Climbing all 282 Munros in 12 months to support survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
282 Munros3,000 kilometres 140,000 metres of ascent
The Munros Project
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Why?
Ricky has experienced lifelong severe anxiety that has significantly affected every area of his life. He has suffered low self-esteem, social isolation, self-sabotage & suicidal thoughts. For the past 20 years he's been on a journey of self-awareness to understand the root cause and try to overcome his anxiety. In late 2020, he suffered flashbacks of childhood sexual abuse. In 2021, he was supported by the Moira Anderson Foundation (MAF) to help him better understand and manage his anxiety. MAF are dedicated to supporting children and adults affected by childhood sexual abuse.
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How?
Ricky has been climbing mountains for over 30 years. He's a qualified Mountain Leader & has guided thousands of clients on the UK's highest peaks. His mountain adventures & expeditions have had a dramatic effect on transforming his mindset. Now, he plans to climb every Munro within 12 months to support other survivors of childhood sexual abuse. A Munro is a mountain in Scotland over 3,000ft (914m) and there are 282 scattered all over Scotland, from Ben Lomond in the South to Ben Hope in the north, and Sgurr na Banachdich in the west to Mount Keen in the east.
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When?
Ricky's attempt begins in late summer 2026 and he's aiming to complete all 282 Munros within 12 months. That means that throughout 2026/7 he'll need to climb a Munro on average every 1.3 days while holding down a full-time job! Those who climb all the summits are known as 'compleaters', with completions recorded with the Scottish Mountaineering Club. Compleaters also become eligible to join The Munro Society. If he completes his ambitious task, he will join the currently over 6,000 people who have registered as ‘compleaters’, and he hopes to raise as much as possible for MAF.
The Plan
Together we can change survivors’ lives.
282 Munros, 3,000 kilometres, 140,000 metres of ascent
There are a number of Munros that can be climbed in combination with others on the same day for Multi-Munro outings. Ricky plans to focus on these longer days during the main summer season from start of May to end of September during longer daylight hours and (hopefully) better weather. These longer routes typically include a big climb followed by a series of smaller ascents that link Munros in a chain. These include:
Ben Lawers 7 Munros
Glenshee 9 Munros
Arrochar Alps 4 Munros
South Glen Shiel Ridge 7 Munros
West Drumochter 4 Munros
Ben Lui 4 Munros
Mamores 10 Munros
Crianlarich 7 Munros
Inverlael 6 Munros
Other than this he’ll choose which peaks to climb on weekends & holidays depending on the best weather forecast. Ricky works full-time compressed hours Monday to Thursday in a remote role for a global humanitarian charity, so in theory he has Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays available to work his way through the Munros. Nevertheless, it will require extraordinary commitment & a lot of good luck to ‘compleat’ the Munros on time.
You can track Ricky’s progress while he’s on the hills using the live tracker link on the map above/left. You can view a map of all 282 Munros on the interactive map below.
Ricky will be posting stories & posts regularly on The Munros Project instagram so please do consider following & sharing those updates to help extend the project reach and maximise the fundraising for MAF to help them support many more survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Munros Map
Support The Munros Project
The primary focus of The Munros Project is to raise £5,000 for the Moira Anderson Foundation (MAF) to help other survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
MAF’s mission is to raise awareness of Childhood Sexual Abuse in society, build trust with survivors and offer a range of therapeutic services in a safe and caring environment, reducing the impact of trauma.
However, you can also support the project directly to help Ricky achieve his goal of climbing all 282 Munros in 12 months.
Taking on this extraordinary challenge is a significant personal financial commitment that includes the cost of fuel, food and (occasional) budget accommodation.
Click on the button below if you’d like to make a small financial contribution to help offset the significant project costs.
FAQs
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The Munros – and the 227 subsidiary ‘Tops’ – were originally listed by Sir Hugh Munro, who published his first tables of mountains over 3,000 feet in 1891. Sir Hugh did not manage to complete an ascent of all the summits on his list; instead the Rev. A. E Robertson became the first person to complete 'The Munros' in 1901. Now, over a hundred years later, there are over 6,000 people who have registered as ‘compleaters’, with completions recorded with the Scottish Mountaineering Club. Compleaters also become eligible to join The Munro Society.
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The Munros are scattered all over Scotland, from Ben Lomond in the South to Ben Hope in the north, and Sgurr na Banachdich in the west to Mount Keen in the east.
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The effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse are many and varied and affect survivors in different ways. Some of the effects include:
Anxiety
Depression
Suicidal ideation
Post-traumatic stress
Sexual difficulties
Inability to form lasting relationships
Identity difficulties
Relationship problems
Parenting difficulties
Alcohol and substance misuse
The development of violent behaviour
The development of criminal behaviour
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What Helps: Reframing Shame and Self-Blame
Trauma therapists emphasise that addressing self-blame is a critical first step in healing. Survivors need safe spaces to reframe these narratives and understand that abuse is never their fault.
What Helps: Addressing Trauma in the Body
Continuous self-care is essential to regulating your mind and body.
What Helps: Supportive & Safe Community
Healing requires time and safe, consistent connections with people who don’t exploit vulnerability. Supportive relationships are one of the most powerful tools for recovery.
Take steps to establish relationships with people who make you feel heard and validated.
What Helps: Finding the Right Kind of Mental Health Support
Experts recommend treatments that are trauma-informed and tailored to the survivor’s age, developmental stage, and cultural background.
Trauma-Informed Therapy
Some of the most effective therapeutic models include:
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT): A leading treatment for children and adolescents that combines trauma-sensitive interventions with cognitive behavioral techniques.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR): Helps survivors reprocess traumatic memories in a way that reduces their psychological impact.
Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC) Framework: Especially helpful for younger survivors, this model supports healing through emotional regulation and healthy relationship-building.
What Helps: Honour Your Unique Healing Journey
Know that healing isn’t linear. Some days, you’ll feel strong; other days, you may feel overwhelmed. That’s normal. Progress includes rest, reflection, and resilience.
Stay connected to what gives you purpose. Lean into creativity, spirituality, or community to process your pain and find meaning.
Celebrate your wins, no matter how small. Every step is vital to your healing journey.
Know You’re Not Alone
You deserve healing. You deserve peace. You deserve a life that is full—not despite what you suffered, but because you survived.
You are not alone. And it’s not too late to heal.
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Ricky has written about the impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse, read his survivor story here.
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The Moira Anderson Foundation is a Charity dedicated to supporting those affected by childhood sexual abuse. The Charity was founded in the year 2000 and it supports children and adults of all genders by offering; Counselling and Therapies, Group-work, On-going Support, Pop-In and Training
