It’s just over a week until the big day. Yes folks, the Yomp takes place next weekend, on June 13!
Training, if you can call it that, has been going well, although I haven’t managed to slot in too many epic hikes.
Last weekend was possibly the most productive – and fun – training weekend yet.
I took to the hills in Easter Ross for a community walk up 1,046m Ben Wyvis.
The five-hour jaunt marked the launch of the ARCHIE Foundation’s Mountain Challenge – a record-breaking adventure to scale every Scottish mountain measuring more than 1,000m – in a human-powered relay to raise funds for charity.
While the relay aspect of the challenge is very much the domain of experienced hill runners, the community walks (there’s also one up Lochnagar on June 6, and Schiehallion on June 13) play a big part in helping to raise funds for Tayside Children’s Hospital’s twin operating theatres.
While the mega-fit athletes summitted Ben Wyvis in about 90 minutes, they were followed by groups of walkers (including me) who followed in their wake.
I already knew the Gaelic translation for Wyvis (Beinn Uais) meant Hill of Terror, so it was with considerable trepidation that I fell in with a team led by civil engineer and qualified mountain leader Steve Byer.
He set a great pace – not too fast and not too slow – and everyone was able to keep up. About half way up, dark grey clouds began looming and we were soon engulfed in a thick fog. Rain belted down, hailstones threatened, and as we neared the snow-covered summit, ferocious side winds just about blew us over the edge.
It took just under three hours to reach the trig point where we posed up for photographs with the ARCHIE mascot, a toy rabbit named Rabbie.
So there was nothing too terrifying about Wyvis – in fact, once the skies had cleared, the views were stunning, covering a vast swathe of northern Scotland, from Torridon to the Black Isle and Easter Ross. It did get a little bit chilly on the top, so we didn’t hang about.
Back at base and soaked to the skin, it was hard to imagine the hardcore athletes would continue their quest well into the night. Having climbed Ben Wyvis, they scaled five other mountains, finishing up in the wee small hours.
Once they’ve completed all 130 peaks, they hope they’ll be able to apply to the Scottish Mountaineering Club for the collection of hills to be officially named ARCHIEs. It’s a great cause and you can make a donation and follow the team’s progress at www.archiesmountainchallenge.org.uk
Driving back to Tayside the next day, I stopped off at Inverdruie just outside Aviemore for a four-mile stroll through Rothiemurchus Forest passing picture-perfect Lochan Mor. It’s one of my favourites.
This week has been a little less productive in terms of getting out and about. My legs have felt quite heavy and my body’s been trying to fend off bugs flying round the office. It seems everyone is sneezing and coughing! I’ll just need to step up the Vitamin C and not push myself too hard over the next few days.
Plans for this weekend? None as yet, although walking will undoubtedly feature!