Brave Betty tackles Ben Nevis!
Thursday, 18 September 2008
Local nurse Betty Calvert celebrates after completing the Ben Nevis challenge at the weekend in the company of Neil Grainger, Senior Development Officer Appeals and Marketing with the Ulster Cancer Foundation.
BRAVE Betty Calvert has tackled Ben Nevis - now she has Scafell in her sights.
The 67-year-old local nurse scaled Britain's highest mountain at the weekend and is planning to follow that up with an ascent of the highest peak in Britain in the Lake District.
Betty, who raised over £1,400 for her chosen charity, the Ulster Cancer Foundation, arrived back at home late on Sunday night after a weekend in which she reached new heights in a remarkable life.
“It was a great experience, though I'm still a bit stiff today," said Betty on Monday. "We left Coleraine at 5am on Friday and arrived at Fort William in Scotland at tea-time on Friday. We set off on our climb at 7.30am on Saturday and we were all finished and back down the mountain by 5.30pm that evening.
“There was 90 people there from all over Northern Ireland and the camaraderie between us all was brilliant. I was never at the back the whole time, though I did the climb at my own pace."
And when that climb amounts to some 4,408ft or 1,344 metres, it's important not to rush, particularly when you are of a pensionable age.
“It was beautiful around the lake but around halfway up the mist came in," continued Betty, who continues to work at the Cornfield Care Centre in Limavady.
“By the time we approached the summit you could only see a couple of yards in front of you but some of those on the climb had done it before when it had been clear and they said the views were breathtaking.
“It was hard going up but we were allowed a couple of tea-breaks but you had to be careful coming down as the steps were slippery because of the wet weather."
And if you think Betty is brave for climbing Britain's highest peak in her mid sixties, she was outshone by her guides who were both aged in their seventies.
“Danny and Donald were aged 70 and 72 and they go up all the time," added Betty. "I would like to thank them for their support and encouragement as well as Neil Grainger and Kirsty from the Ulster Cancer Foundation who were great to me. I would also like to thank Sarah and all the staff at the charity's office and, of course, all those who generously sponsored me and helped me to raise such a tremendous amount.
“A lot of people on the climb had their own reasons for doing it and I was no different. I have lost people close to me through cancer so I just wanted to do something for them."
But Ben Nevis, it seems, doesn't represent the height of Betty's ambition: "I've done Slieve Donard and Ben Nevis, the highest peaks in Northern Ireland and Scotland, so I think I would like to climb the highest mountains in England and Wales if I can," she said.
