This Spring Max Foster (Cubitt 2020) walked from Lands End to John 0’Groats – on his own. He undertook the challenge in honour of his grandfather who died from oesophageal cancer 10 years ago. By completing his long held goal to solo hike the 1,231 miles, which took 65 days, he raised (thus far) £25,365.75 for Macmillan. He tells us it was 2.9 million steps with many adventures along the way:
“The route traverses mostly through national parks and does it’s best to avoid cities and roads. Almost every landscape in Britain is crossed from the cliff tops of north Cornwall through to the rugged Scottish Highlands.
There were many challenges along the way from flooded and overgrown footpaths which sometimes resembled an assault course, curious cows, a poisonous adder, pretty much all 200 miles of the penine way which this year was almost entirely bog and a good 600 miles of wondering if summer would ever show up.
These challenges were tempered however by the kindness of strangers. Free campsite pitches were common thanks to my Macmillan shirt. The owner of a pub in Wales was kind enough to let me camp in their garden and told me I was having a steak and a pint on the house, this was supplemented by quite a lot of brandy given to me by some dirt bikers from Manchester – hiking the day after required a bit more determination than normal! Also, a very kind lady in Kilsyth owned a bed and breakfast where she agreed to let me camp on their farm. When I arrived however, I was given fresh trout, a shower and a bed free of charge.
This journey was not just about the miles walked or the money raised; it was also about the connections made and the kindness experienced. It reinforced my belief in the generosity of people and the impact of a shared cause. As the father of national parks John Muir once said, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” I hope my story encourages others to take on their own challenges and witness the support that can come from unexpected places.”
If you would like to sponsor Max you can do so here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/max-foster