A DALE family group braved searing heat to walk 26 miles to raise hundreds of pounds for a cancer charity.
Mel Wade, from Connelly’s Toy Shop, in Barnard Castle, along with her brother Rory and sister-in-law Sarah, from Gainford, completed Macmillan Cancer’s Mighty Hike on Saturday, July 17.
Temperatures reached as high as 29C while they took the long trek from Alnwick Castle to Bamburgh Castle, a journey that took them tenhours to complete.
Ms Wade said: “It was hot to say the least. You had to take on a lot of fluid, but it was well organised with feet stations and drinks stations along the way.”
Some 2,500 people took part in the challenge but many dropped out because of the heat.
Ms Wade said: “They set you off in waves and it was more or less all day.”
The trio trained ahead of the challenge completing some long walks of up to 14 miles before the big day, which stood them in good stead for the recovery on Sunday.
Ms Wade said: “I was a bit stiff and the feet were feeling a bit tender, but now I feel fantastic.”
The challenge was deeply personal for the family.
Ms Wade said: “Our mam died in 2014 and we lost a really good friend to it during Covid. You can’t pay them back, but you do what you can.”
She added that she was amazed by the support people shown in helping them to raise about £900 for the cause.
She said: “Today (Tuesday) different people have dropped off money. People are really generous.”
