Nottingham woman, 74, determined to continue active life despite husband’s death in rock climbing accident

Tragedy struck Pat Robinson earlier this year when her husband died in a rock climbing incident.

But in Nigel’s memory, Pat is insisting age won’t stop her giving up on any part of her extremely active lifestyle.

Mr Robinson, 62, died after apparently falling from a rock crag while climbing in the Derryveagh Mountains, Ireland, on August 13.

Pat, 74, of the Arboretum, still continues with her sporty lifestyle and has claimed various medals for her achievements.

She says that she almost feels a “desperation” to prove she can still do things at her age, which has been strengthened by her husband’s death.

“When people tell me I’m too old, that’s what really winds me up” she told Notts TV.

She says she deals with her grief through keeping so active. She took up long distance running at 54, and despite initial struggles, managed to finish the London Marathon.

pat-robinson
Pat Robinson says her active lifestyle has helped her after Nigel’s death.

Her husband had climbed more than 100 rock faces in the past two years, without ropes or a helmet.

The day after he went missing on Saturday, August 12, Pat received a call from a mountain rescue team who said they had found his body at the bottom of a 70ft drop.

Pat says she will also continue her other passions, which include a stand-up show and insists that ‘can’t’ just isn’t a word that applies to her.

“I mean you’ve got to cry, you’ve got to cry a lot, you have to let it out,” she added.

“But keeping fit, and keeping active, helps, you’ve just got to keep going.”