Club's Director General to tackle Four Peaks fund raiser challenge

The Camping and Caravanning Club’s Director General, Robert Louden MBE, will tackle the UK’s demanding Four Peaks Challenge to raise money for the DofE Award’s Diamond Anniversary and promote the joys of getting active in the great outdoors.

With a small team from The Camping and Caravanning Club, Robert, aged 63, will walk to the summit of each of the highest peaks in the UK’s four countries between 13 and 20 August. They’ll begin by ascending Snowdon in Wales, then cross the Irish Sea to walk Slieve Donard in County Down, Northern Ireland.

Next they will climb Ben Nevis in Scotland’s Grampian Mountains, the highest mountain in the British Isles at 1346 metres. Finally, the group will head south to finish the challenge at Scafell Pike in the Lake District, England’s highest mountain.

In total, the team will ascend more than 4,000m, or nearly 14,000ft; walk more than 30 miles; and cover nearly 1,200 miles driving and sea crossing, pitching up at six Camping and Caravanning Club Sites in tents and motorhomes along the route.

At the summit of each mountain, a tent will be pitched, to help illustrate that camping is the perfect base for exploring the very best of the great British outdoors.

Badged as ‘The DG’s 4 Peaks DofE Diamond Challenge’, the activity continues the relationship between The Camping and Caravanning Club and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme in its Diamond Anniversary year, which has already resulted in an eye-catching media stunt earlier in the year.

TV presenter and Club President, Julia Bradbury, spent the night camping on top of London’s O2 Arena as part of a joint celebration of the DofE’s Diamond Anniversary and The Camping and Caravanning Club’s annual National Camping and Caravanning Week.

In a world first, Julia completed the 350m walk to reach the top of The O2 at dusk on 24 May, before pitching her tent on a platform 52m above ground level, the equivalent of almost 12 London buses.

Robert Louden MBE said: “The DofE Diamond Challenge is a fantastic initiative that encourages people of all ages to do something adventurous and get out of their comfort zones in 2016, the charity’s Diamond Anniversary year. I’ve chosen a pretty demanding physical challenge, but I hope it helps illustrate that camping is the passport to adventures big and small. I hope my challenge inspires Club members and other campers to take on their own challenges.”

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Chief Executive, Peter Westgarth, who joins Robert for the summit ascent of Scafell, said: “We’re delighted Robert has agreed to support us in our Diamond Anniversary year. Camping is a fabulous way to enjoy the outdoors, and doing a Diamond Challenge this year is the perfect opportunity for everyone to have a go at something new while raising much-needed funds for our charity to help us reach out to even more young people. It’s still not too late to sign up and do your very own Challenge!” 

Thanks must also go to key industry partners who’ve supported the Club in Robert’s endeavour. These include Vango for the loan of tents, rucksacks and hydration packs; Hi-Tec for supplying walking boots and socks; Keela for supplying much of the walk team’s outdoor wear, Renault for supplying a vehicle, and Irish Ferries for its support with ferry crossings.

To donate to this fundraising effort, visit Robert Louden’s Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dg4peakchallenge. 

ENDS

For further media information or images, please contact:

Rob Ganley on 024 7647 5204 or rob.ganley@campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

Andrew Robson on 024 7467 5291 or andrew.robson@campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

Notes for Editors

1)    The Camping and Caravanning Club is 115-years-old and is the largest and oldest Club in the world for all forms of camping. It has 108 award-winning sites throughout the UK and, through a partnership with the Forestry Commission, now runs and manages a further 16 Camping in the Forest touring sites.

2)    Get involved: for the latest news, information and inspiration from The Camping and Caravanning Club, and to engage with those who’ve enjoyed holidays with the Club, visit www.facebook.com/thefriendlyclub, www.twitter.com/campandcaravan or check out our new Instagram page www.instagram.com/campandcaravan.

3)    To learn more about the benefits of joining the Club, visit www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/join.

4)    To view the Club’s comprehensive video directory, visit www.youtube.com/thefriendlyclub.