Mark’s marathon
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6On Sunday 2nd June I left early for the Fallen Rocks car park to join a small support group that had gathered to meet and greet Mark Beaumont, who was preparing for his 6 mile swim across the Clyde to Rothesay Promenade on Bute. When Mark and his own team arrived, we all headed off to walk the 2 miles to the Fallen Rocks by the forestry road and path. The gate was opened for the support vehicles and for the local coastguards who were on stand-by.
By the time we reached the end of the roadway, the sun was splitting the sky and the sea was as smooth as a mirror, only disturbed by the arrival of the Ocean Breeze support boats and Calum McNicol with his kayak. This was the second stage of Mark’s marathon journey in support of the STV Appeal, following the Highland Boundary geological fault line to from Blackwaterfoot on Arran to Stonehaven, 230 miles away. His first stage, completed on the previous day, had been to run from the Kinloch Hotel in Blackwaterfoot across the String Road to Cladach before tackling Goatfell. Despite this big achievement a mere 24 hours previously, he looked wonderfully refreshed on Sunday morning.
Just after 11am, following congratulations and best wishes from the folks who gathered to bid him safe passage, Mark entered the water near the Fallen Rocks, in a wetsuit that could cope with the temperature of the Clyde. His progress was impressive, and by the time we returned to the car park, he was almost a third of the way across. He set foot on the Isle of Bute around 15:30 hrs – and completed his day by running to Rothesay.
