Our People

Terry McGeary can walk the walk – but it wasn’t always that way.

The Our Lady of Lourdes Hiking Club member joined the group in a bid to keep active.

The 66-year-old retired eight years ago and saw the club as a way to keep fit.

And after wife Susan joined him in retirement, they decided to join their local club.

They are now among the 65 members who travel all over Scotland and take walking trips abroad – with a break to Majorca on the way later this year.

Aside from the health boost, Terry believes there is a great social aspect to rambling.

“I hadn’t been doing enough active stuff,” he admitted.

“My wife retired after me but we wanted to keep healthy and get some exercise so we decided that we would join the nearest club.

“That was Our Lady of Lourdes Hiking Club. I think it improved my fitness tremendously.

“When I retired, initially I started swimming and I would do a couple of dozen lengths at the Dollan Baths but that was about it.

“I would recommend the club as it’s a good social thing as well.

“The people are lovely and most clubs are a decent squad of nice folk. We do the occasional theatre evening or curry night – so you can mix without being on a hike.

“But the hikes themselves are beautiful.”

It’s usually an early start for the Our Lady of Lourdes hikers but the rewards are rich.

Terry continued: “Every fortnight we are out with them. You leave at 8am so we’re up every other Saturday morning at 6.30am. It never seems like a good idea at that point in time!

“Once you are out there, by lunchtime you have the views and, surprisingly, we are often lucky with the weather. You wouldn’t think that being in Scotland. It gets a bad reputation but it’s never been that bad for us.”

Terry admits to being a little headstrong on his early treks – believing he could take on some of the heights with the experienced climbers.

However, he is glad that they talked him out of it and now enjoys meeting new members.

He said: “People were very supportive and very wise when I started. I was a bit full of myself at the beginning.

“For every walk there is a low level and a high level so if you don’t like heights or feel like you don’t have the stamina, you can do the low level.