An Eden Animal Rescue Centre volunteer has set himself the challenge of walking from Land’s End to John O’Groats by linking up with as many long distance footpaths as he can.
Alan King, 71, of Kirkby Stephen, is a very keen hill walker who relocated to the north of England when he retired.
A former Royal Marine, he said: “I’m a passionate hill walker and I’ve always enjoyed long distance walking and I’ve done long treks overseas as well.
“But it’s been a long term plan of mine since my mid-40s to walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats – not a direct route, but a quiet, indirect route.”
The distance from Land’s End to John O’Groats is about 890 miles in a relatively straight line, but the route being taken by Alan is just over 1,200 miles.
As it takes nearly three months to complete the epic toe-to-top trek, Alan said it’s something that really has to wait until you have retired.
“Now the pandemic is more or less passed, I thought this is the year to do it and I am doing it,” he said. Having started at Land’s End in April, he hopes to reach his final destination of John O’Groats on July 13. The total time walking will be 86 days.
Last week he was two-thirds of the way there and just about to finish the Pennine Way and move on into Scotland.
Alan said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed doing it, there has been some pretty tough days, but most of it has been really good.”
“Each day has been different. The early part was up and down cliffs for day after day which was incredibly taxing physically, but at the same time, stunning scenery and I’ve met some amazing people.
“I’ve been trying to avoid roads as much as possible, so I’ve been following disused railway tracks, canal tow paths, quiet country lanes, and footpaths.”
He entered Cumbria at Dufton, having come over from Middleton-in-Teasdale, and then he walked from Dufton over to Alston on his way to Haltwhistle.
“I was very fortunate when I went across Cross Fell as I had a very sunny day and had a superb view of Cumbria,” he said.
Alan added: “I’ve had a lot of support from well wishers who have been sponsoring me and I’ve been quite touched by a number of people on the walk who were total strangers and asked for details to sponsor me. Some people have given me cash which I have paid in from my own account.
“It’s been heart-warming. The generosity of people has been quite amazing.”
In 2020, during the pandemic, Alan lost the best dog he had ever had. He had had the rescue dog from Battersea Dogs Home for 10-and-a-half years, but, sadly, he developed a brain tumour and died very quickly.
“Without doubt he was the best dog I had ever had. I was pretty cut up about it, to say the least,” said Alan.
While at a French class, which he attends every week, one of his fellow students, who volunteers at the animal rescue centre suggested that he also might want to volunteer there.
Alan said: “I contacted them, but because of the pandemic they couldn’t run any induction courses, so I had to wait a year. But in July, last year, they contacted me and asked if I was still interested and I said yes.”
He started volunteering at the beginning of September last year and has now been a volunteer for Eden Animal Rescue for about 10 months.
As well as Eden Animal Rescue, he is also raising money for the Royal Marines Association, and for the two charities combined he has so far raised about £2,000, of which £1,300 has been for the rescue centre.
To sponsor him visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Alan-KingEnd2End2022
