High Peak friends preparing for Pennine Way challenge

Anthony Courtenay and Andy Ruffell lived on the same street as each other, then lost touch but are now firm friends and planning the adventure of a lifetime.

Andy, 30, said: “We have been going on walking and camping holidays and we love being outdoors.

“Last year Anthony’s nana Pat was diagnosed with cancer and is currently receiving treatment and we decided we should do something to give back to the wonderful help team at Macmillan who are supporting her and other families up and down the country.”

In March next year the duo will take on the Pennine Way from Edlae to Scotland travelling 30 miles a day before stopping, pitching up their tents and getting a few hours rest before they do it all again the next day.

Andy said: “We think it will take us about 11 days which is a huge challenge but that was the point.

“We didn’t want to do a 10km run or something like that, we wanted to push ourselves and make it a real challenge so we can hopefully raise as much money as possible.”

Although the two friends regularly go to the gym together and are out walking most weekends they have their reservation about the trip.

Andy said: “We are going in March, not the height of summer, so it may still be cold, it may even snow.

“We are preparing for the worst weather but hoping for the best.

“Day one will be fine as it will be new and exciting, but come day three or four when our bodies are exhausted, our feet full of blisters and we want to stop that will be when it will be hard to keep going.

“We have each other and when one is feeling low the other will lift their spirits up and vice versa and together we will do it.”

As well as sponsors for Macmillan the friends both from New Mills are also looking for donations from businesses who may be able to provide blister packs, socks or even food supplies.

To donate or to get involved visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/macmillan-cancer-reaserch