Elgin piercer Heather Milne scales Ben Rinnes five times in 24 hours for Moray Food Plus
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PIERCER Heather Milne smashed her fundraising target for Moray Food Plus on Sunday (June 19) and summited Ben Rinnes five times.
The Elgin-based owner of Needle Little Love achieved the feat within 24 hours, while battling constant 50mph winds and 2am starts.
Heather has already raised an amazing £1160 and, with her fundraising page open until this Sunday, the total could grow.
She said: "I am absolutely delighted – my body is definitely not telling me that – but I am delighted.
"The weather was just completely against me, the whole day.
"I did the first walk on my own and I got completely hammered by rain and wind.
"The wind was so strong that I couldn't stand up, I had to hide behind the ledge of the summit until things got better.
"It was absolutely mental but it was really good too."
Starting her first climb at 7am on Sunday, Heather's target was to scale the mountain five times before 7am on Monday.
Throughout the climbs friends and family helped Heather through her toughest moments.
Heather said: "My dad came and met me halfway up on the first one.
"My mum did the second one with me and my friend Richard Cumming, who has the Sirology shop on Batchen Street, came and did the third one with me.
"For the fourth one, I had my daughters boyfriend and his dad do the climb with me. It was in just terrible conditions."
After her fourth ascent, the rough weather forced Heather to abandon plans to camp and barbecue on the mountain.
The rest period, however, did not last long – her final sunrise climb meant she had a 2am start on Monday morning.
Thankfully, the weather turned in Heather's favour and she managed to end her massive challenge on a high.
She said: "It was clear, not a breath of wind, it was just stunning.
"You think: 'Well, that's great. Why couldn't this have been yesterday?'
"We decided halfway up that would be the last walk because my entire body was aching – even in places I didn't know I could ache.
"The sunrise walk was definitely worth all the aching muscles screaming at me because it was absolutely stunning."
Heather's donation to Moray Food Plus will help feed families who are struggling financially.
She said: "I think food banks are going to be called more than ever before.
"A lot of people are going to really feel it and if that money can go towards making families lives a little bit better I will have achieved what I set out to do.
"I have been hit by physical, emotional and mental torture the last two, three days, so I just need a bit of time to sit down, digest things and just be proud of what I have done."
Despite having such a tough time, Heather's enthusiasm for hillwalking has not been extinguished.
She plans to climb Ben Nevis next and, about Ben Rinnes, said: "The next time I climb it – and I will climb it again – it will be purely for enjoyment.
"I don't think I will be doing anything this crazy for a little while.
"I have been told by all my family and friends that if I have any ideas like this to go and discuss it with them first."
Click here to donate to Heather's fundraiser.
