The hills of Angus are being used as a training ground by five Kirrie girls set to climb Britain’s lofty peaks for charity in a single weekend later this year, as part of the Three Peaks Challenge.
Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon lie in wait for Gill Ferguson, Dianne Scott, Jennifer Paton and mum and daughter Susan and Claire Dyce during August’s Three Peaks Challenge.
Their mission is to raise money for the Scottish Huntington’s Association.
It is a condition which Jennifer’s husband, Mike, was diagnosed with in 2014.
They hope to build awareness of the ‘forgotten’ neurodegenerative disease, for which there is currently no known cure.
And the women are off to a flyer having already nearly trebled their £1,000 fundraising target.
Anyone wishing to support them can donate here.
The women had been due to take on the formidable task in 2020 before the pandemic thwarted the plan.
The Three Peaks Challenge will involve 23 miles of trekking, an ascent of more than 10,000 feet and 462 miles of driving in between the three highest mountains of Scotland, England and Wales.
Some tackle it in just a day – the modern record stands at a remarkable 14 hours and 36 minutes.
On the first weekend in August, the Kirrie friends will head to the Lake District for a Friday climb up Scafell Pike and then tackle Snowdon the following day.
They will then journey back across the border for the Fort William finale up the 4,412 feet of Ben Nevis on the Sunday.
Forgotten disease
Mike was diagnosed with Huntington’s around the time he retired from a 30-year career in the offshore industry.
He has endured the tragedy of losing his mother and sister to the hereditary condition.
Jennifer said: “He is doing well, but unfortunately it a degenerative illness so each day is a different day.
“There are so many people who don’t known about Huntington’s so we’re just doing something to try and raise some money and hopefully get more knowledge of the charity out there.
“We like a challenge and have done a few things, but this is something different.
“It is a big undertaking, but we’ve already had a lot of support and we’re all looking forward to it.
“We decided to keep Ben Nevis till last and are asking our friends to think about coming up there to join us to help us make it up the last mountain,” she said.
Previous challenges
The group have taken on previous fundraisers for good causes including Maggie’s.
In 2013, the Dyce family was touched by tragedy when Susan’s husband and Claire’s father, Raymond, died at the age of just 49.
Grain trader Raymond was particularly well-known through his connection to Kirrie Thistle junior football club, whose Westview Park stand is named in his honour.
Claire said: “My mum and the others are best pals and they’ve done several different challenges
“They asked if I wanted to join in on this one so I’m really looking forward to it.
“We’ve been meeting up regularly to go out together but will start to do a bit more training and get out on the hills together.”