Cycling fundraiser will visit every distillery in Scotland
Whisky donations will help raise money for Scottish air ambulance and children
A charity cyclist is to visit Arran as part of a challenge to visit every single-malt distillery in Scotland.
Midlothian cyclist Robert Richardson has just set off on an epic 2,000-mile fundraiser which will see him cycling from the most southerly distillery in Scotland, Bladnoch in Dumfries and Galloway, to the most northerly, Saxa Vord, Unst and will include Lagg and Lochranza.
Known as the Whisky Ventures Ride, the challenge, which will involve more than 140 distilleries, is expected to take just under two months, and will raise funds in aid of Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance and the Scottish regions of Cash for Kids.
Along with the ride itself, it is hoped that every distillery Robert visits along the way will donate at least one bottle of whisky, which will create a unique representation of Scottish whisky, and which can then be auctioned after the event, raising further funds for the charities.
Robert’s current schedule will see him cycle around Arran clockwise down to Lagg, then up the west side to Lochranza for the afternoon on Tuesday May 24.
Robert said: ‘The ride began on Thursday May 12, at Bladnoch, and all being well, will finish on Shetland during the week commencing on Monday June 27. I will ride the entire route, but there is an open invitation for others to join me for as little or as much as they like. For those who cannot join themselves, I hope to have a GPS tracker running each day, so people can follow and support me in spirit. ‘The current route is on the event website and people are more than welcome to tag along if in the area, have a chat and help support two great charities, or even just offer a brew on the way past.
‘Any support is welcome. I would also recommend keeping an eye on the socials just in case I am running late for anyone wanting to join.’ Robert chose the two charities, Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance and the Scottish regions of Cash for Kids, as he has a large amount of respect for them, and believes that the work they do is hugely important, and often taken for granted.
If anyone wishes to follow Robert’s progress, sponsor him or find out more about the Whisky Ventures Ride, or even join him as he cycles round Arran, all of these details can be found at www. whiskyventures.co.uk