I wrote about the Glasgow University Munro Challenge for my Sunday Mail column on August 13. Read the pdf or the article below.
Charity Munro Challenge
What is it?: A charity challenge that calls for walkers to summit as many different Munros as possible over just one weekend.
Tell me more: The Munro Challenge is being organised by the University of Glasgow to raise funds for several cancer charities.
Walkers sign up to the event and pledge to hike to the top of a Munro – or a few Munros – between August 26 and 28.
The event will raise funds for cancer research including the Beatson Pebble Appeal, The Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre, Think Pink Scotland and the Brain Tumour Research Fund.
There are will be prizes, sponsored by Hotel du Vin, Jamie’s Italian, Oran Mor and Di Maggio’s Italian, for the best photographs taken at the top of a Munro.
This is the 10th annual Munro Challenge and the event is open to the wider public, as well as university staff and students.
Susanne Hill, who is part of the organising team, said: “We are calling for people to bag a Munro and raise funds for life-changing cancer research.
“This is a great event and inspires lots of walkers of different fitness levels.
“This year we hope it will be the best attended yet and that we reach as many Munro summits as possible.”
Anything else to know?: Munros are the 282 Scottish mountains with a summit of at least 3000ft.
The first list of Munros was compiled by Sir Hugh Munro in the late 19th century.
The mountains are distributed across the country, from the most southerly, Ben Lomond, on the shores of Loch Lomond, to Ben Hope in Sutherland.
The most westerly Munro is Sgurr na Banachdich on the Isle of Skye and the most easterly is Mount Keen in the Grampian Mountains.
Each Munro walk is very different and while many offer a fairly straightforward hike on a well-trodden path others are remote and extremely challenging.
Although many Munros have well-trodden routes tot eh top, navigational skills are required because the weather can be changeable at higher altitude.
And while some Munros take only a few hours to bag, others are so remote they require a long walk even to reach the base.
Munro bagger is the name for people who keep a list of the summits they have reached.
Who is this for?: The Munro Challenge is for anyone who is keen to hike to the top of a Munro.
You must be part of a team of two to eight people with at least one experienced walker.
Participants are encouraged to raise a minimum of £50 for one of the named charities.
Anna on one of her first Munros with her dog, Archie.
Anna Smrckova, 25, of Glasgow, has pledged to join the Munro Challenge 2017.
She said: “I started walking Munros earlier this year and I have definitely caught the Munro bagging bug.
“I love the breath-taking views in the mountains and I think it will be very motivating to bag another Munro while raising funds for charity.
“It will be amazing to think that I am part of a large group of people walking Munros over one weekend this summer.”
Anna, who works for ACT Construction (UK) Ltd in Anniesland, will hike her chosen Munro with friend Emma Martin and dog, Archie.
She has personal reasons for raising funds for cancer charities.
Anna said: “Cancer affects so many people and I lost my god father to the disease and have also seen friends suffering after losing loved ones.
“I think the Munro Challenge is a very worthwhile cause and I hope more people will sign up to take part.”
Contact: For more information email: [email protected] or call: 0141 330 5092. Also see www.gla.ac.uk/explore/supportus/beatsonpebbleappeal/events/