A WEE COUNTY pensioner plans to complete the 214-mile Southern Upland Way challenge to raise funds for Motor Neuron Disease (MND) Scotland.

But Alva resident Sarah Robertson is not stopping there, as she also intends to walk across the Ochils from Glen Devon to Menstrie and climb the Nebit 100 times.

The latter challenge will be equivalent to climbing Mount Everest, four times over.

The 76-year-old set herself the ambitious goals after losing her friend, Anne Shearer from Sauchie, to MND last year.

Sarah told to the Advertiser: "Anne was my walking-buddy, and she was just inspirational really.

"She was into skiing, cycling, canoeing and anything outdoors.

"Then about four years ago she told me she'd started tripping sometimes.

"Then her hands started to go a bit and I thought: 'There's something wrong here.'

"In the last year suddenly she went really downhill, she couldn't move at all and she died just before Christmas."

Seeing the impact the disease had on Anne, Sarah was left with a huge appreciation for her own health.

She was also determined to do what she could to raise funds for MND Scotland – leading to her setting herself the three hiking challenges.

She said: "I do like challenges and I like to keep fit, but because Anne was so active and so fit I thought that active challenges were the things to do.

"That's why I've set myself three this year, with the Southern Upland Way being the main one.

"I'll be camping each night with my husband, and it will be hard for me now because of crawling in and out of a tent.

"It's supposed to take a fortnight, but we'll allow ourselves three weeks to complete it.

"But it will be fun."

Sarah's ultimate aim is to raise a total of £1,000 by finishing all three challenges, with the money going towards research into a cure for MND.

She said: "The main area that I want to raise money for is the research.

"It's so important to try and find something to stop MND, because it's just such a devastating condition."

To contribute to Sarah's fundraiser, and find out more details about the challenges she has set herself, visit tinyurl.com/y39h7h6m

To keep track of her progress, follow her Twitter page using @MNDSarahSUW.