Paddleboarder to make 3-day Union Canal journey

But paddleboarder Cathy King is planning to travel all the way from Glasgow to Edinburgh in an epic fundraising trip.

Ms King, 40, hopes to raise hundreds of pounds for international healthcare charity Merlin in the three-day paddle, travelling on her stand-up paddleboard.

She will travel at a pace of around 3mph throughout the 69-mile trip, with boyfriend Patrick Winterton riding alongside on his bike.

Paddleboards originated in Hawaii as a means of helping surfers catch more waves, because their size and paddling position offer greater speed, visibility and glide. Their use has begun to catch on in the UK, with some enthusiasts also using them for flat-water distance events.

Ms King, who lives in Goldenacre and works as a plant taxonomist at the Botanic Garden, said: "It's quite new in Britain, although it's beginning to take a hold.

"It's become very popular for what they call flat-water cruising, I think people do it down on the Fens and on rivers, and it's become a race event.

"The idea to do it for charity came about the first summer I got the board, two years ago, because the guy I bought it from was saying we could go and paddle on the canal.

"I looked it up on the internet and saw it was very historic and stretched across the country. I suggested the idea then of it going across country for charity but he wasn't sure."

She has now decided to take on the challenge single-handed, and will set off from Bowling Basin, west of Glasgow, on April 29, aiming to arrive at Edinburgh Quay on May 1.

She was not sure how arduous the trip would be.

She said: "It depends a lot on the weather because as soon as you stop, your feet and hands can get very cold, but if we've got good weather it'll be great.

"There are quite a few locks - on the Clyde and Forth there are 39 locks and I'll have to carry the board through those - and there's a tunnel which I think is about 400 yards, so I'll have a watertight box of provisions like a head torch."

Ms King will be raising money for Merlin, which sends medical staff to countries hit by war, earthquake or flood, and stays after the emergency has passed to help build long-term health systems.

She said: "One of the big drivers is to work with local communities, local government and local health officials. They train health workers and leave a structure in place when they leave, and that to me makes them very different."

Merlin's head of individual giving, Danielle Atkinson, said: "Our heartfelt thanks go to Cathy for her amazing efforts. This will make a huge difference to hundreds of families, who without Merlin's mobile clinics would not receive the life-saving care they need.

"We wish her all the best for her adventure and will be keeping our fingers crossed as she braves the waves and elements on her paddleboard."

You can sponsor Ms King at www.justgiving.com/stand-up-for-merlin.