Sponsored Walk 2017
Our major fund-raiser for 2017 was our annual sponsored walk held on 3rd June.
The route started from the Linn of Dee car park and headed west to the White Bridge on tracks before turning right onto the footpath leading to Corrour and the Lairig Ghru. Shortly before Corrour, the walk cut the corner and headed towards the Luibeg Bridge before using the tracks back to Derry Lodge, Black Bridge and the finish marquee at Mar Lodge.
The route turned out to be well received by the 140 or so walkers who took part and raised funds to help keep AMRT operational. The annual cost is usually between £30k and £40k and the walk generally raises a good proportion of that cost. Everyone involved in AMRT, Operational and Non-Operational, are volunteers. Not for us the 6-figure salaries of some charities! This year, c.£16k was raised and many thanks are due to everyone who took part and to their supporters who sponsored them.
The weather was again favourable and it was a very pleasant day for the 25km walk.
In early 2016, the Team spent a long time looking for Jim Robertson who had gone missing from Corrour Bothy. Sadly, the outcome was not good but Jim's daughter Lynn and a number of friends and relations took part in the 2016 walk to raise funds for the Team. It was lovely to welcome Lynn and friends back for the 2017 walk.
As ever, the Team members man every junction on the route so no one can take a wrong turning. They take note of all who pass through the checkpoints and hand out juice, Haribos and corny jokes to everyone (no one is spared the corny jokes)!
Many thanks to all involved in the walk, organisers and walkers alike, and thanks also to the "tea ladies" who work so hard to ensure everyone was suitably fed and watered promptly at the finish! It was great to see a number of ex-Team members helping out on the day, most of them wishing their knees would allow greater participation!
In addition, thanks are also due to the following:-
First Group for providing discounted coaches and Shell UK, Braemar Mountain Sports, Craigdon Mountain Sports, Hilltrek, Tiso  and Out There Active Wear for providing gifts which were handed out, on a random basis, to a large number of walkers.
Special thanks to Alan Duffus of Sinclairs of Rynie Bakery for once again providing the fine pieces for the walkers when they reached the finish and for providing a packet of shortbread for all walkers - this is hugely appreciated - thank you Alan!
