A dedicated Forfar Athletic fan is taking a two-wheeled high road to follow his heroes in honour of his footballer father who graced a Loons shirt six decades ago.
In a gruelling challenge, cycling mad Stephen Cormie will take on the might of the Cairn o’Mount a week on Saturday in a 100-mile Forfar to Peterhead bike journey as he travels to see his team continue their championship push in the Blue Toon.
Stephen will make a dawn start to the trek which will see him climb some 5,000ft through the spectacular scenery of Angus and Aberdeenshire to make the 3pm kick-off at Balmoor, in the hope of seeing his favourites continue on their road to success this season.
The 44-year-old is no stranger to marathon bike rides but is making the assault on the Cairn as part of a fundraising thank you for the expert care his dementia-stricken father, Tom Cormie, is receiving in the Prosen ward at Whitehills Hospital in Forfar.
Known to many in the town as Tam, Mr Cormie Sr, right, is now 79 but retains the reputation as one of the most formidable local talents of his era.
Stephen, who works at Forfar firm Ramsay Ladders, said: “I was going to cycle to Peterhead for fun but my dad was taken into the care of the Prosen ward and I thought I’d do something to raise money for them.
“He made his debut 60 years ago for the Loons at the age of 20 against Albion Rovers and played for them from 1955 to ’59.”
Impressed by the standard of care his father has received since going into the Clova ward, Stephen set up a fundraising web page at www.sponsorme.co.uk/stephencormie for supporters.
He has already smashed through his target and, with support from other sources, is sitting on around £1,200.
Stephen said cycling supporters from other clubs have also chipped in with donations and he is now counting on Dick Campbell’s high-flying Forfar men to make the April 18 trip worthwhile.
Rising to 1,493ft, the Cairn o’ Mount sits between Fettercairn and Banchory and in ancient times served as one of the main crossing points over the Grampians.
It remains a popular beauty spot offering spectacular views, but Stephen is not underestimating the challenge of the mountain pass.
“I did a recce of the climb from this side in November and it is pretty brutal,” he said. I’ve got 18 gears on my road bike and it will be right down to the lowest one to get over it.”