A Moray man is taking on a five-day backpacking hike across the Swedish Article Circle in memory of his partner.
James MacInnes, from Elgin, starts his five-day trek through the northern wilderness of Sweden today.
He is raising funds for Macmillan and Cancer Research UK after his partner, Valerie Dowling, died from cancer last August.
The 48-year-old will spend five days trekking 69 miles across the northern circle, through well-marked paths as well as bouldered terrain, carrying his tent and equipment with him along the way.
He decided to undertake the challenge because of his partner’s love for visiting Scandinavian countries for photography.
They had travelled to Iceland together, where the couple spent many evenings taking photographs together. They had also been planning a trip to Norway.
He said: “Although she wasn’t much of a walker, she loved photography, and we’d go on holidays that were planned because she wanted to go and take photos.
“Going somewhere dramatic and beautiful it all fits.
“I wanted to do something different and I wanted to put the effort in to do something worthy of her.
“I wanted to do something that fit her, and she loved the idea of visiting Scandinavian countries, she loved the wildness and all that so it goes together for me, it seems to fit.”
‘It’s going to be painful’
Mr MacInnes has been told the weather can be like northern Scotland, being sunny and warm, but changeable to wet and cold.
He has had to pack multiple waterproofs and try to be as prepared as possible, while carrying as little as he can to be able to pick across the boulder terrain.
Another challenge he will need to overcome is he’ll be so far north it will never get dark, meaning sleeping might be difficult.
“It is going to be a fair trek,” he said. “The weather will be up and down all, over the place, you have to try to cover all eventualities, but obviously try to take as little weight as possible, because you carry everything for five days, and if it gets damp it might get heavier.
“It’s going to be painful. I’m just out of shape for it, I’m going to have to get my head down and keep going.
“I’m old and heavy, although I can walk and keep on going, joints do get stiff and sore in the mornings.”
Mr MacInnes is being joined by his sister Becky and her partner Kurt, as well as his friend Catriona.
All funds raised will go directly to Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK, and his employer Taqa will match what is raised.
He said he chose the two charities so that money will go towards researching how to stop cancer and also helping those who can’t beat it themselves.
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