U.K.: Four peaks climb raises £600 for Action on Elder Abuse campaign

WORKINGTON, Cumbria (Times & Star), July 31, 2008: A man from Great Broughton has raised about £600 for charity by climbing the four highest peaks in the Lake District in about 15 hours. Michael Griggs, 60, of Derwent Park, climbed Scafell, Scafell Pike, Helvellyn and Skiddaw on July 17. Mr Griggs, who works for Rathbones on Park End Road, Workington, raised the money for the Action on Elder Abuse Campaign. He said: “I think it is a good charity. Something that you do not always hear about. “There are always things in the news about child and domestic abuse but elderly abuse is something that does not get a lot of publicity and is not often thought about. “I felt it would be good to do something for this particular type of charity.” Mr Griggs, who has been fell walking for 43 years, said it was a hard challenge and he was happy to have completed it. He said: “The walk was about 27 miles and we climbed around 10,000 feet during the course of the day, so it was quite a challenge. “Towards the end it was very hard and I needed encouragement from my son who joined me for the last two peaks to keep me going when I was climbing the last mountain. “That was definitely the hardest part as I was very tired, and due to the cloud there were no views to keep my mind occupied. “I do not know whether I would have been able to complete it if I had not had my son there.” He finished the challenge in 15 hours and 20 minutes. “I thought it would take me longer and I was quite surprised that I managed to complete it in that time. “Having said that, there was a lot of training and effort involved before the event and I was out at least twice a week doing some walks and climbs in preparation. “It is nice to have completed the challenge but I do feel a bit sad now it is over as I did put a lot of preparation into the challenge,” he said.