Heartbreak at not being able to see a friend has been turned to the power of good for one Dingwall woman 'paying it forward' to Dundonnell Mountain Rescue Team
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HEARTBREAK at not being able to see a friend has been turned to the power of good.
Walker Jacqueline MacDonald set out to raise £110 - hoping for £1 from every mile between her home in Dingwall and her friend's home in Orkney.
Ms MacDonald said: "My trip to see Morven in Orkney at the end of March is well and truly scuppered and I'm trying to turn it into a positive...not easy.
"Morven and me are separated by 110 miles as the crow flies so I have decided to walk 110 miles in the month of March for the benefit of Dundonnell Mountain Rescue Team.
"They have done a fantastic job especially during lockdown and I’m looking at it as a pay forward just in case I ever need them.
"I'd love to raise £110, a pound a mile, if you can spare the cost of a coffee or a dram, I'm sure they’d be delighted."
Dundonnell Mountain Rescue Team (DMRT) operate in a vast area of rugged and remote mountainous country. The team
of around 35 volunteers is available
24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help anyone in difficulty on the hills, mountains or crags in an area spanning more than 2,600 square miles.
Dundonnell Mountain Rescue Team cover a vast region of beautiful country. From the famous pinnacles of Stac Pollaidh in the north to Glen Affric in the South and from the West coast peninsulas to Ben Wyvis in the East.
Whilst the mountains are spectacular, the terrain is extremely hazardous. Mountain ridges are steep and remote - often miles from any type of track and one of the main challenges facing the team are the vast distances involved.
At the heart of the area lies An Teallach, a high and complex mountain ridge with at least ten summits over 700 metres and three over 1000. Directly south is the 'Great Wilderness' of the Fisherfield and Letterewe Forests. One of the most remote areas in the UK, it attracts mountaineers, climbers and long-distance walkers from all over the world.
North of Ullapool lies Coigach - a sparsely populated peninsula with remote hill lochs and steep summits. To the west is Reiff - one of the best sea-cliff climbing venues in Scotland.
In the south lie the hills of Mullardoch and Strathfarrar which include the highest peaks north of the Great Glen. Also within the Dundonnell Mountain Rescue Team area are the four Beinn Dearg hills and not forgetting the Fannichs - a cluster of 12 peaks including one of the highest in Northern Scotland - Sgurr Mor (Big Peak) at 1110m.
Iain Nesbitt , Dundonnell team leader said: “It’s always fantastic to see a member of the public get behind Dundonnell MRT and to help raise funds.
"We wish Jacqueline all the best in her walking challenge of a 110 miles”
To read more about the Dundonnell MRT click here.
