Some 50-year-olds buy a new sports car or boat to ward off a midlife crisis. Mum Mandy Foyster is celebrating 50 years a bit differently.

She hopes to wake up on top of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles.

Mrs Foyster is embarking on a challenge that would be difficult at any age: cycling 1,500 miles across the three highest mountains in the UK.

She will be cycling alone, with all the belongings she needs strapped to her back.

'I'll be taking my bivi bag and lightweight tent with me and will sleep wherever I can find a suitable spot to lay my head,' Mrs Foyster said.

It's all part of a grand adventure Mrs Foyster has been planning since about 2013. She has already finished the first leg of her own challenge by running in the London Marathon this past April.

The second portion of her journey is the main event. For three weeks she will cycle her way through Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis. She then plans to complete the Great North Run on September 11.

Mrs Foyster is cycling to raise money for Hillside Animal Sanctuary, the animal rescue group she works for part-time. 'Hillside Animal Sanctuary is a fantastically good cause and because I work there I can see that donated money is spent wisely,' she said.

Mrs Foyster is no stranger to extreme challenges. Last March she ran 500 miles across the widest part of the UK, again raising funds for Hillside Animal Sanctuary.

For now, she is just looking forward to celebrating her birthday at the top of the world.

'Hopefully I can sleep under the stars and wake up to the sunrise on my 50th,' Mrs Foyster said.

To donate to the cause, visit www.hillside.org.uk. Mrs Foyster left for her journey on Saturday and plans to return on September 2.