{"id":180810,"date":"2025-06-13T10:12:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-13T10:12:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/180810\/"},"modified":"2025-06-13T10:12:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T10:12:11","slug":"blind-liverpool-army-veteran-is-taking-on-huge-five-peaks-climb-with-his-nine-year-old-son","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/180810\/","title":{"rendered":"Blind Liverpool army veteran is taking on huge Five Peaks climb with his nine-year-old son"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blind Liverpool army veteran Craig Lundberg is taking on a huge climbing challenge for charity with his nine-year-old son Max.<\/p>\n

The 39-year-old, who lost his sight when he was hit by rocket-propelled grenades while serving in Iraq, will tackle the Five Peaks with Max next month.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re planning to climb the peaks in Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland over five consecutive days between July 4 and July 8.<\/p>\n

In total the dad and lad pair, accompanied by friends who will support them as guide and driver, aim to complete around 16,000ft \u2013 just 1,000ft less than Everest base camp.<\/p>\n

Craig says the idea for the challenge, which will raise money for Liverpool-based domestic abuse charity Centre 56, actually came from Max.<\/p>\n

\"Craig
\nHe explains:<\/p>\n

\u201cA couple of years ago I did Hadrian\u2019s Wall with my oldest son Ben when he was nine to raise money for Alder Hey. When Max turned nine he asked me what we were going to do. He said he wanted to do Hadrian\u2019s Wall too, but I didn\u2019t want it to turn into a competition between two brothers, and I wanted them to have different experiences to talk about.<\/p>\n

\u201cI suggested the Three Peaks and he said yes, then when I was looking into it I saw the Five Peaks. I haven\u2019t done the two in Ireland before, so I thought it would be a nice thing to do and he\u2019ll definitely be one of the youngest ever to complete it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with friends Callum and Debbie Edge, they will travel to Ben Nevis on July 3, start the climb on July 4 which is Craig\u2019s 40th birthday, then head to Scarfell Pike in the Lake District on July 5. From there it\u2019s on to Snowdon in North Wales on July 6, then to Holyhead and over to Ireland.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ll drive up to Northern Ireland for Slieve Donard<\/a> on July 7 and finally down to the Republic of Ireland to finish off with Carrauntoohil<\/a> on July 8.<\/p>\n

Craig, who lives with partner Nicola in Mossley Hill, is totally blind so Callum will be his guide on each of the peaks.<\/p>\n

He said:<\/p>\n

\u201cCallum and Debbie have got a camper van so we\u2019re going to be camping on the mountains so we can get up and get straight onto the climbs. Callum will come with us, and Debbie will be getting us from A to B and making sure we\u2019re fed, so they\u2019re a crucial part of our adventure.<\/p>\n

\u201cCallum and I have done quite a few other challenges together, including cycling Land\u2019s End to John O\u2019Groats and the Mallorca 312 ride, so we\u2019re pretty much attuned to each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously I can\u2019t see where my feet are, I\u2019m holding on to the guide and feeling where his feet are going. He\u2019s in front of me, I\u2019ve got a hand on his backpack and we just communicate. When it comes to a tricky point, like a massive step down, he\u2019ll say \u2018sit on your bum\u2019 or he\u2019ll tell me which foot to lead with or where a good perch is to move my feet to.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing up isn\u2019t too bad, it\u2019s always coming down and jumping over the tributaries that are worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Craig<\/p>\n

Having previously climbed Kilimanjaro and Mount McKinley in Alaska, Craig is no novice, and he\u2019s been training regularly with Max.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe plays football and swims so he\u2019s already pretty fit and we\u2019ve done Park Run and I\u2019ve had him on treadmill,\u201d says Craig. \u201cWe walked the Sandstone Trail in Cheshire, 34 miles in two days, and we did a training weekend which was 37 miles in 4 days and about 12,000 feet of elevation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s as much to prepare him mentally as physically because just the hours of walking takes some getting used to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once Craig and Max have completed their challenge, he still has the prospect of a third one with daughter Sofia when she\u2019s nine in two years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve done charity walks since she was about five but she\u2019s a good swimmer, so she\u2019s said she\u2019d like to do that,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen the time comes I don\u2019t know what she\u2019s going to want to do but I leave it up to them, see what their interests are and as long as it\u2019s challenging enough then I\u2019ll say yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Support Craig and Max\u2019s fundraiser for Centre 56 here<\/a>.
\nFind all the latest Liverpool news\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Find out what\u2019s good up North on our new platform, The Northern Guide.\u00a0
\nFrom the best hotels, beauty spots, days out, food and more up North \u2013 visit\u00a0thenorthernguide.com<\/a>\u00a0and follow The Northern Guide on Instagram\u00a0HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n