When he started Community Action Nepal, Doug Scott devoted most of his life to giving something back to the mountain communities that had helped him reach such great heights, literally and metaphorically!

To help the work of CAN to continue is an honour. I have done bits and pieces, such as helping out at his talks at the RGS and here in the Highlands, and now I'm going to attend the first Doug Scott Memorial weekend in the Lakes (a fund raising event in itself) at the end of September. Rather than drive or go by train, I'm going the carbon neutral way, cycling the 380'odd miles from my home on the NW Scottish coast to the Lakes, arriving at the Leeming House Hotel on the shores of Ullswater for what I think will be a well earned dinner on 23rd Sept! (hopefully, someone will lend me a shower room so I won't be too dirty and smelly after about 6 days of cycling!). Cycling to a deadline like this is a slightly daunting prospect, even for someone like myself who has cycled the length of Norway solo, but I have to keep challenging myself!

In doing this, I'm hoping to raise at least £1,000 for CAN's work in health care, education and porter welfare in Nepal.

I haven't planned my route in detail yet, but if the weather isn't too typically Scottish and autumnal, I hope to follow off-road tracks for much of the way and camp where I can. In early August, I am cycling from Portsmouth to the Lakes after visiting family so if all goes to plan, I will have cycled about 760miles (only 100 miles short of the length of the UK) over two months, all be it in two stints....well I am 66 so need more rest days than I used to!

Many thanks for your support.