It’s not every week you get to run up 130 mountains and take a rabbit with you into the bargain but that’s exactly what Dr Paul Fettes and an intrepid relay team of around 50 athletes will be doing over the next few weeks to raise vital funds for Tayside Children’s Hospital’s twin operating theatres.
In a record-breaking attempt that starts on Saturday at Dingwall, they will be climbing every peak in Scotland that measures more than 1,000m in height. It is the culmination of an idea that has been percolating in Paul’s head for several years.
“Although all modern maps are metric, I’ve often wondered why there isn’t a well-recorded list of metric mountains,” explains Paul, a consultant paediatric anaesthetist.
“Metrication on Ordnance Survey maps started in the 1960s and I’ve grown up with metric, so why measure mountains in feet?
“On my wedding anniversary last year my wife and I were climbing Ben Starav in Glen Etive. The Archie Foundation was just launching in Tayside and we had been talking about fundraising ideas.
“I said ‘Wouldn’t it be fantastic to organise a group challenge over all the mountains in Scotland higher than 1,000 metres?’
In Friday's Courier: a brilliant pull-out-and-keep map celebrating Archie's Mountain Challenge http://t.co/A5rSgtV31n pic.twitter.com/VKkEaWOP93
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“We’ll be (unofficially!) calling every mountain higher than 1km an Archie and we’re going to climb every one of them, travelling between them on foot or bike and taking a GPS locator with us to prove it can be done.”
The GPS locator will be inside a miniature rucksack worn by Rabbie, Archie’s rabbit toy, who will also double as the team’s relay baton.
The bunny is a vital part of the Archie Foundation’s campaign as Clare Mackie, the artist who designed the Archie logo, explains.
“For the Archie logo I wanted to create a character that a child could empathise with. I wanted him to have life about him but also need nurturing himself, so I gave him a little rabbit to hold, which I named Rabbie, after Rabbie Burns.”
Once Rabbie and the team have conquered all 130 peaks, Paul hopes they will be able to apply to the Scottish Mountaineering Club (founded by Sir Hugh Munro) for the collection of hills to be officially named Archies.
The team is mainly made up from staff from across all disciplines at Ninewells Hospital, their families and friends.
As well as instigating the mountain challenge, Paul has also been instrumental in planning it.
“We had our first planning meeting back in October and a lot of interested people stepped in to help,” he said.
“We want the event to be as inclusive as possible from kids to septuagenarians and this first weekend at Dingwall will kick off with lots of entertainment for families and children, while there will be a community walk each weekend at Ben Wyvis, Lochnagar and Schiehallion.”
Unfortunately, Paul, who is a keen runner and cyclist, recently suffered a serious setback to his training.
“Seven weeks ago I was found unconscious having fallen off my bike I think it must have hit a pothole,” he explains. “I suffered a few facial fractures and cracked my hip, so I was unable to train for a few weeks.”
As soon as he was able he resumed training on a static bike. He is now almost fully fit.
“I’m regaining some semblance of fitness and I will now be able to take part in the challenge to some degree,” he says. “But I’m only one of about 50 people who have put a fantastic amount of effort into preparing for this. Many have been cycling and running, including a fair bit of mountain running.”
The route, which will end at the Rest and Be Thankful at Arrochar, will involve walking, running and cycling and even a spot of kayaking. The team hopes the challenge will not take much more than a couple of weeks.
“It’s so exciting to have a new collection of mountains to conquer and to celebrate Scotland’s wonderful outdoor playground,” he adds.
There are still spaces available for the community walks up Lochnagar on June 6 and Schiehallion on June 13.
See more and donate at www.archiesmountainchallenge.org.uk.