Graham Beckett

• Summer Mountain Leader
• Single Pitch Award

I have spent over 30 years developing a great love of and knowledge of the mountainous regions of Britain – having completed all the Munros – and the English, Welsh and Irish 3000s by 1996. I have enjoyed numerous climbing and walking trips in the Alps and have lead a large number of expeditions abroad in mountainous and jungle areas. I have climbed – both in winter and summer- in various areas of Britain.

So hard to say – I have led a number of incredible 3 or 4-day treks in the Drakensberg mountains of South Africa.

As a teenager, I hitched over 3,000 miles across the U.S.A, across 26 states from east to west, down the west coast and back to the east across the southern states. All in less than 4 weeks! It’s an amazing way to get to meet and know the people of a country.

In 2004 I took part in the well known Welsh 3’s challenge – (covering all 14 3000ft. summits in North Wales in one continuous walk) but I – and a couple of others – did it twice -back to back – a long walk – 33hours!

I love the interaction of people in the past with the mountains. I love the folk stories/ myths and legends – often reflected in the place names of the areas I walk in. They make the mountains come alive. We forget that many of the areas that we now regard as wilderness and remote have histories of people living and working in them and these are wonderful parts of the culture of the mountains