A Tywyn soldier has committed to climbing Pen y Fan 27 times in one day for the hospice that “went above and beyond” for his Nan.

However, he faces harsh conditions with his challenge beginning this weekend Saturday 1 November - when 50-90 per cent chance of rain is forecast for the whole day.

Carl Thompson aims to climb the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) mountain once for each day his nan was in hospice care, which he estimates will take him three days with no sleep.

With the challenge now just days away, Carl, 34, a Royal Engineer in the British Army, is preparing to do it in the worst possible conditions for south Wales' highest mountain.

Speaking to the Cambrian News, Carl said: “I’m a bit nervous about it now if I’m honest, especially seeing the weather forecast - looks awful.”

Carl will be tackling the 886m tall mountain 27 times in strong winds according to the Met Office forecast, with a high of six degrees and a low of one degree Celsius.

He aims to raise £5,000 for Katherine House in Banbury where Carl’s Nan Brenda Thompson saw out her last days, passing away due to pancreatic cancer at age 71.

Explaining why he’s doing the challenge, Carl said: “My nan received the best possible care in the most beautiful and peaceful of venues right up until she took her last breath.

“For other families to receive the care that my nan did, I am raising as much money as possible for the hospice.

“With my Nan being a proud Welsh girl from the Valleys, I am going to summit the tallest mountain in South Wales not once but 27 times, consecutively.”

At the end of her battle, Brenda received “round-the-clock care from the kindest and most compassionate staff members” at Katherine House Hospice in Banbury - “no job or request was too much”.

She passed away in March this year.

It costs £15,000 a day for Katherine House to operate its 12 in-patient rooms, with only a third of its funding coming from the government.

Carl is hoping to raise £5,000 with his feat, “allowing them to provide the best care possible”.

Having been deployed to Estonia for six months and with “zero hill” accessible for him to train, he has been limited to running, an inclined treadmill and strength training to prepare.

Setting off on Saturday morning at 9am, he expects to complete his epic feat on the morning of Tuesday 4 November.

Rain is scheduled for all four days, with temperatures getting up to 10 degrees on the Monday and ‘strong winds’ scheduled throughout.

Carl will be stopping only to change clothes, footwear, for food and toilet breaks.

Battling the harsh Welsh weather and fatigue, he will forego sleep for “three days of hard work” in honour of his Nan.

At the time of writing, the soldier had raised £3,430.

Donate on Carl’s JustGiving page - https://www.justgiving.com/page/carl-thompson-27times