Tetraplegic Army veteran Danny Mavor will set out from Fort William on Wednesday morning on an extraordinary 79 mile journey to Inverness using an off road wheelchair controlled entirely by his chin.
The 41 year old Scotsman plans to complete the Great Glen Way in just three days, travelling around 25 miles each day through some of the most demanding terrain in the Highlands.
Danny served with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in Iraq before his life changed following a motorcycle accident in 2019 which left him paralysed from the neck down.
His spinal cord injury involves the C3 and C4 region, leaving him with extremely limited voluntary movement and constant pain.
But at around 8am on Wednesday 23 September, Danny and his support team will leave Kilmallie Shinty Club at Canal Parks in Caol and begin heading north.
His specially adapted all terrain wheelchair allows him to control his movement using his chin, giving him the means to tackle a journey which would represent a formidable challenge even without the additional obstacles he faces.
The route will take him along the Great Glen towards Inverness, with the team aiming to cover the 79 miles in three days before reaching Clachnaharry Sea Loch at around 4pm on Friday 25 September.
The challenge is raising money for Regain, a charity supporting people living with tetraplegia following spinal cord injuries.
Regain helps people rebuild independence after life changing injuries, and Danny hopes his journey across the Highlands will help provide that support to others facing similar circumstances.
For Danny, however, the challenge is about more than fundraising or reaching Inverness by Friday afternoon.
He wants to demonstrate that a spinal injury does not have to bring ambition, adventure or the desire to test yourself to an end.
Completing the Great Glen Way will require considerable physical and mental endurance as Danny and his support team negotiate changing surfaces, Highland weather and the demands of spending three consecutive days on the route.
Supporters, businesses and organisations are being encouraged to get behind him during the journey, whether through donations, sponsorship or simply turning out to offer encouragement as he makes his way north.
The Great Glen Way stretches through one of Scotland’s most recognisable landscapes between Fort William and Inverness, but for three days this week the scenery will provide the backdrop to a very different kind of Highland journey.
Danny’s destination is Clachnaharry on Friday afternoon.
Between there and his starting point lie 79 miles, three demanding days and one remarkable determination to show just how much remains possible.
To find our more about the charity click here
