Mountain Arts Festival

It's set to be a wet & wild weekend in Cumbria - so I offer local blippers an excellent trip out - the Mountain Arts Festival at Rheged.

After the super excitement of getting tickets for the fastest selling out concert in UK history - I took a lot of anti cold tablets, made myself as presentable as I could manage & drove up to Penrith to man the Alpine Club stand. As well as selling AC books & guides we also have a member donated book selection - asking just £2* donation (which goes to Community Action Nepal) - I as ever was our best customer - but at least this time I didn't come home with any books I already own!

Community Action Nepal is the same charity I arranged the Nepal earthquake relief for (very nicely supported by some of my fellow Blippers) - its the brainchild of this man - in mountaineering circles he needs no introduction - but for the wider world he is of course Mr Doug Scott CBE - the first Briton# (along with Dougal Haston) to successfully summit Everest - by the notoriously difficult SW face - he's also a simply charming, down to earth & driven man - I seem to meet him a lot at these events - and he's always a tale to tell & is full of enthusiasm for the next event, inspirational.

Oh & my addition to philosophy Friday;
"Mind over matter; if you don't mind it probably doesn't matter"
Ed Visteurs.

*as ever at these book events I found myself sulking when I saw first editions of Hard & Extreme Rock selling for £1000 - fairly sure mine went to Oxfam many many moons ago as I didn't like the hardback format & didn't own a coffee table, oh well - hopefully someone got a bargain!
# Mallory & Irving don't count. It's only a successful summit if you come back.