Harrogate’s very own Miss England contestant was rescued after getting lost on one of the Yorkshire three peaks.
22-year-old Chloe McEwen, who was last year crowned Miss Yorkshire, took on the challenge alongside another Miss England finalist on April 22 as part of their pageant campaigns.
The former Rossett School pupil was raising money for Mind, a local mental health charity, which she volunteers for following her previous struggles with bipolar.
The women set off at 9am and started their final climb at 6.30pm. However, by the time they reached the Ingleborough summit at 8.30pm, nightfall and cold weather had begun to close in.
Chloe said:
“It was pitch black at the top and we were terrified we would fall down one of the steep slopes. We were so grateful to get down in one piece.
“We got lost and it meant that we were on top of Ingleborough at night. The batteries on our phones had nearly died and we had no back up map and compass to guide us.
“We could have fallen at any point, and we feel very lucky to have climbed down safely.”
Chloe added her hiking partner, Lisa Ellis, managed to ring 999 before their phones died and emergency services called in a mountain rescue operation.
She said the rescue team was searching for the girls for “hours”, but the pair managed to “navigate their way down the peak safely”.
They eventually reached a farm near Clapham, which was a six-mile detour from their original route, where the mountain rescue team picked them up.
The Harrogate beauty queen also said:
“We are both physically fit and had packed food and warm clothing. Our mistake was setting off too late at 9am, which meant that we did not get to the final peak until nightfall. We were determined to finish the trek for the charities that we were supporting but we should have turned back or had an expert guide to show us the way.
“When our phones were about to die at the top, Lisa felt the safest option was to call the emergency services but we really didn’t want the challenge to end. We did think about bedding down on the top, but it was bitterly cold and we were worried that we might suffer from hypothermia.
“Thankfully we found a safe route down by using our torches and we were so relieved when we got to the farmhouse where we were picked up by mountain rescue. It was six miles from the route we should have taken because we had got lost in the dark. I am very grateful to the emergency services for their help and I would urge anyone attempting the three peaks to make sure they have an experienced walker with them, head home if the weather deteriorates and don’t climb after dark.”
Chloe and fellow Miss England finalist Lisa Ellis during their three peaks challenge.
Despite the ordeal, Chloe raised more than £1,700 for Mind during her three peaks challenge. She added:
“I learnt a lot along the way, too. I know that with a positive attitude, inner faith, gratitude and courage you can overcome your greatest fears and challenges.
“I love working with Mind and have found my purpose helping and inspiring those struggling with mental health.”
Chloe’s work with the charity comes after she suffered a breakdown aged just 16.
She was sectioned for eight months after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which led her weight to soar by almost four stone at the time.
She made it her mission to embrace a healthier lifestyle and dedicated fitness regime, leading Chloe to became a personal trainer and is now in the running for a national beauty queen title.
Chloe will compete against 39 others at the Miss England final at the Grand Station in Wolverhampton on May 16 and 17. The winner will qualify for Miss World later this year. You can choose who to vote for here.
Read more:
- Harrogate charities urged to apply for share of £100,000
- Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens set to become private road
