In January of this year a few of us decided that attempting the
annual Caledonian Challenge was just the thing to shake off our
post Hogmanay hangovers. To describe this as a sponsored walk is a
bit like describing a marathon as a fun run. It is an annual event
that sees around 1500 people attempting to walk 54 miles in under
24 hours to raise money for charity. It seemed like a good idea at
the time.
The route follows part of the West Highland Way from Fort
William at the foot of Ben Nevis walking south, taking in the best
of Caledonian scenery of Highland mountains, pine forests and moor
land, over the aptly named devil's staircase to the barren tops of
Glencoe, and on through gentler lowland hills to the finish on the
banks of Loch Lomond (down hill!) Surely this was still going to be
a good idea.
On 15 June six walkers, Diana Hall, Charles Lugton, Helen Watts,
Tom Hardy, Lydia McLachlan and Catriona Stewart along with two
support teams of Mike Wood, Charles McGregor, Valerie Wilson and
Gavin Henderson, thirty-six pairs of socks and our body weight in
chocolate set out from Edinburgh. That night saw us carbo-loading
on pasta and cake in preparation for the next day which started
with yet more food - always a good idea. Then the Challenge began.
For the support teams the challenge was to stay awake for 24 hours;
to encourage, cajole, feed and water the walkers; to graciously
accept that when a lorry overturns between Fort William and
Kinlochleven a 14 mile road trip turns into a 120 mile tour of the
central highlands; that if some-one removes your wing mirror in an
overtaking manoeuvre it really doesn't matter because you have
another one; and to smile when plans for a civilised dinner are
interrupted by walkers wanting plain pasta and new socks. This is
not to mention the running repairs that were needed at midnight by
a mechanic in the middle of nowhere who happily had been well
served by colleagues some years previously. The walkers? Well, they
just had to put one foot in front of the other for 54 miles to
reach the finish line within 24 hours. Occasionally, battling
through rain squalls and clouds of midges it really didn't seem to
be a good idea after all.
In all 162 miles were walked with three completing the entire
route, Tom in a determined 17 hours 28 minutes and 58 seconds;
Lydia in a sprightly 21 hours and 26 seconds and Catriona in a
finely judged 23 hours 58 minutes and 44 seconds.
Now, after the blisters have healed and wing mirrors replaced,
it was a good idea. Money raised goes to Scottish Communities
Foundation that provides grants to small and grass root charities
and it is still not too late to sponsor the Simpson and Marwick
walkers for their efforts this year. Any good ideas for next
year?
Contributed by Catriona Stewart