Pic: Jacqui Thomas (centre) with fellow climbers after reaching the summit in the Swiss Alps.
A dedicated volunteer with Skanda Vale Hospice has successfully completed a 15km trek across an Alpine Plateau in Switzerland, helping to raise vital funds for the hospice in Saron, Carmarthenshire.
Jaqui Thomas from Cynwyl Elfed and her friend Debbie Bergstrom joined a group of eight climbers and four guides to complete the challenging trek near Davos on the 12th September.
L-R : Anne-Marie, (who helped organise the trek), Jacqui (centre) and Debbie on the hike.
Jacqui, 66, described the experience as both demanding and rewarding.
“There were some very steep inclines that took people around an hour to climb,” she said. “I was fine at the start of those climbs, but I got a bit breathless halfway up. I had taken a rucksack with warm clothes, including a coat, fleece, scarf and gloves, along with food and water. One of the guides, Chris, very kindly carried my rucksack on one of the steeper sections.”
The group consisted of 10 walkers and four guides, including Brother Jacob, Manager of Skanda Vale Hospice, and three experienced mountaineers. The trek lasted around seven hours, with regular rest stops along the way.
“We stopped by a beautiful lake to have lunch,” Jacqui said. “A few members of the group even went for a swim in the icy water. I settled for a quick paddle myself.”
Reflecting on the achievement, she added: “It was amazing. I was the oldest person there at 66, so I was really pleased with myself. There was so much adrenaline and I felt fantastic. We climbed to an altitude of 900 metres, (2780m above sea level), but I wasn’t affected by the altitude at all.
“All the training I’d done in the Brecon Beacons paid off. I had no aches or pains the next day. In fact, I went on another short hike the following day with Sister Lucia, the resident nun.”
The annual hiking events began around 10 years ago at SomaSkanda Ashram, the Skanda Vale temple in Switzerland. The temple is typically home to one monk and one nun on rotation and can often become snowbound during the winter months.
Skanda Vale organises a range of fundraising activities throughout the year. Monks, nuns and volunteers regularly take part in events including the London Marathon, while sponsored walks are also held along the Pembrokeshire Coast. Plans are already underway for another major hike in Davos next year.
Jacqui hopes to return to Switzerland in 2027.
“I would love to go back next year and explore some of the other trails,” she said.
So far, Jacqui has raised £495.00.
To donate to Jacqui’s Go Fund Me, Click on the link below:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/jacqui-thomas-1
