Peak performance by Chinese nurse on Scotland's mountains

An Edinburgh nurse is believed to have become the first person from China to conquer all 282 of the highest mountains in Scotland.

The mountains, all more than 914 meters, are known as Munros.

Sunny He Huang, 45, from Liaoning province in northeast China, started the 70 Munros Challenge two years ago to raise money for the Christian Aid charity. It soon turned out to be something she really enjoyed, firing her determination to climb all 282 peaks.

"When I heard that I was the first person from China to have officially climbed all 282 Munros, I was in tears and so emotional," she said. "It was just so exciting and I couldn't sleep the first night."

Huang climbed over 100 on her own and others with friends, spending almost all her weekends and days off hiking up the mountains.

Huang discovered her love for hill walking when her son went to university and feeling a bit at a loose end, she started walking on the Pentland Hills, south of Edinburgh.

She climbed her first Munro, Ben Narnain, in July 2015 and completed her final one, Meall Chuaich, on Nov 18 with a large group of friends, colleagues and family.

For many of them, including her 21-year-old son, Botao Zhou, it was their first Munro.

"What I enjoyed the most about these walks is when you reach the summit," she said.

"If you get a good view, it feels like you have cleansed your mind, you forget all the worries at work, in your life, and just don't think about anything at all. You just enjoy all this nature and mountain fresh air."

Huang said she wanted to raise money for Christian Aid because she has always wanted to help impoverished people.

"When we were growing up we were very poor. I am not rich now, but at least I have enough to feed myself, my family and have a roof over our heads," she said.

"This is why I'm supporting Christian Aid, to make their vision - to help end poverty - become reality."

Huang came to the UK in 2004 and works at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary as a cardiac theater nurse.

She said her next challenge is to walk the length of Hadrian's Wall and climb some of Scotland's lower mountains.

boleung@mail.chinadailyuk.com

(China Daily 12/02/2017 page11)