Pupils get on their bikes for charity

Pitlochry youngsters stage challenge to raise cash for Malawi projects

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PITLOCHRY High School pupils got on their bikes yesterday to tackle stages of the Etape Caledonia cycle route to raise money for charity.

The 81-mile cycling challenge will pass through Highland Perthshire next Sunday.

With their own Mini Etape, the pupils aimed to raise money through individual sponsorship to support a number of projects in Malawi as well as for new school equipment.

Participants completed one of four of the Etape stages, each around 20 miles, with a cycle leader at the front of each group and a member of staff at the rear.

Stage one took them from Pitlochry via Loch Tummel to Rannoch, stage two around Loch Rannoch, stage three was from Rannoch to just outside Kenmore while stage four was the final stretch back to Pitlochry

Garry Leck, Pitlochry High School’s active schools co-ordinator, said: “This is a great initiative which will help the kids to keep healthy, and raise money for charity at the same time. We got the idea of holding the event when we heard the Etape cycling event was coming back to the area this year.

“It was a good chance for the children to get involved.”

This is the second time the event has been held in Perthshire. Last year, 1,022 cyclists participated but organisers hope to attract 2,500 participants this year.