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Hitched Hikers seal marriage with Ben Rinnes summit kiss


By Chris Saunderson

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A MARRIAGE made in heaven and on top of a mountain during lockdown was sealed with a summit kiss.

Ally Troon (47) and Sarah Law (32) met through their shared love of hiking.

A kiss at the summit of Ben Rinnes seals the wedding of Ally Troon and Sarah Law.
A kiss at the summit of Ben Rinnes seals the wedding of Ally Troon and Sarah Law.

So, when coronavirus robbed them of their big wedding in front of family and friends, they simply moved their wedding plans 840 metres in an upwardly direction.

The couple, from Dufftown, got married last Sunday at the top of Moray's highest free-standing peak - Ben Rinnes.

They were joined by Sarah's children Erin (9), Brodie (8) and Rory (5), Ally's friend and witness Chris Blair and his wife Mairi and chief bridesmaid Lyndsey Gray.

And, of course, they needed a registrar and Moray Council official Mark Stevenson-Bramley agreed to climb the corbett with them, complete with kilt.

The happy couple sign the marriage certificate on the trig point.
The happy couple sign the marriage certificate on the trig point.

The registrar's records showed that Sarah and Ally became only the second couple to get married at the top of the mountain in the last 160 years.

The groom hiked up the mountain with Chris, Mairi and the registrar for the afternoon wedding ceremony.

Sarah, the children and bridesmaid were driven up a back road in two Jeeps by staff from Glenrinnes Farms before walking a short distance to the summit.

The couple have climbed the corbett countless times before and it was an obvious place for the hillwalkers to cement their relationship.

They have walked all over Scotland and their home mountain is one of their favourites.

They had planned to get married in front of family and friends on the Craigellachie Bridge and then sign their marriage papers at the top of Ben Rinnes, however, Covid-19 lockdown left plans for a big wedding up in the air.

The wedding party at the bottom of the mountain.
The wedding party at the bottom of the mountain.

However, they decided to move the marriage ceremony to the trig point at the top of Ben Rinnes, and will celebrate their wedding with a big party for friends and family when lockdown restrictions ease further.

Ally, a primary school teacher at Anderson's Primary in Forres, said it was the perfect day.

He said: "It was absolutely awesome. It was the first time the kids had been up Ben Rinnes and they were fantastic.

"We met a lot of walkers as we went up the mountain and they chatted and wished us all the best.

"We held the ceremony on a little outcrop of rocks and then signed the papers on the trig point."

Sarah looks stunning in her wedding dress and hiking boots.
Sarah looks stunning in her wedding dress and hiking boots.

Ally and Chris wore Hebridean Heather tartan kilts, while Sarah looked stunning in her dress and hiking boots.

"I am from Fife originally but Sarah grew up in Dufftown and Ben Rinnes was the landscape of her childhood, and her grandad took her up Ben Rinnes when she was younger."

Sarah, a lab analyst at Glenfiddich Distillery, and Ally have been together for three years.

Erin read two poems as part of the ceremony, Brodie was the ring bearer and little Roddy gave his mum away. Erin and Brodie attend Mortlach Primary School and Rory starts there after the summer.

A tired Rory hitches a lift from his mum.
A tired Rory hitches a lift from his mum.

The couple thanked Mr Stevenson-Bramley and Alistair Laing from Glenrinnes Farm for making their special day come together, and the sun shone for the occasion.

The family were enjoying a beach holiday honeymoon at St Cyrus on the east coast of Scotland this week before the newlyweds head to Plockton on their own for a little hiking next week.


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