Sightsavers Mountain Challenge

The team departed from the India Gate car park at 10.23am on Saturday. The original departure time was 10.00 but when your reporter arrived there was no mini bus to be seen, it had failed to start after giving excellent service on Friday. Ed Campbell was on the phone to hundreds of alternate van hirers but alas on a Saturday morning all the vans were out. This hadn't daunted Eddie's resourcefulness and he has Cilla ( the wife ) lined up to lay down in the road infront of the next bus to pass so that a hijack could be accomplished.

Fortunately due to Graham Russell's resourcefulness - he had tried the other key in the ignition (well it was a different length and pattern to the other key that Tony had been using) and yes - up fired the engine.

Sponsorship is well on target for the £5000, including on line sponsorship but if you haven't managed yet you can sponsor on the sightsavers link below.

The challenge was completed in well under the 24 hours and well done to all the team, it was noted that if Jim Gardner had been doing the challenge alone then he would probably have finished in 12 hours including travel in the van.

The report from Tony Ford follows.

The team of from the Rotary Club of Bridge Of Allan & Dunblane successfully completed the Sightsavers International Three Peaks Challenge over the weekend of 24/25 June 2006 in a record time (for us!) of 21 Hours and 48 Mins. The Challenge was to climb Stob Ban in Scotland, Helvellyn in England and Snowdon in Wales, all within 24 hours! 'The Bravehearts' are also very close to achieving the target sum of £5000 to help the work of Sightsavers International and are confident that total will be met when the final sponsor forms come in.
Team leader was Eddie Campbell and other members were Jim Gardner, Graham Houston, Euan Houston, Paul Anderson, Alistair Watson, Graham Russell, Gordon Robb and Tony Ford.

The weather was really kind to us in Scotland with a start of 1605 for the ascent of Stob Ban which was the only time we saw anything from any of the summits.After Stob Ban and the midges the team refuelled in Fort William before heading south to Cumbria and Helvellyn. By this time the rain had really set in, but due to some excellent back up support from Euan and Graham the climb to the top began in good time but in dark and wet conditions. Although not as taxing as Stob Ban, the weather, length of the walk out from higher ground, and the tiredness began to tell, but morale remained high.

http://www.justgiving.com/ROTARYBRAVEHEARTS