INSPIRATIONAL botanist Margaret Bradshaw, who embarked on a 55-mile trekking challenge on her 98th birthday, has vowed to keep up the daily walks after smashing her fundraising target.
Dr Bradshaw was given a hero’s welcome at the Moorcock Inn, at Eggleston, on Monday as she completed the final mile of her latest challenge, Trek for Teesdale Special Flora 2.
Pledging to walk a mile a day, she set out on January 8, aiming to raise £1,000 to support ongoing work surveying some of the rarest plants in the River Tees catchment area.
The challenge – covering a distance equivalent to the circumference of the flora survey area – was set by botany group members Jane and David Philbrick and has raised £3,700.
Dr Bradshaw, who formed the charity Teesdale Special Flora Research Conservation Trust in 2017, began studying Teesdale’s rarest plants in the 1960s and is no stranger to completing gruelling challenges. Three years ago, she raised £4,500 trekking 88 kilometres on her pony Sigma in the first Trek for Teesdale Special Flora.
She completed the final one-mile stage of her latest challenge on Monday, accompanied by friends and members of the Teesdale Special Flora Botany Group.
Dr Bradshaw, who suffered several broken ribs after a horse riding fall last year, said: “Today is probably the worst weather I have had on the whole challenge.
“I haven’t had many people accompanying me through the challenge, but I have thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m going to continue. I want to get to 100 miles doing a mile a day.”
She added: “I really recommend walking.
“When I started, I had to catch my breath a lot by the bridge. But I can walk much further now.
“I’m really enjoying doing the walks and I highly recommend them.”
After completing the final walk Dr Bradshaw enjoyed a celebratory drink at the Moorcock Inn and a slice of cake, specially baked and donated by local supporter Kayleigh Carter.
People can donate to the cause by visiting https:// www.justgiving.com/ teesdalespecialflora.
