‘Highs, lows, laughs and cries’ as fundraisers hike up Ben Nevis
FUNDRAISERS who scaled the UK’s tallest mountain on Monday in memory of the late Amy Arthur say the support from folk who donated money “pushed us to the top”.
Amy, from Voe, passed away suddenly in October last year at the age of just 33.
Her sister Iona Wilson was among the team who hiked up Scottish mountain Ben Nevis on Monday, and she said reaching the summit some 1,345 metres up felt like a “massive achievement” – but one with a “shadow of sadness”.
She was joined by other members of Amy’s family, including their dad Ian and uncle Billy, as well as Iona’s husband Jamie, cousin Charlie and family friends Shona and Kyle Drummond, and Marianne Clark.
Once reaching the top the fundraisers enjoyed a gin and tonic in memory for Amy and a moment of reflection.
“It was a very big challenge,” Iona said she said reflected on the nine-hour trek – five hours up, four hours down.
“There were highs, lows, laughs and cries but we all got there, right to the top.”
She said as the hike progressed, they could not believe how steep and rocky the hike was.
“You’d reach a corner and think surely this is nearly the top, but no, once the dreaded ‘zig zags’ came to an end and we saw a couple of patches of snow we thought it couldn’t be long,” Iona added.
“What a feeling it was to reach the summit, have a Gordon’s gin and tonic for my sister Amy – as it was her favourite dram – and have time all together for about an hour on the highest point in the UK.
“As much as it felt like a massive achievement, which it was, it had a shadow of sadness because of the reason we were doing it – the loss of Amy.
“But to have raised so much money for two very important charities has made this so, so worth it.”
The all-important question is how was the spaegie after the hike – but Iona said it was not as bad as expected, with sunburn in fact having more of an impact.
Iona also said they wished to thank everyone who has donated to the fundraiser, adding that they have been “overwhelmed” by the amount they have received.
Although the family and friends have now departed Ben Nevis, the memory of Amy will remain on the UK’s highest peak in the form of small mementos left on the mountain.
“We scattered nine stones which was engraved by my uncle Billy saying ‘Amy’ all the way up the mountain in different places,” Iona said. “That was very special too.”
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