charity trek almost ended in disaster when a young Stockport fundraiser fell and broke his wrist on the side of a mountain.
Dion Mahoney, 22, was hiking across the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands with best friend Sam Collins, also 22, when he slipped and fell on a wet rock.
But despite his injury – which was confirmed later that night as a break by a doctor – the young fundraisers decided to continue with their journey for a further two days, compromising on a slightly shorter route.
It was only once Dion returned home that the broken limb was eventually set in plaster.
The pair have so far raised just over £350 for Open Door, a mental health safe haven in Stockport town centre, which is operated by adult health and social care charity Making Space.
A project close to the friends’ hearts, Sam, from Heaton Mersey, said on his fundraising page: “My target is to raise £600 in support of Making Space charity due to the support they provided my mum Amanda during four years of physical and emotional abuse.
“My mum’s support group was reduced down to her children by the third year and by the fourth she was living in an imaginary world as reality was too difficult to cope with. She lost her job, friends, family members and sense of identity.
“Open Door provided my mum with regular counselling that gave her an insight into the cycle of abuse and why it is so difficult to escape. With continued support from family, counselling, and a renewed personal strength, my mum is finally herself again.”
Dion, who is originally from County Clare in Ireland, has now recovered from his injury, though his memory of the incident remains strong. He said: “We were descending Ben Macdui, the second highest mountain in Britain, in gale force conditions, fuelled by half a pack of noodles.
“The descent involved jumping from rock to rock and I slipped on a wet rock and landed on my wrist. By the time we descended on to Lairig Ghru it was already 4pm and we still had a 25km walk to Braemar ahead of us.
“I initially thought it was just a sprain, but as we continued walking, it became fairly obvious it was broken as it continued to swell and redden. We arrived in Braemar at 11pm, where an emergency doctor confirmed the break and strongly advised further medical attention to ensure it healed properly.
“Once we returned home, my wrist was put in plaster.”
The pair was attempting to complete a 121km route from Aviemore to Pitlochry over 10 days, wild camping each night. And despite their first multi-day hike not going quite according to plan, the keen walkers are already planning a 400km trek along the St Olav Ways in Norway next year.
