Moray great-gran Mhairi’s Iceland walking challenge
A retired Moray doctor is tackling a 36-mile trek across Iceland to raise money for the Children’s Air Ambulance.
Mhairi Legge, who’s aged 81, will walk for three days through one of that country’s most actively volcanic and alien landscapes.
The great-grandma from Longmorn is going to be faced with steep climbs, rough descents and wading through ice-cold streams.
What’s more, at the end of each long day, she’ll also have to put up and then sleep in a tent.
Mhairi said: “I like a challenge. I think it’s important to keep active and I want to help the Children’s Air Ambulance.
“They operate a flying intensive care unit to transport critically ill babies and youngsters in an inter-hospital transfer service.
“The average cost of a mission is £3500, but it receives no government funding at all. Instead it has to rely on public support for 96% of its funding.”
During the normal course of affairs Mhairi walks her two dogs – Mirka the Hungarian Vizsla and Buster the crossbreed – for five miles a day.
However she’s upping her distances in order to get into top shape for her Icelandic challenge.
Today (Wednesday) she’s scaling Moray’s highest peak, Ben Rinnes – a task beyond many people half her age.
Mhairi has set up an online Just Giving page to raise cash for the Children’s Air Ambulance.
She said: “I want to say thanks to friends, family members and local businesses who have given donations to date.”
For many years Mhairi supported various charities by taking part in the Highland Cross event, which sees people traverse Scotland on foot and by bike from Kintail on the west coast to Beauly on the east.
See also took part in a husky sleigh-dog challenge in the Norwegian Arctic Circle.
Mhairi will be travelling out to Iceland at the start of September.
To help her raise funds for the Children’s Air Ambulance, go to justgiving.com and type ‘mhairi legge’ into the search box.
