A group of young climbing enthusiasts from Moray will scale new heights when they represent Scotland at a UK-wide contest in Edinburgh this weekend.
The eight dedicated climbers, aged from eight to 15, have honed their techniques on a 23ft wall at the Speyside sports and community centre in Aberlour.
The £50,000 structure was built two years ago, and the children have become so adept at climbing since then that they have attracted national attention.
The ensemble, who hail from across the region, beat the competition from all over Scotland during regional heats earlier this year and earned places in the Scotland North and Scotland climbing teams.
They are now undertaking their final practice sessions before facing teams from the rest of the UK during the British Youth Climbing Finals at Edinburgh’s International Climbing Arena on Saturday.
Aberlour 15-year-old Renee Dumemil has been sharpening her skills at the village centre since the wall was opened.
She said: “I used to climb outdoors a lot, but this has made practicing a lot easier.
“I really like the challenge of it.”
Keith 15-year-old Lilia Lee added: “I’m more excited than I am nervous about the competition.
“You get to make a lot of new friends at climbing events, and everyone is really supportive of each other.
“And it’s a real adrenaline rush getting to climb those high walls.”
The youngsters began training for the event last September, and prevailed over opponents from Orkney, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Inverness at a competition in January.
The youngsters’ instructor, Tony Brown, said: “Given their relative inexperience, the standard of the team’s climbing has been inspiring and that has been reflected in the results.
“We’ve had a bit of a chat about what it will be like down there, as it can be quite a daunting venue and has an enormous wall.”
The Speyside centre’s facilities are designed for both novice and experienced climbers, and the wall was officially opened by Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire Clare Russell in 2014.