Ultra-marathon champion died running Cape Wrath trail two weeks before wedding

An ultra-marathon champion who died while running in the Highlands was in the final stages of planning his wedding, his fiancée has said.

David Parrish, from Dumfries, was trying to beat the record for the fastest man to complete the Cape Wrath trail, a 234 mile (376km) route from Fort William to Cape Wrath.

The 35-year-old former Royal Marine was found in the remote mountainous area of Kintail in the north-west Highlands on Saturday night. His cause of death is currently unknown.

His partner of seven years, Jade Lau, told BBC Scotland News that they were due to marry in two weeks' time.

"We were putting together playlists, writing speeches," she said.

"So on receiving the news, I felt that what I knew about the next couple of days, coming months, coming years, is quite scattered now.

"I'm trying to focus on the fact the world keeps moving, and I'll try to as well."

Jade, a design manager, said David was "full of life, funny and loving" and that he was "buzzing" in the weeks leading up to the run.

The couple had hiked the route in 2021 and David, an experienced ultra-marathon runner, won the Cape Wrath Trail race in 2023.

The trail, which covers Lochaber, Knoydart, Applecross and Torridon, is considered one of the most challenging routes in the UK.

For his latest challenge, David was running to fundraise for Scottish Mountain Rescue in memory of his close friend, Luke Ireland.

The 20-year-old from Monifeith - also a Royal Marine - died while running in the mountains of Glen Clova in Angus in November 2014.

Jade said she was "massively" proud of David, and running was something that brought them together.

"I was always cautious of some of the big challenges he took on," she said. "But always very proud and confident of his abilities as well.

"He's done big challenges running through the night previously and done exceptionally well. I hope he will be remembered for being a complete force of nature in spirit and ability."

The fundraiser has now raised over £30,000.

"He'd be really chuffed," said Jade.

"Also with just the quantity of people - the number of people we both know and many we don't know, and many who have donated anonymously as well.

"I'd like to say a massive thank you to those people, it really means a lot."

She said she had last heard from David as he entered the Knoydart Forest and told her he would likely not have signal for a while.

Jade and his friends were tracking him via GPS but after a period of time passed without hearing from him, they decided to alert the police.

A friend was in the area waiting to see him pass, but Jade decided to drive up to the location.

"On the drive up, I received a call from the police saying that the case was going to be escalated to David being a high-risk missing person," she said.

"Shortly after that I got a call to attend the police station in Kyle of Lochalsh where they delivered the news.

"Then the next morning his friend and I went to the mountain rescue base in Kintail where we identified him."

A spokesperson for David's running club said they were "deeply shocked and saddened" to hear about his death.

"David was an immensely talented runner and a wonderful person who will be sadly missed by all who knew him," they added.

Jade said support from friends and family had been "vital" and helped her "carry the weight" of the news of David's death.

She also thanked the emergency services and mountain rescue who found him and brought him back.

The couple, who lived in Glasgow, often took their van up to the Highlands for hikes and runs in the hills with their dog Munro.

David had proposed to Jade while they spent a couple of days hiking in the Glen Coe area.

"I do wonder how I'll view the Cape Wrath trail now," she said.

"I have such fond memories with him on that trail and beautiful photos together on it. I guess in some way I feel like it took him.

"But maybe in time I'll be able to go there with our dog Munro and run part of it.

"And maybe in some way I'll feel like he'll be there with us. That's my hope."