n 82-year-old man mentioned he’s “prepared and really excited” to scale the ultimate peak in his mission to climb all of Scotland’s Munros.
Nick Gardner has made headlines for setting himself the problem to scale the nation’s 282 highest peaks since his spouse Janet, 84, was moved right into a care dwelling after growing Alzheimer’s illness and osteoporosis.
The grandfather-of-four, from Gairloch, within the north-western Scottish Highlands, set off into the hills in July 2020 to start his spectacular feat.
Now, simply over two years later, he’s about to embark on a bid to bag his last Munro – Cairn Gorm.
Talking to the PA information company forward of his climb on Saturday, Mr Gardner mentioned: “I actually am completely prepared and really enthusiastic about ending the ultimate Munro.
“I actually really feel like a baby on Christmas eve.
“There shall be a number of my associates and a few of my household becoming a member of me, so it’s going to be an enormous day.”
Having by no means climbed a Munro earlier than – a Scottish mountain that reaches a minimal of three,000ft (914.4m) – the previous physics trainer, by the top of his problem, can have climbed greater than 500,000ft (152,000m), the equal of scaling Mount Everest (8,848m) about 17 occasions, and walked an unimaginable 2,000 miles (3,218 km), a distance much like climbing from Edinburgh to Greece.
Spreading the phrase about his mission alongside the way in which, the skilled climber has raised greater than £50,000 for Alzheimer’s Scotland and the Royal Osteoporosis Society.
Workers and volunteers from each charities shall be becoming a member of him for the ultimate climb, in addition to associates and his two daughters and 4 grandchildren.
A piper has been organized to play on the summit.
Doing this last climb, I think about, goes to be very emotional
One in all his two daughters, Sally McKenzie, has nominated him to Guinness World Information for the oldest individual to climb the Munros.
Having accomplished seven Munros within the final 10 days alone, Mr Gardner mentioned he’s wanting ahead to giving his knees a relaxation after he has reached the ultimate summit.
“The final three in Knoydart that I did had been actually robust,” he mentioned.
“We sadly had dangerous climate for Ladhar Bheinn, so it was a bit tougher.
“As a result of I had already organised this last day, and for individuals to hitch me, I simply needed to push on by means of, and I made it.
“I’ve had no accidents, however my knees are definitely drained. It is going to be good to offer them a relaxation.”
Talking about how he feels being hours from finishing the epic problem, he added: “It can most likely be an anti-climax on the finish of all of it.
“Doing this last climb, I think about, goes to be very emotional.”
Mr Gardner mentioned he was “knocked for six” when his spouse Janet, needed to be moved right into a care dwelling.
Feeling on the point of a psychological breakdown, he mentioned he wanted to discover a problem to maintain him going.
Having all the time felt at dwelling on the mountain facet, he set off to bag all of Scotland’s Munros.
To donate to Mr Gardner’s trigger, go to www.justgiving.com/group/nicks-munro-challenge.
