Story
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">My friend Mark and I have begun the challenge of conquering the Munros. For Sassenachs not in the know, a Munro is a Scottish mountain over 3,000 feet. There are 283 of the buggers, ranging from <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Beinn Teallach, which just scrapes in, to the mighty Ben Nevis, at 4,409 feet.<br> <br> The Scottish mountains are no stroll on the green stuff. Every year, up to 50 people die on them. One of them, Ben Macdui, is reportedly haunted by a Yeti-like figure known as the '</span><a title="'Big Grey Man'" href="http://www.biggreyman.co.uk/"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Big Grey Man</span></a>'. Even the man who wrote our guidebook, a maverick by the name of <a title="Ralph Storer" href="http://www.scotsman.com/news/ten_questions_writer_ralph_storer_1_1190381">Ralph Storer</a>, is a darkwave-loving sexologist.<br><br></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Bagging all the Munros may take years, decades or the rest of our lives, but b</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">etween 23rd and 26th March we got off to a good start by reaching the summit cairns of Ben Vane (3,002 feet), Cruach Ardrain (3,432 feet), Beinn Tulaichean (3,104 feet) and Beinn Narnain (3,038 feet).<br> <br> Mark also ticked off Beinn Ìme (3,317 feet), while I hobbled back down to the car with a split lateral meniscus. But I won't be stopped, and after an operation on my knee I will return to bag Ìme and the rest.<br> <br> We've decided to use the challenge to raise money for the <a title="Scottish Wildlife Trust" href="http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/">Scottish Wildlife Trust</a>. Mark, who is from Belfast but lives in Glasgow, is a member of the SWT, volunteers for Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels in Argyll and Trossachs, and has carried out some conservation work for the SWT in Ayrshire through Scottish Agricultural College.<br><br>I myself just dig Scottish wildlife.<br> <br> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">We're hoping to raise £10 for each of the 283 climbs, giving a total of £2,830 for the SWT. All donations, from crumpled Scottish pound notes to the contents of Duncan Bannatyne's safe, will be gratefully received. We’re covering our own travel and accommodation costs, so all money raised will go straight to the SWT.<br><br></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">The SWT aims to preserve Scotland's amazing wildlife for the benefit of present and future generations. </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Current projects include </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">the introduction of a comprehensive Wildlife Bill, protection for Scotland’s threatened red squirrels and the hugely inspiring <a title="Scottish Beaver Trial" href="http://www.scottishbeavers.org.uk/">Scottish Beaver Trial</a>.<br> <br> Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So, it's the most efficient way to donate – we raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.<br> <br> So, please dig deep and donate now!</span></p>