A YOUNG Ayrshire farmer has climbed Ben Nevis in aid of a national mental health charity to emphasise the importance of looking after yourself physically and mentally during these testing times.

William Heads, 25, never thought he’d make it to the top of Britain’s highest mountain when the COVID-19 crisis scuppered initial plans to make the trek in March.

But William, who is a member of Crossroads Young Farmer’s Club, beat the odds and reached the summit on Saturday, July 18 in an impressive three hours and 20 minutes, raising over £500 for the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH).

William said: “I was going to walk it back in March and started fundraising but when they announced lockdown, I decided I would use my daily exercise to raise awareness of mental health.

“Over the last few months whenever I’ve been free I’ve walked 25 miles from Fenwick to Loudon Hill and cycled around Whitelee Wind Farm. Then when restrictions eased, the Ben Nevis fundraiser was still there so I thought I might as well go for it.

“It gave me such a sense of achievement. Three quarters of the way up you feel it in your legs but I kept going. It was actually harder actually getting down, my knees were killing me.”

William posted regular updates via Facebook to keep him motivated and so friends and family could follow his journey. He has now covered 500 miles altogether.

William said: “It gave me a boost knowing people were watching me. For the time that we’re in, mental health is so important. People in my family have suffered from depression and anxiety so it’s also something close to home for me.

“I’ve well and truly surpassed my target. I had no idea how much support there was out there for mental health – it’s been amazing.”