I was staying at Forter Castle in Glen Isla over the weekend and we saw some of the walkers taking part in the Cateran Yomp. This is an event that I have reported on before and the latest news is that over five years the walking challengers have raised £1.5million for ABF The Soldiers Charity.
This year, 152 teams and a total of 600 competitors, including 217 serving soldiers and veterans, trekked 22 miles, 36.5 miles or 54 miles around Scotland’s historic Cateran Trail in just 24 hours. The Cateran Trail normally takes around five days to walk.
Cateran Yomp ambassador and the first Scottish woman to climb Everest, Polly Murray, said: “The adrenaline rush that 600 people are enjoying right now, knowing they have achieved their personal goals and contributed so much to this important charity, is something that will stay with them for a very long time.”
Yomping home in first place in a time of 10 hours and 43 minutes were Army Reserves from 1ISR Brigade, the Army’s Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance specialists. A spokesperson said: “This is the first time the new 3 Witches Racing Team has taken part in the Cateran Yomp and we achieved what we came here to do, which is take the gold medal back with us. Our team motto ‘Something wicked this way cometh’ kept our focus.”
While a day’s yomp, a military term for a long-distance march, represents a typical shift for professional soldiers, it is a major test for both civilian ‘yompers’ and seasoned outdoor adventurers alike.
But unlike everyday soldiers, this Cateran Army swapped ration tins for indulgent pick me ups to consume en route including boar burgers, cheeseboards, local strawberries and fruit smoothies.
In 2015, the event raised £400,000 to add to the full £1.5 million total for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and the Alliance Trust Staff Foundation, which directs funding to community groups, local charities and voluntary organisations, nominated and voted for by Alliance Trust staff.
Next year’s Alliance Trust Cateran Yomp will take place on June 11, 2016. Visit www.soldierscharity.org/yomp for more information or “like” facebook.com/CateranYomp