Climber plans peak toast to Burns
A mountaineer has launched his bid to set a world record for holding the highest Burns Supper. Chris Dunlop aims to toast Scotland's bard 23,000ft up on the peak of Mount Aconcagua in Argentina.
Mr Dunlop, 35, from Glasgow, will set out to make the ascent in time to dine on haggis, neeps and tatties at the peak on Burns Night, 25 January.
The charity worker will perform the Selkirk Grace and address the haggis before a rendition of Auld Lang Syne.
Scottish Parliament
The South American peak is the world's highest outside the Himalayas.
When he reaches the top Mr Dunlop plans to phone the Scottish Parliament, which will be hosting a Burns event, to recite works from the bard.
An Ayrshire haggis company will provide him with a canned Burns supper for the first Guinness World Record attempt of its kind.
The mountaineer, whose most recent expedition in August saw him scale Europe's highest peak, Mount Elbrus, officially launch his bid at the statue of Robert Burns in Glasgow's George Square.
All money raised from the climb will go to Realise, a north Glasgow-based charity which helps recovering drink and drug addicts get back to work.
Mr Dunlop, who flies to South America on Sunday, said he felt confident.
"Parts of the mountain are closed right now because of avalanche risk but I hope the weather will hold," he said.
"I'll warm up my meal further down the mountain and scoff it when I get to the top. Hopefully it will warm me up as it can dip to minus 53C up there.
"I was going to take whisky but I don't think that's wise. It will be great though to take Burns' work to one of the few places on the planet it's never been."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/h...nd/4583874.stm
Published: 2006/01/05 17:14:04 GMT
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