Cancer survivor tackles Britain's longest lakes and highest peaks

Andrea Mason said she was still suffering from fatigue and was "just exhausted"

A woman who started taking on extreme tests of endurance while recovering from cancer has completed a triathlon challenge that took in Britain's longest lakes and highest peaks.

Andrea Mason swam the length of Lake Bala, Windermere and Loch Awe before cycling to Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis and running up them.

It is believed the 40-year-old set four world records in the process.

She said the challenge, which took less than five days, was her hardest yet.

The challenge started with a swim across Lake Bala

The swim was followed by a cycle ride to Snowdon

Andrea faced challenging conditions during her ascent and descent of Snowdon

The athlete, from Blackpool, decided to take on her first challenge in 2017 with the aim of highlighting menstrual health issues.

She was in hospital at the time, recovering from a full hysterectomy.

She had lived with severe endometriosis since first starting her period and had also been diagnosed with cervical cancer.

"I wanted to set some goals, but also knew I wanted those goals to be crazy, slightly out there, so I could try and create a platform to encourage women to have their cervical smear tests, because I was one of those one in four [women] who didn't attend their smear tests," she said.

Day two of the challenge started with a swim across Windermere

Along the way, Andrea was supported by a team of family and friends

Hours after her swim, Andrea ended the day with an ascent of Scafell Pike

In 2019, she swam across the English channel, cycled to Chamonix in France, and climbed to the top of Mont Blanc.

A year later, she completed a 334-mile (538km) triathlon, which saw her swim the perimeter of Lake Annecy in France, cycle around Mont Blanc and run and hike the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc.

However, she said her latest test was her "hardest" yet.

She set off at Lake Bala in Snowdonia on 25 July and finished on Ben Nevis in the Grampian Mountains four days, seven hours and 58 minutes later.

In-between, she swam 40 miles (65km), cycled 497 miles (800km) and ran 27 miles (44km) up three mountains whilst gaining 2.1 miles (3.4km) of height.

She also faced a delayed start due to bad weather and gale force winds on the first day.

She said it was "a nightmare to start with, but got better each day".

"In the end, it went really well," she said.

"I have done a couple of others similarly crazy... but the UK one was definitely the hardest."

Much of Andrea's cycling was on deserted roads, but the journey to Loch Awe took her through central Glasgow

Her swim in Loch Awe was the third time she had been in the water in four days

Andrea said she was sure she would take on further challenges in the future

It is believed in completing the challenge, she has become the fastest person to:

• Swim Lake Bala and cycle to and run up Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa

• Swim Windermere and cycle to and run up Scafell Pike

• Swim Loch Awe and cycle to and run up Ben Nevis

• Swim and run the longest lake and highest peak in Wales, England and Scotland

She said the first thing she did when she finished was "have a beer", before enjoying a soak in the bath at a hotel, having had to camp along the way.

She said she was still suffering from fatigue and was "just exhausted", but said she would take up more extreme challenges in the future.

Andrea joked that she was thinking of taking up chess instead of doing triathlon challenges

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]