Booze Nevis: Eager grad climbs mountain to serve pints to climbers
He set up a wee pub on the summit
Jack CummingsAn intrepid grad climbed all the way up Ben Nevis to open a bar at the top to serve beer to thirsty climbers.
Hero Dave Cooke, 21, spent more than four hours hauling barrels of Tunnel Vision beer up to the summit of the Scottish mountain.
Alongside Manchester grad Harriet Allbrook, 21, and gap year student Oscar Price, 19, the recent Edge Hill finisher Dave served pints at over 4000ft.
What’s more they didn’t just take the barrels, but dragged bottles, mats and pint glasses to the top of Ben Nevis.
Still better than the SU bar
Dave told The Tab: “Climbers were really happy about the fact that they’d just climbed a mountain and there was a bar waiting for them at the top – they thought it was brilliant.
“Walking up we met a lot of people who asked what we were carrying and they gave us a lot of support, saying they’d see us up there for a pint.”
The three day trip was organised by the Box Stream Brewery who make Tunnel Vision beer.
Dave said: “I signed up a bit blind, I was told it would be a good opportunity, bit of bar work and a great summer job.
“It was the first time I’d climbed a mountain and the first time I’d been to Scotland.”
“It was for the brewery itself, it’s a really little company but they make great beer and are nice guys.”
Dave and Harriet on their boozy trek up the mountain
But the makeshift pub wasn’t able to stay open as long as Dave would have liked because of the grim weather conditions.
He added: “The average temperature at the top was two degrees so we didn’t stay and drink too much.
“No one was up for sticking round for more than a couple of minutes as there was grim weather – hail and lashing rain.
“I was looking forward to a drink at the top, but had never experienced cold like it.”
The outdoor bar was hit by hail and rain
Dave admitted his favourite beer “has to be Box Steam Brewery’s Tunnel Vision” – which convinced him to sign up for the stunt in the first place.
He added: “I’m sure if Harriet is the biggest beer drinker though, I think she’s more of a wine and cider girl – but Oscar loves the brewery.
“I loved the experience and am hoping to do more mountains a bit more casually, but if the brewery plan to do anything else I’ll be the first to get my name down.”