A Tail Of Triumph

The first dog ever to achieve a Full House, Betty has a hiker's heart and a nose for adventure

- FIONA RUSSELL

A DOG has walked into the record books as the first to complete a list of more than a thousand mountains - known as a Full House.

Betty, a Kerry Blue terrier, has ticked off six major hill categories in Scotland, including 282 Munros, 227 Munro Tops, 222 Corbetts, 219 Grahams and 141 Donalds.

Alongside owner Shona Marshall of Kinloss in Moray, the nine-year-old canine had also reached the summits of another 12 so-called “new” Grahams and 22 dog-friendly Furths, which are mountains of Munro height in England, Wales and Ireland.

In only four years the pair has walked a total of 415 hill days, covering a distance of some 5,600 miles and ascended 1,755,000ft, which is equivalent to more than 60 times the height of Mount Everest.

Betty has eaten some 800 hard-boiled eggs - her favourite hill food - and consumed 415 tins of sardines.

Betty and Shona finished their impressive feat together atop Morrone, a 2,818-feet-tall Corbett near Braemar, on April 12 this year.

“I am delighted that Betty has achieved the first canine Full House,” Shona said as they celebrated with friends. “We've had so many great days out in the hills together and many amazing adventures. I think Betty and I are very similar. We are happiest when we are outdoors, surrounded by nature and walking long distances.”

It was a trek to Everest base camp a decade ago that gave Shona the motivation to walk more in Scotland.