When Nick Gardner could no longer care for his wife due to her worsening health, he felt like life was over.
After 30 “idyllic” years together in the small fishing village of Aultbae in the Scottish Highlands, the 81-year-old was devastated that his partner Janet had to move into full-time care suffering from Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis.
He knew he had to find something to keep him going and, being a keen mountaineer, set himself the challenge of climbing all of Scotland’s 282 Munros in a bid to help his own mental health and wellbeing and to honour his wife.
Ten months later, he has now completed 87 of the peaks and raised a massive £26,355 for Alzheimer’s Scotland and the Royal Osteoporosis Charity in the process.
And this weekend he will join a group of other climbers to complete the Three Peak Challenge – climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon within 24 hours - as part of Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mr Gardner said: “Janet and I had 30 wonderful years together and the sadness I have felt has been overwhelming. I lost my soulmate.
“I couldn’t look after her any more and I was so upset and it felt like life was over.
“I was absolutely bereft.
“I knew that I had to find a focus on something to give me a reason to get up each day, to give me back a sense of purpose, something that would last a long time.
“I needed a real challenge.
“Initially, the impetus was completely for my own benefit, my own mental health.
“Then, by chance I read an article about a daughter of an Alzheimer’s sufferer who had set out to walk and raise £10,000 to give back to the charity that had helped her mum and the idea was born.”
Setting out in August last year, the retired teacher initially aimed to raise £10,000 for the charities and began climbing and chatting to people when he was hiking.
On hearing his story, many handed him cash or made an online donation while they were walking.
Mr Gardner now has a new target of £28,000 and is hoping the Three Peak Challenge will help him to reach it.
“Losing Janet has been the biggest mountain I have had to climb,” he said. “But my Munros challenge has given me a great focus.
“The Three Peak Challenge is to raise funds and awareness about what we can do to carry on and how to look after our mental health.”
Mr Gardner met his wife in 1972 and the couple, who had both been married before and had four children between them, decided to move from Stockport to Scotland.
He had fallen in love with Scotland while studying at the University of St Andrews, and after some searching the pair settled at a croft in Aultbae in Wester Ross.
They had the same interests and wanted to live a similar lifestyle. Mr Gardner claims they enjoyed an “idyllic” 30 years together before Janet was hospitalised. She is now being cared for at Isle View Care Home in Aultbae.
Mr Gardner said that the friends he has made while completing the Munros helped him to deal with what was happening.
“I am so grateful for all the support and new friends I have made along the way,” he said.
One such friend is addiction specialist Ross Hyslop who met the pensioner while he was completing his second Munro.
The 48-year-old, who runs Scout and About, an organisation which combines climbing Munros and camping out with counselling, will join Mr Gardner on the Three Peak Challenge, along with 20 other climbers.
Mr Hyslop told how his new friend is now a well-kent face on the mountains.
He said: “I was just so blown away with Nick. I am totally inspired by his quiet determination and his steady, strong pace.
“Nick has become a mentor and good friend. We regularly hook up for climbs and all of my team have completely fallen in love with him.
“He regularly gets recognised on climbs now and is generous with his advice and encouragement with novice climbers too.”
The team will begin their challenge at 5pm on Friday, tackling Ben Nevis first.
Climbing the highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales, they will cover a walking distance of 23 miles, with a total ascent of 3064 metres (10,052ft).
Anyone who would like to contribute to Mr Gardner’s fundraising effort can do so at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/nicks.munro.challenge.
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