The women made their way up the narrow stone steps in a winding line, the rolling green fields of the English countryside stretching out across the valley below. The steep climb, which had begun in the early morning, brought them high above an elevated rail line, its imposing Victorian arches rising in the distance. But the 15 women had their sights set on the mist-covered peak above, one of three summits they would tackle that summer day as part of a hiking challenge in the Yorkshire Dales, a national park in northern England. Near the back of the line, Rhiane Fatinikun called out encouragement as the group trudged upward. She was the reason these women had come together to take on this demanding trek.

Source: The Times October 10, 2024 11:21 UTC