Wednesday, April 24, 2024
In BriefHeart fear OAP still bagging Munros despite heart scare

Heart fear OAP still bagging Munros despite heart scare

AN OAP hillwalker is continuing to bag Munros just months after he was helicoptered off a mountain with a suspected heart attack.

Iain Hay, 74, was airlifted to safety in April last year after suffering chest pains while walking with a friend.

Iain from Dunfermline, Fife was climbing the 3,038ft high Beinn Liath Mhor near Ullapool in the Highlands – but collapsed just 40ft from the summit.

The summit would have been Iain’s 84th Munro.

Despite the setback, he was back in the hills a few weeks later and has now bagged 88 mountains over 3,000ft.

The determined pensioner has vowed to carry on and has “just” 194 Munros left to climb.

He said of his heart attack scare: “The climb was gentle but when I got to a big stone slab near the top about 3,000ft I felt chest pains.

“I couldn’t walk any further. My friend called an ambulance and a helicopter arrived within 35 minutes.”

Doctors were not able to establish exactly what had happened to Iain following his helicopter rescue.

He added: “I love the mountains but you never know when it’s going to be the final one – but if I keep living till I’m 100 I’ll just need to keep it up.”

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