TWO friends have completed a gruelling record-breaking 46-hour kayaking and climbing trip to raise thousands of pounds for wounded servicemen.
Tommy Kelly and Kieron Ross, ex-soldiers who met at Edinburgh University, set themselves the challenge after seeing close friends injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have now raised almost £5000 for Help for Heroes. The pair battled against high
winds and waves to paddle a total of 55 miles, much of it in darkness around Skye.
In between they tackled the eight-mile Cuillen Ridge – a total climb of 4000 metres – which is known as the most challenging mountaineering route in the UK.
Tommy, 33, from Murrayfield, said they had decided to do it in one non-stop attempt to raise funds and raise the profile of the charity. He was in the Royal Marines for ten years, serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo. He now works as a consultant.
He said: "We both felt quite strongly that although the conflicts are well-documented, the degree of injuries caused by the fighting is not so well known. We felt we should play our part
"This is something we'd talked about doing, but at a more leisurely pace. We wanted to do something original, and this had never been done before."
They set off from Mallaig, on the north-west coast of Scotland, earlier this month, first paddling 25 miles overnight. They then climbed the ridge before returning by kayak to their starting point.
Tommy said: " There were fairly high winds and large swells. Neither of us are expert paddlers. We were in the middle of the sea with big waves breaking over the boat, and nothing but stars and the Moon to see by. We were obviously worried about a capsize. When we finally made it, we were so relieved.
"I've never been continually awake for so long. I found if you are engaged physically and mentally, then it was all right. The danger comes when you stop for half an hour, then your body starts to shut down."
Kieron, 35, of Comely Bank, who works for a business consultancy, added: "The hardest part was paddling at night. The conditions were very windy, and there was nowhere we could land if we capsized. When we got to dry land, I was a lot happier!"
He said the charity was one very close to his heart, after serving in the Territorial Army for more than six years. Both men have seen at first hand how it has helped friends and former colleagues.
Tommy said: "Over the years I've lost a number of good friends, and various others have had life-changing injuries. That drove Kieron and I to come up with this.
"One friend lost a leg and his eyesight in one eye. Because of Help for Heroes he was treated in a separate rehabilitation ward in hospital. He's now learning to use a prosthetic leg , and is still a serving member of the Royal Marines."
For more information or to donate, visit http://www.justgiving.com/skyechallenge.
The full article contains 519 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
