and Sport Premium: some of this funding can support residentials that develop teamwork and resilience.
Parents will want reassurance about safety, value for money and their child’s wellbeing. Be transparent about what’s included and how you’ve chosen the provider. Use pre-trip meetings or newsletters to share:
A confident, well-informed parent group makes everything smoother.
Step 5: The Paperwork Marathon (and How to Survive It)
You’ve got the green light – now comes the admin. Risk assessments, EVOLVE submissions, medical forms… here’s how to keep your sanity intact.
For Pupils
Medical forms: chase these early and re-check a week before departure – things change.
Medication procedures: make a spreadsheet with pupils down one side and medication times across the top (morning, evening, bedtime). Two staff signatures per dose – one to administer, one to witness. Store medication securely and double-check dosages with parents at handover.
SEND needs: share key documents or risk assessments with your provider to support inclusion and safety.
For Staff
Collect staff medical info too – they’re under your care as leader.
Choose your team wisely. Pair confident outdoor types with nurturing staff for balance.
Assign clear roles (first aid, kit check, night duty, communication).
Confirm your 24/7 emergency contact back at school and hold a quick handover meeting – don’t assume Local Authority lines will always pick up.
For the Provider
Risk Assessments: check they exist, but you don’t need to read the technicalities – that’s their legal remit.
Programme Confirmation: ensure group lists, timings and activity rotations are accurate.
Additional Needs: brief your provider early about any behavioural or emotional challenges – they’ll appreciate it and plan accordingly.
For Transport
Double-check pickup and drop-off times match your programme.
Confirm the driver’s contact number and location plan for each day.
Once you’ve uploaded everything to Evolve (or your LEA system), circulate the final documents to all accompanying staff and breathe a well-earned sigh of relief.
Step 6: Final Prep – and a Few Insider Tips
Pack for yourself, not just the kids. A spare pair of socks and a hidden chocolate stash go a long way.
Plan evening downtime. A quiz or reflection circle helps children decompress and keeps spirits high.
Expect curveballs. Someone will forget their toothbrush. Someone else will cry for home. It’s all part of it.
Trust your provider. You’ve done your checks – now let them handle the adventure side.
Step 7: Enjoy the Adventure
Once the paperwork’s approved and the coach is loaded, take a moment to appreciate what you’ve achieved. You’ve given your pupils a chance to grow in ways the classroom can’t measure – courage, teamwork and the simple joy of being outdoors.
You’ll come home tired, proud and probably hoarse from singing on the coach – but you’ll also return with a group of young people who stand a little taller, laugh a little louder and believe in themselves a little more.
And that’s what makes every form, spreadsheet and Evolve submission worth it.
Thinking of Planning Your Next School Adventure?
At Lost Earth Adventures, we specialise in real outdoor experiences – from caving and climbing to gorge walking and canoeing – all delivered in the UK’s most inspiring landscapes by highly qualified instructors.
We’re proud to hold LOtC, AALA and Adventure Mark accreditations, ensuring the highest standards of safety and educational value. If you’d like a hand shaping your next trip, contact our schools team below.
Posted on: November 24th, 2025 by Lost Earth Adventures
On 30th November, Lost Earth Adventures turns 15!
Like many good stories, it started as a dream. In reality, it began in a humble bedsit in York, with maps spread out on the floor, cups of coffee going cold, and big ideas about running adventures in Nepal and South East Asia.
From the Himalayas to the High Street
Our very first guest, Simon Geraci, joined us on a Langtang Valley trek in Nepal. We still remember the excitement of that first booking, the nervous energy of hoping everything would run as planned, and the feeling of “we are really doing this” when that trip set off. From that moment, we have pretty much been on the move ever since.
Fast forward to today and this is being typed from our office on Settle high street.
Over the years, Lost Earth Adventures has grown from those early Himalayan expeditions into something much bigger and more rooted in the UK. We still love the mountains of Nepal, but now we also spend our days guiding people through the Yorkshire Dales, the Peak District, the Lake District, the North York Moors and beyond.
What started with treks and mountain adventures overseas, has evolved into a wide mix of experiences at home. We now take people caving, climbing, abseiling, gorge walking, canoeing, stand up paddle boarding, raft building and hiking in some of our favourite wild places. We work with schools, charities, businesses, youth groups, stag and hen parties, families and individuals who just want to get outside and do something a bit different.
The heart of it is still the same as it was in that bedsit in York. We want to share the places we love, help people surprise themselves, and make sure they go home muddy, tired and smiling.
It Has Not Always Been Smooth Sailing
Fifteen years is a long time in any line of work, and outdoor adventure and travel has had its fair share of plot twists. One of the most significant moments in our story was the 2015 Nepal earthquake. Many of the communities we work with were devastated, and people we know and care about lost homes, livelihoods and schools in a matter of seconds.
Among the buildings destroyed was Shree Krishna Primary School. Seeing the damage first hand was heartbreaking, but it also made us more determined than ever to help. With company funding, support from our Share the Load Foundation, and the generosity of our customers who donated, we were able to fund the rebuilding of the school. To see children back in their classrooms, learning and laughing again, is something we are incredibly proud of and will never forget.
There have been other challenges too, times when it has been difficult to plan ahead or even know what the next few months might look like. Like so many others in this industry, we have had to adapt, rethink and dig deep more than once.
But through all of that, a few things have stayed the same. The feeling of standing at the bottom of a crag with a nervous first-time climber. The buzz of a school group emerging from a cave, muddy and beaming. The laughter of a team that has just built a raft that somehow, against all odds, actually floats. The quiet satisfaction of watching someone do something they did not believe they were capable of.
Those moments are why we do this, and why we have kept going, even when the path ahead has not been straightforward.
The People Who Make It Possible
From that first Langtang trek to where we are today, it has been a winding, adventurous journey. It has not always been easy, but it has always been worth it, and we are endlessly grateful to everyone who has walked it with us.
To our incredible instructors and office team, past and present, thank you. You are the ones out in all weathers, making people feel safe, welcome and encouraged. You carry kit, calm nerves, tell terrible jokes, and somehow manage to do all of that while keeping a close eye on safety and logistics. In the office, you take the calls, answer the questions, move the pieces around behind the scenes and keep the whole thing running. We could not do any of this without you.
To every school that has trusted us with their pupils, thank you for loading up the minibuses, filling in the forms, and believing in the power of learning outside the classroom. To the charities we have worked with, thank you for letting us be part of your fundraising stories and the causes you care about. To businesses and teams who have come out with us, thank you for swapping the boardroom for the hillside and getting stuck in.
To every individual, group of friends, stag and hen party, family and returning adventurer, thank you for choosing to spend your time with us. You are Lost Earth Adventures. None of this exists without you choosing to step outside, try something new and share part of your life with us.
Thank you for your very kind messages and reviews over the years! We appreciate the 1100+ five star reviews we’ve received. It inspires us to keep moving forward, to better and bigger adventures!
Check out what people have to say about our adventures on Trip Advisor.
Looking Ahead
Fifteen years in, we still feel there is so much more to explore.
There are new locations we would like to add, new types of adventures we would like to offer, and more ways we can support schools, charities and organisations to get outside. We want to keep doing what we have always tried to do: create real adventures that feel authentic, down to earth and memorable, whether you are with us for a day or a week.
Here is to 15 years of real adventure, muddy boots, tired legs and big smiles, and to many more years of exploring together.
If you have joined us at any point along the way, we would love to hear from you. What stands out when you think back to your time with us? Was it a particular moment on a trip, a guide who made a difference, or a challenge you still feel proud of? Feel free to share your memories and photos with us. It means more than you might realise.
Thank you for being part of the journey.
Sarah Allard & Richard Goodey Co-founders, Lost Earth Adventures
By Natalie Atkinson – former teacher, now part of the Lost Earth Adventures team.
Like many good stories, it started as a dream. In reality, it began in a humble bedsit in York, with maps spread out on the floor, cups of coffee going cold, and big ideas about running adventures in Nepal and South East Asia.
