Walmer Bridge woman ready to take on emotional trek in the Swiss Alps to honour her late mountaineer husband and raise money for Bowland Pennine Rescue

The widow of a well known mountain rescuer will honour her husband during a trek through the Swiss Alps - and she is taking her mascot along for company.
Linda Grant with her husband JackLinda Grant with her husband Jack
Linda Grant with her husband Jack

Linda Grant, of Walmer Bridge, and her ‘special friend’ Jack, a cuddly toy Beagle, will climb five peaks in the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland in September.

The journey will be especially poignant for the 73-year-old, as she will be reliving the many holidays she spent there with her husband, Jack, who died at the age of 75 in 2009, following a battle with vascular dementia.

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To honour the fact Jack, also known as John Edward, led the South Ribble Rescue team, she will be raising money for the amalgamated Bowland Pennine Rescue Team.The 73-year-old said: “Two years after Jack passed away, in 2011, I raised £1,200 for the Bowland Pennine Rescue Team by climbing five peaks around Switzerland.“I have now been given a small amount of money and so I am planning a trip to the Jungfrau Region from September 21 to 28 to do five more peaks, as nearly every year my husband Jack and I went to the Jungfrau in February to ski and walk.

Jack GrantJack Grant
Jack Grant

“My Beagle Jack is a wonderful friend to have up in the mountains and hills, as he carries his own rucksack and wears a Swiss red and white neckerchief. “My real and special friends in Switzerland are the St Bernard dogs only found in the Jungfrau and Zermatt areas.“The day after I return - September 29 - will be the 10th anniversary of Jack passing way, or as I like to call it, the ultimate healing. So this is my tribute to his mountaineering and many outdoor activities.

“Bowland Pennine Rescue Team meant so much to Jack. The team turn out in all weathers, coming away from their occupation to help save all who require it. I want to raise as much money as possible so their excellent, demanding work can continue into the future.”

As well as a mountaineer, Jack was a military photographer in the army and a corporal in the Loyals Regiment. In his later years he was a wedding photographer, and he also did work for the Evening Post.

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The keen mountaineer had climbed 18,000ft to Everest’s base camp and scaled K2, the world’s second highest mountain. Jack and Linda married in 1997, seven years after the death of his first wife, and the couple enjoyed outdoor pursuits together.

To sponsor Linda email [email protected].

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