Clergyman ‘dodged bullet’ after 30ft mountain plunge

AN ANGUS minister is lucky to be alive after a 30ft weekend fall in the Torridon mountains.

Martin Fair, former moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, says no praise is high enough for the volunteers and helicopter crew who came to his rescue in the dramatic Wester Ross incident.

The 58-year-old, who has been minister at St Andrew’s Church in Arbroath for 30 years, is recovering at home after being airlifted to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness on Saturday.

Torridon Mountain Rescue Team and a coastguard helicopter were called in by his two climbing pals, who feared the worst when they saw him plunge 30ft down Beinn Liath Mhor.

Mr Fair has no recollection of the tumble, which left blood pouring from a head wound that required 10 stitches.

Remarkably, he otherwise escaped serious injury.

Mr Fair, Kirk moderator at the height of the pandemic in 2020-21, plans to stage a fundraiser as a thank-you to his rescuers.

“I honestly feel I dodged a bullet,” he said.

He was on a weekend climbing trip with friends Tim Mineard, a minister in Barrhead, and Michael Self, from Edinburgh.

“Friday was glorious – we climbed that day and stayed overnight in a bothy,” said Mr Fair.

The trio planned to tackle two mountains on Saturday, which would have been the latest additions to Martin’s list of around 240 Munros he has climbed out of Scotland’s total of 282.

The 3,038ft Beinn Liath Mhor, between Strath Carrion and Glen Torridon, was the first climb.

He said: “We came to this steep section and I do remember thinking that it might be quite tricky for me coming down.

“We got to this steep little bit and that’s the last thing I remember.

“My friend said it was horrifying to watch – I literally went somersaulting down the mountain.”

In 2018, Mr Fair suffered a freak jogging accident which left him without the use of his left arm.

Martin Fair required 10 stitches.