Gordon and Jim's long-distance walk raises useful funds for The Grove School in Berwick
Two north Northumberland residents once again put on their walking boots for a long-distance challenge.
Jim Lang and Gordon Sutherland walked the Southern Upland Way and they have raised more than £6,500 so far for The Grove School in Berwick, which is a school for children with complex needs.
The route that they covered in the first two weeks of May links Portpatrick in the west and Cockburnspath in the east via the hills of the Southern Uplands – a distance of 215 miles with a total ascent of 8,450 metres.
Jim, who lives in Horncliffe, and Gordon, who lives in Thornton, have walked extensively together in Europe, Africa, Argentina and Nepal, and have summited Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895m) and Mera Peak (6,476m), among others.
This was their first long-distance walk in the UK.
Gordon said: “We are delighted to have successfully completed the Southern Upland Way. We walked an average of about 15 miles a day.
“We started in the lovely Portpatrick harbour in Galloway in warm sunshine with views across to Ireland and finished in the cold and rain at Cockburnspath – experiencing every type of weather in-between, including hailstones.
“Worryingly, we both developed blisters after less than two days walking but, fortunately, we were able to manage them and had no other physical problems.
“In many places, we enjoyed wonderful extensive views although some areas, particularly in Dumfries and Galloway, seemed to have a bit too much forestry and too many wind farms!
“Although most of our days were taken up with walking, we found the time to take a guided tour of an underground lead mine at Wanlockhead, which was fascinating.
“Overall, it was a great experience and we received a lot of kindness during our walk – from taxi drivers not taking fares to hotel owners and guests giving donations, all of which added to the funds raised.
“The Grove School provides outstanding provision to ensure each child fulfils their potential. We decided to take on this challenge to raise funds to replace the school’s old minibus.
“We are going to close our JustGiving page on May 31, but anyone still wishing to donate can do so until then at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/gordonandjim”