Fergus rises to challenge of climbing 10 Glencoe peaks
Climbing just one of Glencoe’s famous peaks is no mean feat, but Fergus Berardelli tackled 10 of the daunting mountains recently, inspired by his younger brother and a good friend.
Fergus, son of Paolo and Elspeth Berardelli from the Great Glen Cattle Ranch at Spean Bridge, took on the challenge to mark his 18th birthday and to raise money for two good causes.
The charities were Action Duchenne, inspired by younger brother, Giorgio, who suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and Ewen’s Room in memory of good friend and former family shepherd, Sandy, who sadly took his own life just over a year ago.
Fergus challenged himself to climb the 10 mountains in just 10 hours and successfully managed his target at the end of July, with 20 minutes to spare. Several family members and friends trekked into the ‘Lost Valley’ to meet him as he came down from the last peak and Giorgio managed to get there too, which was a challenge and personal achievement all of his own.
The response to Fergus’s fundraising has been phenomenal, with, incredibly, almost £8,000 raised so far. His Just Giving page is still open and Fergus and his family cannot stress enough how much they appreciate all the support.
The Berardellis run a flock of Blackface ewes on Gleann Leac na Muidhe in Glencoe, supplemented by another 3,000 rented from neighbours the National Trust for Scotland (NTS).
Fergus said: ‘I chose Glencoe because many of my best childhood memories have been made there in the glen, gathering sheep with Sandy and many other assorted ‘gatherers’ and dogs. We all miss Sandy very much, but somehow up on the hill you can still feel his presence, especially up on the tops. As I’ve grown up, I still like nothing better than a good day on the hill, a feeling shared by many of my family and friends.
‘The gathering is still one of the highlights of our summer and there is often quite a crowd by the time we get back to the fank. For Giorgio, getting up the hill is increasingly tough but he is as determined as ever to be part of things. He is an inspiration to us all and one of the main motivations for my walk.’
Action Duchenne is a charity working to find a cure for the muscle-wasting disease Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Donations are needed to help fund research to find a cure or viable treatments, campaign for better care and access to treatments, as well as running education and transition projects.
Fergus added: ‘My other inspiration is Sandy and that is why I also want to raise money for Ewen’s Room, a charity which was established as a tribute to a local lad Ewen Gillespie, who sadly took his own life in 2008. The organisation offers support and advice on mental health issues and provides an opportunity for mutual self-help and companionship. It also delivers mental health and well-being awareness sessions to school pupils.
‘We were devastated that Sandy felt he only had one way out and couldn’t ask for help. We wish things could have been different and are passionate that issues around mental health should not be hidden away.’