Skye’s Graham to walk 500 miles ...
A Dunvegan massage therapist is putting his best foot forward in the fight against cancer, writes Sara Bain.
On April 1, Graham Watt will set off on a gruelling 528-mile hike along the iconic North Coast 500 circuitous road route around the north of Scotland in the hope of raising more than £3,000 towards the work of Macmillan Cancer Support – Scotland North.
Graham, who is a neuromuscular therapist, fitness instructor and owner at The Therapy Studio near Dunvegan on Skye, and whose clients include the likes of Hollywood star Gerard Butler, has trained people to take on challenges like this over his years as a neuromuscular therapist.
Now, at the age of 63, Graham says he wants to do something that will help support victims of cancer and their families, as well as fulfil a personal goal before he is 65.
‘We all need to do these things in life,’ said Graham, ‘and tackling the NC500 in 24 days is no walk in the park. It’s a tough challenge but I am really looking forward to it.’
Graham, who lost both his parents to cancer and has worked with terminally-ill patients, said: ‘The figures I received from Macmillan shocked me. Apparently 360,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with cancer every year. If cancer was a virus, that would constitute an epidemic.
‘I also work with people who have undertaken phenomenal challenges over the years and I wanted to do something before I reached the age of 65.
‘I searched endlessly to do something that felt right for me. The most popular bucket list challenges have been done en masse, so I wanted to achieve something with a local connection. The NC500 just seemed to tick all the right boxes.
‘To the best of my knowledge, no individual has ever walked the route unsupported before. There will be no support vehicles following me and, although I may meet a few hikers along the way, I am walking the most part of it completely alone.
‘For me, it will be 500 miles of personal meditation.’
Starting at Inverness Castle, Graham intends to take the route, often called Scotland’s Route 66, anti-clockwise to Stathcarron, keeping to a strict daily road plan before heading back to Skye and finishing at Dunvegan Castle on April 24.
His intention is to walk an average of 22 miles a day, with the longest day being 30 miles and the shortest being 15 miles.
‘Although I will have to be completely self-sufficient and will overnight in a bivvy tent, many people have pledged their support for me on my Facebook page.
‘People have been really kind – they have offered me pods, lodgings and free stays in their campsites.’
Graham has set his fundraising target at £3,000 but is hoping to achieve much more. He has already secured sponsorship from Dunvegan Castle and Run For It, Inverness, and hopes more organisations and individuals will get behind the challenge.
Scotland North fundraising manager at Macmillan, Louise Mackay, said: ‘At Macmillan we are so thankful to have supporters like Graham to fundraise to help people living with cancer.’