Army veteran aims to set new world record for longest stay on Rockall

Cam Cameron will only have seabirds for company once a small support team leave Rockall

An army veteran and former teacher aims to set a new world record for the number of days spent living on the North Atlantic islet of Rockall.

Cam Cameron set off for the tiny uninhabitable rock, which lies 230 miles (370km) west of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides, on Friday morning.

Above the water level, the rock is only 100ft (30m) wide and 70ft (21m) long.

Mr Cameron plans to spend 60 days living and sleeping on Rockall to raise money for veterans' charities.

They include the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, and ABF The Soldiers Charity.

The former Gordon Highlander told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme he is as prepared as he can be. "I'll need to take all water, food, fuel, clothing, safety equipment, everything with me for the 60 days on this tiny little area.

"I'll have a drysuit with me. I've got an emergency position-indicating radio beacon, I've got a VHF radio so I've got everything I think I need in order to survive."

The accommodation pod will be positioned on a 13ft ledge

Getting there is a journey in itself. After three days at sea, the team face a 55ft (17m) cliff climb to a small 13ft (4m) ledge.

A mountaineer and a radio expert will leave the islet after 10 days and Mr Cameron will be alone, with only seabirds for company, and the occasional satellite call home.

The current world record for a 45-day stay was set by Nick Hancock in 2014, beating the previous record held by three Greenpeace campaigners who lived there for 42 days in 1997, and the former solo record of 40 days set by veteran Tom McClean in 1985.

Greenpeace campaigners lived on Rockall for 42 days in 1997

What prompted Mr Cameron to set his sights on the dot of land in the North Atlantic?

The isolation and restricted movement of lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic prompted plans for the trip and which have taken two years to come to fruition.

The adventures of previous record holders have helped. Current record holder Nick Hancock has been key in preparing him mentally, as have Tom McClean and Al Baker. "I've had really good advice from some wonderful people who have been there, done that and got the T-shirt.

"I'm really excited. It's done by so few people… 4,000 people have been to Everest, only five people have ever stayed for any length of time on Rockall."