LAST Sunday we pit oan oor buits an jined the thoosands wha taen pairt in this year’s charity Kiltwalk in Embra. Kiltwalk is a major Scottish charity backed bi the Royal Bank o Scotland an supported bi Sir Tam Hunter’s Hunter Foundation. The charity’s main ettle is tae provide siller fir children’s charities – an this it dis spectacularly. Ower £100,000 wis raised fir mair as 150 children’s charities at the Embra walk alane, an evri penny raised wull gang tae thae charities.
Paul Cooney, the speeritie CEO o Kiltwalk, said: “Thousands from Edinburgh and the east rose to the challenge, all wearing kilts and ready to go first thing on a Sunday morning, unified for one cause: to make a difference to the lives of Scotland’s children.” An so they did.
E’en the verra waither wis kind tae the Kiltwalkers (an their dugs, Mair o thaim later!) an oan a braw late Indian simmer’s morn a sea o tartan aa pit their best fuit forrit, an tae the skirlin accompaniment o “a hunner pipers an aa an aa”, we set aff at a brisk pace frae Murrayfield Stadium.
Thair hae bin several different Kiltwalk events in Scotland – aa spaced throu-oot the year; at Glesga, Aberdeen an Speyside. Each event haes bin superbly weel organised bi Cooney an his undeemous team o volunteers an helpers. Eident thocht an detailed plannin hae went intil each walk. The Embra Kiltwalk (lik the ither Kiltwalks) wis split intil three different sized walks fir aa abeelities. The Wee Wander wis five miles – fir thaim wha juist wantit tae dae their bit; The Big Stroll (which we duin) wis 12 miles
– a langer stretch o the legs!; an The Mighty Stride wis the rael McCoy at 26 miles. That taen a fair bit o smeddum an commitment frae its conquerors!
Likesay, the route wis verra weel planned an lain oot. Ither than crossin the odd road or junction (weel stewarded bi volunteers) virtually the hale route wis alang public fuitpaths around Embra. Ah think this pruived rather a surprise tae regular uisers o these routes wha aiblins werenae awaur o the Kiltwalk that day – an ah did see ae wee cycle rage incident whaur a cyclist wis gaun faur ower fast oan a jam-packed public path an near breenged intil the Kiltwalkers (he hud tae staund his bike oan its nose – an wisnae best pleased). Mind, he didnae seem the type tae tak sensible advice tae dismount – an wis less than courteous tae the charity walkers – neist year lea yer bike at hame Mr Dickwad an pit a kilt oan! It wull dae yer Yin an Yang a loat ae guid. The vast majority o cyclists we met tho rode sensibly – an cantily smiled an rang their bells!
Their wir plenty o pit stops alang the route an Portaloos wir much in evidence. Fir fowk lik oorsels wha arenae familiar wi the suburbs o Embra this wis a braw chaunce tae explore an airt weel warth explorin! Walkin is bi faur shairly the best wey tae see an explore a place that’s fremmit tae ye; get Scotland unner yer feet! As weel as the loos, their wis vittles an rowth an scouth o refreshments fir the walkers; fruit, crisps, energy bars, water boattles, etc. An these walcum pit-stops gien ye the chaunce tae blether wi fellae walkers, the feck o whae wir representin their chosen charities, big or sma. We seen twa lassies wi their matchin T-shirts – “Sisters Wi Blisters”– steggin forrit fir a guid cause, an spake wi the fowk frae Calum’s Cabin, a byordnar wee charity oan the Isle o Bute that provides a respite/holiday hame fir weans sufferin frae cancer. This wis setten up bi the family o brave wee Calum Spiers, wha dee’d frae a brain tumour at 12 year auld in 2007. The family wir oot in force raisin siller tae mak shair Calum’s legacy gangs oan tae help ither weans in desperate need. Evriwhaur ye luiked alang the Kiltwalk route their wir fowk wi seemilar stories raisin money fir great causes.
Likesay, e’en the dugs duin their bit fir charity. Big dugs, wee dugs, pedigrees an pot-lickers! They wir aa their, decked oot in tartan, rerrin tae gae! We stoapt an taen a photie o a faimily group wi their dug Rascal, a big cuddly mutt wha wis pu’in at his leash, towin thaim aa ower the feenish line!
Fuitsair an weary we trauchled back intil Murrayfield; the pipers still blazin awa tae walcum aa the walkers. A large enthusiastic crood o supporters cheered aabody across the line an there wir plenty o things laid oan tae entertain us in the sunshine. We relaxed wi a weel desairved coffee an a burger roll frae ane o the food tents, whilst the Red Hot Chilli Pipers wir playin a set o reels an jigs in the big marquee; tho ah didnae see mony wi the energy left tae dance ony hielant flings! As the Kiltwalkers aa drifted back in in dreebs an drabs a pairty atmosphere wis buildin up. An wha better tae stoke up a Kiltwalk pairty, aince the 26-mile gang hud aa gotten back, than the ultimate epitome o tartanry thaimsels – the Bay City Rollers! Les McKeown an Woody Wood taen tae the stage an wi a blast o Summer Love Sensation an Shang-A-Lang; the Kiltwalk jined in wi ae big chorus o celebration fir a braw day an a joab weel duin.
Thair a wheen o needy weans in Scotland wha’ll be smilin tae aince aa the siller frae this year’s Kiltwalks is coonted up an dispersed amang aa its vital an lifesavin causes! Sae mind neist year, get yer kilt oan an haud forrit wi the Kiltwalk!Rab Wilson is a Scots poet and health campaigner
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