The West Highland Way 25th Anniversary Relay

Highland pupils walking the West Highland Way 25th Anniversary Relay, will, this Friday 17th June receive double congratulations when Charles Kennedy (MP) and Fergus Ewing (MSP) welcome them into Fort William to the sound of the Lochaber High School Pipe Band.

The West Highland Way – Scotland’s premier long distance route – celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. A special relay involving around 1000 children and young people is currently under way 13th – 17th June. The groups, mostly local to the Way, are walking between 1 and 5 miles with the anniversary baton.

Patricia Ferguson (Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport) started the relay on Monday 13th June in Milngavie Town Centre with the children from Milngavie Primary School and Merkland School. Led by Rhona McLeod (Sports Reporter for BBC Scotland), Provost for East Dunbartonshire, Pat Steel and ex-Emmerdale and Casualty star, Ian Kelsey, the children burst through their huge West Highland Way collage stirred on by the magnificent Strathclyde Police Pipe Band.

Guided by Rangers from along the route, the relay will take 5 days to complete and the final leg will be welcomed into Fort William on Friday 17th June by Charles Kennedy (MP) and Fergus Ewing (MSP) to the sound of the Lochaber High School Pipe Band.

The specially commissioned baton, carried over the line by a representative of Lochaber Action on Disability will then be handed to the State Street Caledonian Challenge who will use it in their own event to raise money for the Scottish Community Foundation. The hand over will take place in a special party at the Nevis Centre.

Each relay team will receive their own Footprint Map produced and printed by Stirling Surveys and each child will be presented with a certificate, medal and goodie bag. Nevis Sport in Fort William have donated safety equipment and whistles whilst Morrisons supermarket will support the theme of healthy eating and exercise by providing bananas, apples, oranges and fruit juice