An adventurer, who is currently undertaking the equivalent of 100 marathons, will visit Caithness this weekend as she navigates her way from the most northern tip in Shetland – and she is doing it while running barefoot.
Anna McNuff is nearly two weeks into the mammoth challenge of covering the 2,620-mile distance, with her trek expected to last five months.
Her labours began on Sunday, June 2 in Shetland with the Girlguiding ambassador travelling through villages, moors, mountains and beaches, as well as taking on some farmland and a few A roads as part of her Barefoot Britain challenge.
The adventurer is stopping off at various locations along the way to speak with numerous young guides to share her experiences.
During the weekend, Ms McNuff will be running from Gills Bay to Lybster, before she enjoys a well-earned break tomorrow to meet with members of local Brownie and Guide groups at Latheron Village Hall.
The talks tie into a new manifesto launched by the Girlguiding charity, which is seeking to highlight the challenges girls currently face in terms of access to adventure.
The initiative comes on the back of research undertaken by the charity, which consulted with 76,000 girls in the guiding community.
Ms McNuff said: “Girls want adventure. They want to have exciting experiences without worrying about being treated differently or feeling unsafe because they are girls.
“Barefoot Britain will show girls that adventure is as much for them as it is for boys.
“All the way through Barefoot Britain, I’ll be talking to girls and young women about taking on adventures and doing things that scare them. I want to show girls that their gender is not a barrier to adventure and to encourage the girls and young women of the UK to be their brilliant selves.”
She added: “There are so many people who care about the future. Girlguiding makes a huge difference to the lives of girls and the women they will go on to be.
“I want to show people how rewarding it is to support girls in their adventures – and how that’s an adventure in itself. Just you being you can make a real difference.”
The challenge is scheduled to end on Sunday, November 10 in London.
