Edinburgh woman set to climb seven Munros in 24 hours to raise money for animal charity

An Edinburgh woman is set to climb seven Munros in 24 hours to celebrate her 40th birthday.

Ola, who works at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, hopes to complete the walks as part of a bigger challenge for her special birthday. She plans to have successfully walked 40 Munros before her big day.

Along with her husband, and her dog, they have already completed 17 climbs. The team started on January 1, and are raising money for Ola's work, a charity she cares about deeply, reports Edinburgh Live.

Hillwalking has been a passion of Ola's for a long time, and since she moved to Scotland it's only grown.

She said: "Scottish hillwalking is incredible. It’s like another level here!

"It’s not for everybody because it is straining, it’s time-consuming, with long drives and long days."

She also said she's seen a significant improvement in her mental health since starting the challenge. While it's been tough, she said it's also been "addictive".

Ola added: "I would recommend hillwalking to anyone who has a very busy mind because you have to focus on where you’re going and how you’re walking. You don’t want to sprain your ankle!"

Speaking on her efforts for the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, she said: "Animal welfare is so important to me.

"I can see how much everyone at the Home cares about the animals we support and how we look outside of the Home to support pet owners in the community as well. I support other charities too but for this challenge it just had to be Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home!

"It feels good to challenge yourself to commit to something tough and support from friends and family is a huge motivator. Before you start, make sure you know what you’re doing and why you want to do it."

You can find out more about Ola's plans here.

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