A DUNFERMLINE man is aiming to walk his way back to good health by trekking 54 miles in 24 hours this summer..

Graeme Findlay will celebrate his 49th birthday while participating in ABF The Soldiers’ Charity Cateran Yomp, which challenges teams of soldiers, veterans and civilians to tackle the rugged terrain of the Perthshire countryside.

After undergoing major surgery in 2021, Graham has has been on a mission to rebuild his health and strength.

He said: “I had major surgery to remove a tumour on my pancreas and, after the initial eight weeks of taking it easy, was determined to regain my fitness.

"I had developed a real love of walking during lockdown so, in June 2022, I took part in the National Three Peaks Challenge. I’ve now got the Yomp approaching, my most ambitious challenge yet which just happens to fall on my 49th birthday.

"It won’t be easy but what a fantastic way to welcome my fifth decade while also raising funds for a brilliant charity.”

Participants in the challenge will head out on a 22, 36 or 54 mile trek. Graeme has opted for the longest distance and will be heading out on the Cateran Trail in the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains at 6am on Saturday, June 3, returning to Blairgowrie in the early hours of Sunday, June 4.

Graeme will be joined by his friends and work colleagues at Sainsburys Bank in Edinburgh, Jeremy Watson from Kirkliston and Jon Howarth, also from Dunfermline.

Jon is ex-military, having served as an engineer in the Royal Navy for over 18 years. He has spent time on the Type 42 destroyer HMS Nottingham and the Type 23 frigates HMS Somerset and HMS Montrose. In that time, he was fortunate enough to travel around the globe although his most recent trips have been long-distance walks around his home in Fife in preparation for the Yomp.

Meanwhile, Jeremy’s father, uncle and Grandad were also in the Royal Navy. As a result, Jeremy has lived in Scotland and England close to a variety of bases before his family settled in Cornwall. Jeremy almost joined up after graduating but his career took him back to live in Scotland with his own family.

Graeme's training for the event has already kicked off with plans in place for night walks to prepare for the dark section of the Yomp. Graeme, who is also one of the Run Directors at Dunfermline Park Run, has even set up a hillwalking group at his workplace to encourage his co-workers to get out and walking.

He added: “Many of my colleagues like the idea of getting out for a weekend walk, but some weren’t sure where to go. Now we’re all getting out together, walking everything from a flat four-mile walk by the river to full-on mountaineering.

"I recently received praise from my employers for boosting community spirit within the workforce, especially amongst staff still working from home and benefitting from coming together with colleagues at weekends. I’ve got a couple of other challenges lined up for the next 12-18 months, so here’s hoping I can encourage more of them to join me!”

Last year’s challenge raised just over £500,000 for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, which provides a lifetime of practical and financial assistance to soldiers, veterans and their families across the UK, with 630 participants travelling from as far as the USA, Canada, Australia, Cyprus, Poland and the Netherlands.