Speyside 100 scene set as long-distance walkers make for Highlands
A 100-mile walking challenge will attract hundreds of participants to the Highlands later this month.
And a Tain-based man is right at the centre of helping to ensure The Speyside 100 goes smoothly.
The challenge running from May 25-27 is the flagship event of the Long Distance Walkers Association and hosted and organised by the its North of Scotland group.
The circular route starts from Boat of Garten Community Hall and walkers have 48 hours to complete it.
There are 14 checkpoints en route, where walkers will receive refreshments and can attend to any physical issues, like blisters or nausea.
The walkers are allowed to stay at any one checkpoint for no longer than two hours.
They will be given a detailed route description to follow, and are required to carry basic kit like OS maps, compass and whistle and waterproof clothing.
The LDWA is a UK-wide association with some 10,000 members belonging to 42 groups, of which three are in Scotland.
Main organiser of the Speyside 100 is the association’s national chair, Julie Cribb, who lives just outside Alness.
Another of the organisers is Graham Smith, North of Scotland LDWA chair. Graham, who lives in Tain, said: “The annual ‘Hundred’ takes place in a different part Britain every year, and this will be the second time it will have been held in Scotland.
“We have been planning the Speyside 100 for three years and it has involved a lot of patient, painstaking work in ensuring the entrants have a fine route which shows off the Highlands at their best.
“ We are looking forward to welcoming members from throughout the LDWA to our beautiful part of the country”.
A total of 431 walkers have entered the Speyside 100. They will be looked after, at the HQ and the checkpoints, by hundreds of marshals, many of whom have – like the walkers – come up to Speyside from all over Britain.
From Boat of Garten, the Speyside 100 route goes through Nethy Bridge and Grantown-on-Spey to Cromdale. From there it goes over the ridge of the Cromdale Hills to drop down to Ballcorach, before turning south to Tomintoul.
It then joins a spur of the Speyside Way National Trail north to go over the 1870ft viewpoint of Carn Daimh, to reach Glenlivet. It then goes to Dufftown, from where the Speyside Way is followed to Aberlour, Tamdhu and Advie and then back to Cromdale, from where the outward route is followed back to the finish.
Event entrants are being encouraged to make a donation to Trees for Life to establish the Speyside 100 Grove as part of a wild forest in the Highlands.
Last weekend, the Speyside 100 marshals’ walk – for walkers marshalling on the event and who want to walk it – was held. Out of 11 starters, there were eight finishers. Two of them were LDWA Vice President Ken Falconer, who lives in St Andrews, in a time of 33 hours 52 minutes, and Bea Jefferson, who lives in Forres, in 39 hours 11 minutes.
