2 May 2012

Gearing up for Maggie’s Bike and Hike

Our event season kicks off on Saturday with the 9th Maggie’s Monster Bike and Hike from Fort William to Inverness. This year more than 600 people are expected to raise an incredible £500,000 to help people living with cancer. The funds raised from 2011’s event covered the vital cost of 25,000 visits to Maggie’s centres across the UK.

The route takes in some of the Highland’s finest scenery. Starting under the shadow of Ben Nevis in Fort William participants cycle and walk over the Caledonian Canal and along the Great Glen Way, through forests and farmland along the length of Loch Ness. Those who take on the full 73 miles walk through the night to reach Inverness around dawn.

The 4,500 people who have taken part since the event started have raised over £3.6 million to help build and run Maggie’s cancer support centres across the UK. Maggie’s opened the Gartnavel Centre in Glasgow in October 2011 and are currently developing a new Centre at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, providing support and hope for the thousands in the region affected by cancer.

This year we have a special guest. Event Manager Fiona Bell’s mother Alice Bell (pictured together) is participating for the first time! Alice is taking part with friends Barbara and Kate to support two family members who are recovering from cancer. They have been training hard over the past few weeks, culminating in a 22 mile cycle and 16 mile walk a couple of weeks ago. Despite a collective age of 167 the dynamic threesome (team name: Hot Stuff) are hoping to make the silver finish in super sonic time.

WildFox Director David Fox Pitt and the team were last seen setting off for Fort William with a travelling circus of off-road vehicles laden with kit. “With three new events in 2012 Maggies is the start of an exciting season for us,” commented David. “After months of preparation and planning I’m delighted that a new summer of dawn starts, elation, exhaustion, blisters and sugary cake is finally upon us.”