With the end of the ambitious £150,000 Mend Our Mountains crowdfunding drive approaching, Sir Chris Bonington has described National Parks as an “essential part of who we are” and called for us all to take responsibility for looking after them.

The British mountaineer renowned for his lifetime of groundbreaking climbing accomplishments ranging from Hoy to the Himalayas encouraged everyone to pledge to Mend Our Mountains on Crowdfunder before the drive ends on Sunday.

Sir Chris called for National Parks to be “properly funded and properly managed”, but added “we all need to play our part” in looking after protected landscapes.

He asked: “Places like Scafell Pike, Beinn a’ Ghlo or Cadair Idris offer a lifetime of free enjoyment; is chipping in what you can afford to help take care of them too much to ask?”

The Mend Our Mountains crowdfunding push is a key part of the Mend Our Mountains: Make One Million appeal. It closes on Sunday.

Sir Chris gave a BBC radio interview following these comments, and it is a powerful summation of what Mend Our Mountains is all about. Listen to it at 20.47 here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06mqr8n.

"A lifetime of free enjoyment"

In his full statement, Sir Chris Bonington said:

“As I look back at a long and eventful lifetime of climbing which has taken me all over the world, the importance and uniqueness of Britain’s national parks and other protected landscapes is more apparent to me than ever. 

“Places like the Lake District, Snowdonia and the Yorkshire Dales give our mostly urban population the opportunity for challenge, open skies, adventure, excitement, wonder, even a little healthy risk.

“I would go further and say that these places are an essential part of who we are. National Parks are places where we can test ourselves, enjoy life and explore the ecology and culture of these islands. We should take great pride in them.

“Yet I am concerned for the future. These places need to be properly funded and properly managed, yet the tightening of public purse strings in recent times threatens to undermine that. Visitor rates are climbing but infrastructure is straining under the pressure. Money is not the answer to everything, but those in power should take a long-term view which recognises the many well-documented public benefits of outdoor recreation for happiness, wellbeing and mental and physical health. 

“But we all need to play our part. For example, every one of us is capable of making problems like overcrowding, congestion, litter or erosion worse. When we set foot in a National Park we should all be thinking about the impact we have. Can I use public transport? Can I walk a lesser-known route to spread erosion damage? How can I leave this place in at least as good a condition as I found it? 

“Contributing to path repair campaigns such as Mend Our Mountains is another great way of giving something back. Places like Scafell Pike, Beinn a’ Ghlo or Cadair Idris offer a lifetime of free enjoyment; is chipping in what you can afford to help take care of them too much to ask? 

“We need an injection of idealism, passion and effort if we are to truly preserve our National Parks and other protected places for future generations. They will only survive as long as we all care about them, value them, and are willing to help look after them. Let’s make our voices heard loud and clear. I would encourage everyone to start by giving to Mend Our Mountains today.”

We want to say a big thanks to every BMC member who continues to support us through the Coronavirus crisis.

From weekly Facebook Lives and GB Climbing home training videos, to our access team working to re-open the crags and fight for your mountain access, we couldn’t do it without you.

Did you know that we've just launched a new U27 membership offer for just £1.50 / month? And with full membership from £2.50 / month, it's never been easier to join and support our work: 

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/join-the-bmc-for-1-month-U27-membership

« Back