Dozens of walkers will trek from one side of Scotland to the other at the weekend to raise money to fight cancer.
This year’s Coast to Coast Walk will be the 22nd time fundraisers have crossed the country for the shared cause.
May Gilchrist, who lives in Grange near Keith, established the event in 1996 after she lost her first husband Ian Kevan to the disease.
Since then, the participants have raised a phenomenal £316,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. And, at the weekend, walkers will once again pound the path between Ullapool and Bonar Bridge in the Highlands.
However, far from being a sombre occasion, the 36-mile expedition is filled with laughter as regular entrants meet up from across the country.
Mrs Gilchrist said: “Everyone is together for the whole weekend. It’s good craic the whole time, we keep each other going.
“Everyone parks at the finish and gets buses to the start to begin walking. We meet up for meals too and there’s a fantastic atmosphere on the route.”
The stunning path, which stretches from the west to the east coast of Scotland, rises up hills and plunges down steep descents.
In order to allow the walkers to complete the route, scouts from Keith assemble a bridge across a river before taking it down again.
The Moray youngsters have been involved in the event since its inception, due to the influence of Mrs Gilchrist’s second husband, Jim, who died from a stroke in 2000.
Entrants have the option to either walk the entire course, part of it, cycle it or ride a horse.
Retired teacher Mrs Gilchrist, 72, is no longer fit enough to join the trekkers as they cross from west to east – instead manning checkpoints to keep up to date with everyone’s progress.
She said: “It’s a strenuous walk. You are not climbing Munros or anything, but you’ve certainly got to be fit.
“It’s a 36-mile walk over two days, which certainly takes it out of you.
“The first time we did it, it was in memory of Ian and all the others who had lost loved ones to cancer. Jim was such a driving force behind it that it’s in memory of him now too.
“We raised nearly £10,000 the first time and everyone had such a good time we decided to do it again – and it’s still going strong 22 years later on the same route.”
More than 50 walkers are expected to make their way from one side of the Highlands to the other at the weekend.
Planning for the event begins in January with Mrs Gilchrist booking accommodation and contacting regulars to see if they want to return.
The walk takes place on Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30. Anyone wan to take part should contact Mrs Gilchrist by phoning her on 07833 088869 or by e-mailing maygilchrist@btinternet.com
