Adventurer Duo Hope to be “Kidnapped” on their Next Challlenge

On the 22^nd May a pair of modern day adventurers will embark upon a voyage. This particular voyage is inspired by a 19^th century novel in order to raise money for three fantastic charities. GTC customer Alan Rankin and Willie Gibson are set to be the first people to ever attempt to re-enact the route taken by David Balfour in R L Stevenson’s 1886 novel Kidnapped.

The Adventurer Duo

The duo has meticulously planned their route to follow the book as closely as possible. They will begin with a 500 mile voyage around the Scottish coastline. This will take their yacht from South Queensferry through busy shipping areas, open seas and tidal headlands before landing on the rocky island of Erraid. Once they are back on dry land they will set off on the second leg of their challenge. They will be hiking and running all the way back to Queensferry and then on to their final destination of Edinburgh – that’s over 260 miles! Alan commented:

"We hope to complete the whole trip in under 18 days. Heading off in late May offers us long daylight hours for the sailing leg and hopefully we will be finished before the midges are out in force. We plan to follow as close as possible to the route described in the book, however unlike the story there will be no real-life kidnapped and hopefully no shipwreck either!"

Kidnapped tells the classic tale of David Balfour’s kidnapping and subsequent adventure as he is smuggled around the coast of Scotland. He survives ship-wreck, witnesses the infamous Appin Murder then fleeing the Redcoats with Alan Breck Stewart across Scotland to South Queensferry and on to Edinburgh to claim his rightful fortune. Willie, who planned the overland leg of the journey said:

“Trust Stevenson to make the trip such an epic. The route takes us into some pretty remote places. In total has over 42,000 ft. of ascent crossing Mull, Morvern, Glencoe, Appin and Rannoch Moore. The route then takes us through The Trossachs to Dunblane, Stirling the Hillfoots, crosses the Forth at Limekilns and then on to Edinburgh. We will also be following the Stevenson Way, a long distance walk that tracks the route in the book.”

The duo is raising money and awareness for three deserving charities; Parkinson’s UK, Ocean Youth Trust Scotland and Stevenson Adventures. Donations can be made online from www.kidnapped130.com

Renting an IsatPhone Pro

Renting IsatPhone Pro ensure that they can keep in touch with their friends and loved ones at all times. We hope that their voyage will be far less eventful than Balfour’s. However, in any dire situation they have the luxury of a satellite phone with a line of communication to emergency services! The IsatPhone Pro satellite phone provides a reliable line of communication globally excluding the poles and offers satellite telephony. The handset's features include Bluetooth for hands-free use, voicemail, text and email messaging. Additionally, GPS Location data is also available to look up or send in a text message. The handset is no longer available to rent, however we have a range of satellite phones to rent.

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