NAILSEA scouts will climb the equivalent of three Scottish mountains next month, as part of a campaign to raise �160,000 for a new training centre.

Beavers, cubs, explorers, and leaders will join the scouts of 1st Nailsea group in scaling 450 ascents of a 26ft climbing tower in the town centre’s Somerset Square during the Munro Challenge.

A Munro is a Scottish mountain more than 3,000ft and the troop has chosen Ben Nevis, Ben Lomond and Cairn Gorm to virtually climb, which will be a total of 11,686ft.

Leaders have had to scale down ‘over-ambitious’ plans for the much-needed rebuilding of its training and activity centre, based in Clevedon Road, following a consultation with contractors.

Group scout leader Steve Hamey said: “Currently we have raised just over �30,000 towards the re-building fund and hope to significantly increase this in the next year to 18 months.

“We have had to re-design the plans for the building to make it more feasible.”

Group chairman Charles Elliott said: “Despite a couple of diversions we now have a realistic and affordable building scheme which meets our needs; we have some money in the bank from the great efforts everyone has put in so far and a fantastic team in Friends of First Nailsea, ready to help us raise some more.”

A sponsored family walk around the boundary of Nailsea is also planned for June and the 2012 Nailsea Carnival and Fair will be held on July 7.

Meanwhile the Gordano district is re-launching its Open Doors event and on Saturday, from 10.30am-3pm, scout headquarters across North Somerset will allow parents in to see what the movement has to offer.

Former members of groups based in Nailsea, Portishead, Clevedon, Long Ashton, Pill, Backwell and Yatton are invited to attend along with present ones, to reminisce, take part in activities and promote scouting.

The revised rebuilding plans will be on display at the 1st Nailsea Scouts event.

For more information about Open Doors contact local group scout leaders or the district commissioner Phil Woolcock by emailing dc@gordanoscouting.co.uk or by calling 01275 851734.

The Nailsea group has a number of vacancies to fill, including minibus manager and assistant quartermaster, as well as needing volunteers for its beaver and cubs sections.

Its three cub packs and two scout troops are almost full but there are spaces in all three of its beaver colonies for boys and girls aged six to eight years.

More information is available by logging onto www.1stnailseascoutgroup.co.uk or by calling Steve on 01275 792209.