Arran’s Mountain Festival offers scholarships

This year’s seventh Mountain Festival continues to be an amazing event, taking people across the beautiful Arran mountains and ridges in the full safety of expert local guides. Over the four days of the Festival, walkers could bag all four of the island’s Corbetts, learn about Arran’s unique whitebeam trees, climb along the exciting A’Chir mountain ridge with its challenging Bad Step, and enjoy all the wild places that Arran offers. See their Facebook page to read people’s responses to the experience. ‘A lifetime’s ambition fulfilled,’ said one. Another said, ‘I never felt worried or anxious because I felt so confident in their [the leaders’] experience and knowledge.’

The Arran Trust presented the Festival with a small grant in April of this year, to provide scholarships that will help three people gain their Mountain Leader award. The Festival’s programme of guided walks relies entirely on volunteer leaders with this qualification, so increasing their number is extremely valuable. Jo Totty, AMF chair, says the scholarship is immensely valuable, as the recognised qualification ‘demands financial and time commitment, often taking years.’ Anyone interested in being selected for one of the three scholarships please contact the Festival directly. Just Google Arran Mountain Festival, where you’ll find a very clear contact message waiting to be sent.

Next year’s Festival is 16-19 May 2014.