Five hundred mile walk to Dunnet Head could raise £5000 for ME Association
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A FIVE hundred mile coastal walk, due to end at Dunnet Head this month, could raise £5000 for a charity which provides support for people with a debilitating condition.
Gordon Jackson, a 51-year-old software engineer from Ayr, is undertaking the marathon trek to raise awareness of and funds for the ME Association. It helps people suffering with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a complex illness that can have a devastating impact on sufferers' lives. The core symptom is profound and disabling fatigue, which affects physical and mental functioning.The association also helps people with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Gordon decided to undertake the challenge as his 44-year-old wife, Catriona, suffers from the illness. He set off from the Mull of Galloway last May and by September reached Helmsdale but decided to take a break over the winter months.
He is set to resume the 89-miles of his trek on Saturday, April 16 by walking along the John o' Groats coastal route. The first stretch will take him from Helmsdale to Berriedale. The following day he aims to reach Lybster and get to Wick by the Monday. Gordon intends to walk to Keiss on April 19 before heading to John o' Groats the day after and arrive at his destination of Dunnet Head on April 21.
In an interview with the John O' Groat Journal, sister paper to the Northern Times, he admitted he is not as prepared as he would have liked to have been due to a niggling ankle injury which has curtailed his training schedule.
"I am not worried about it although it is frustrating but I will strap up the ankle and go for the planned timescale," he said.
Gordon reckons the Helmsdale to Wick section will be the toughest of the trek. He will be hiking on paths and coastal walks although he may have to use the road, at times, depending on how his ankle is doing. He will have support driver, Grahaem Ball, to pick him up and drop him off at the various points on the remaining part of the walk and plans to stay at B&Bs instead of in a tent so he can be better rested. He is delighted, Grahaem, will be helping him. "I really appreciate him doing that," said Gordon.
At present, he has raised £4200 for the ME Association and is "cautiously optimistic" he can reach his target of £5000.
The route he chose worked out at 500 miles and references to The Proclaimers song of the same name quickly started on social media.
"I said I would sing the song if I reached £3000 so if I get to £5000 I will wear the kilt and sing the song while walking down the traill," added Gordon who plans to undertake another challenge for the ME Association later in the year.
Although ME affects 250,000 people in the UK, there has been little medical research devoted to discovering the cause or finding a possible cure.
"As the condition has parallels with Long Covid – the long-term effects of the coronavirus which includes fatigue and cognitive impairment – now seems like a really important time to raise public awareness," said Gordon.
