Don was appointed as Lecturer in Outdoor Activities at The University of Leeds in 1964. You might like to look at Don’s CV CV 1963and understand why he was successful in his application. CV 1963
In addition to his role as lecturer he was also required to monitor the outdoor activities of the various societies in the Students Union.
The Outdoor Course was a module of the Post Graduate Certificate in Education. This course consisting of 8 males and 8 females was unique in the sense that PGC students were involve in teaching practice ‘in the field’, when their activities were conducted during a week based in the University Mountain Hut in the Duddon Valley in the Lake District, where 8 students would look after 24 school pupils, during the weeks various activities.
One of the first tasks was to procure some suitable form of transport to get students to the various outdoor sites, so he designed and had made a succession of two Expedition Trucks, the second replacing the first which wore out. The trucks were designed with long range fuel p (600miles), facility to carry 25 gallons of water, 20gallons of paraffin, and a roof capable of holding one ton. While the sides of the truck were of canvas in the style of a military man carrier, the sides were built high enough to protect the occupants from protruding trees and the like.
Various Expeditions were held
1965 – Austria (Innsbruck) 2.5 weeks
To visit and the Berber hills. This was a repeat of the trip Don made with the Ramblers in 1951.
2,600miles 10days out, 9 days back
1968 – Morocco to climb the highest mountain and the deepest pothole
Part of Don’s responsibilities were to look after the mountain hut in the Duddon Valley in the Lake District,
Don is never afraid to set an example when it comes to the dreary work, in this case whitewashing the latrines, now sadly replaced by flushing WC.
1966 Truck Mk1
The Pennine Hut located at Selside, in the Ribble valley close to Horton in Ribblesdale was acquired from Burnley Pothole Club (who had given themselves and the building a bad reputation) and restored by student working parties. The Then Vice Chancellor Roger Stevens gave a grant of £7,000 and the student Union also contributed to the cost.
Don Robinson 