A DEDICATED young man has summited three of the highest mountains in the country in less than 24 hours to prepare himself to complete all the Wainwrights.

Jack Roberts, 22, whose family runs the Dale Lodge Hotel in Grasmere, is completing the Wainwright Challenge in 25 days in order to raise funds and awareness for Parkinsons UK.

In preparation for his epic trek, Jack visited the tops of Ben Nevis, Scafell and Snowdon with his friends on World Parkinson's Day to raise awareness of the disease.

"Doing this made me realise how hard the Wainwright Challenge is going to be. It was a tightly scheduled 24 hours of going up mountains and I realised that this is basically what I'm going to be doing for 25 days," Jack, who studies geography at Loughborough University, said. "The three peaks was about raising awareness rather than raising funds, and getting to do it on World Parkinson's Day was really meaningful."

During the gruelling 23 hours and 50 minutes Jack and his three friends faced snow, sun and freezing cold as they ascended Ben Nevis in three-and-a-half hours, Scafell in three hours and 45 minutes and Snowdon in two hours 13 minutes.

"We actually summited Scafell twice because of the bad weather, which was really frustrating," Jack said. "We only had six hours left when we left for Snowdon and basically raced it up.

"I completed the challenge with my best friends, who grew up with me and are aware of my dad's illness. I think doing this meant as much for them and their families as it did to me."

Jack, who has two older brothers, was five years old when his father Brian was diagnosed with Parkinsons, a progressive neurological condition where lack of dopamine causes loss of nerve cells in the brain, triggering tremors, rigidity and slowness of movement.

"Dad is immensely proud," Jack said. "We have plans getting him up at Skiddaw when I do the Wainwrights so he could meet me there. It would be amazing if we could do that."

Jack, who is seeking to summit all 214 of the peaks that feature in fell legend Alfred Wainwright's seven Lake District guide books, will set off on his journey in mid June.

To see Jack's JustGiving page, visit: justgiving.com/fundraising/Jack-Roberts12

For more information, see www.goingthedistance.website