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‘It’s Like Climbing Everest 14 times’: Outdoor Enthusiast Prepares for Record-Breaking Munro Challenge

When Ben Hunter was laid low with a bout of swine flu whilst living in Australia last year, he had a lot of time to think about his life. Through his week-long illness he formulated a plan that, once recovered, would see him return to his Scottish homeland and undertake a huge outdoor challenge.

Now back in his home town of Aberdeen, he is in training to climb all 283 Scottish Munros in only four months during the winter period. If successfully completed, Ben will become the first person to have achieved the challenge entirely under his own steam.

Ben (25), who originally grew up in the Broomhill area and now lives in Sandilands, recently returned from a 12 month trip to Australia where he lived for the majority of the time in Byron bay on the country’s east coast. The former Aberdeen Grammar student has worked in many physically challenging jobs over the years that have instilled within him a keen enthusiasm for the outdoors including a sea kayak guide, rickshaw rider and also an outdoor instructor in Norfolk and Cumbria where he previously lived for four years.

The mammoth task that lies ahead of him will total 1700 miles in distance and a 420,000 foot ascent which is approximate to climbing Mount Everest 14 and a half times. To date only two people have completed all the Munros in one winter - Martin Moran in 1984/85 and Steve Perry in 2005/06. This will be the first time that the trip will ever be attempted using only kayaks, bikes and feet to complete the round.

Looking ahead to his challenge, Ben said: “I am under no illusions that this is going to be anything other than the most demanding four months of my life. But there is also a simplicity in waking up and having nothing but a destination to focus on which really appeals to me.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to travel a lot and have seen some spectacular places around the world. However, I still believe that Scotland is one of the most ruggedly beautiful places I have been and this expedition is going to immerse me in some of the most remote and unspoiled places in the British Isles.”

Ben is currently building his stamina and upper body strength at Robert Gordon University’s sport facility, RGU: SPORT, which houses a bouldering room and 11 metre climbing wall.

“My expedition will involve fairly low effort expenditure but over a four-month period, so endurance is the most important thing to me,” explained Ben. “RGU: SPORT is a perfect place for me to train. The fact that there is an entire room dedicated to bouldering is fantastic as it is something a lot of other climbing facilities simply don’t have.”

RGU: SPORT climbing coordinator, Ally Flett, has helped Ben design an appropriate training regime that will help prepare him for his challenge.

He said: “Ben is a keen and dedicated climber looking to embark on a mental and physical challenge that the majority of us would have shied away from. Providing Ben with free and unrestricted access to our bouldering room allows him to climb by himself and build up his strength and stamina which will be essential for his expedition. We at RGU: SPORT are providing Ben with our full backing and my colleagues and I wish him great success in his challenge.”

Ben will begin his Munro challenge on the 1 December. He is currently seeking sponsorship and through his expedition aims to raise awareness and funds for Amnesty International. To track his progress in the run up and during the expedition visit www.outdoorsmagic.com.

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