Keswick Lions club founder member Alan Dunn is aiming to top the £10,000 fundraising mark for charities after taking on a challenging 120-mile walk along the route of the A66 at the weekend.
Alan, who is also a Keswick town councillor and took on the challenge to celebrate his 66th year, is now resting his heavily bandaged feet which took the main toll of his 10-day walk, having had to walk nearly 149 miles in the end due to diversions caused by the weather making the ground too boggy to tackle midway through his challenge.
His walk started from the Steam Packet pub in Workington, and a very happy and relieved Alan reached his destination at the other end of the A66 at Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, on Sunday, having already raised £8,500 along the way for Keswick Lions’ charities fund and the Lions International Foundation.
He said: “I have never done anything like this before — it was a wonderful experience with just a couple of down times.”
His lowest ebb came on day seven of his adventure, walking from Tan Hill to Barnard Castle. It should have been an easy 13-mile walk, mostly along the Pennine Way, but the weather put paid to that route.
“It should be renamed the Pennine bog. I had to divert back to the road as the conditions were so bad. This undoubtedly caused most of the damage to my feet, leaving me with huge blisters and wincing every step of the last three days,” said Alan, who was driven home by his support team for the first five nights of the walk.
On day six he spent the night at Tan Hill, where the owners donated £100 to his fundraising total. He also thanked Nicky Whitworth, formerly of Keswick, who now lives in Yarm, near the end of the walk, who offered two nights’ accommodation, and even picked him up and dropped him off at his finish and start points on those days.
Alan’s biggest single donation was from his friend Lee Watson who gave £660 — £10 for each year of his life. Alan said: “Lee met up with me at Lorton intending to walk a stage but collapsed after half a mile and had to go home. Luckily he didn’t need the services of my other walking companion at the time — former Keswick undertaker Mike Green!”
His large support team of family, including wife Heather, and friends kept him going by guiding him along the route and walking alongside him to keep his spirits up. Alan said: “There are just so many people to thank who came to meet up and walk with me. My wife Heather tracked me every step of the way and helped guide me when I became a little lost.”
He was particularly moved to hear from Ged Mole, lead singer of Keswick Beer Festival favourites the Moobs, who had penned a song, <I>Keswick Skies<I> and donated £250. The walk was also organised in response to the cancellation of the annual Keswick Beer Festival which raises funds each year for the town’s Lions and rugby clubs, the latter hosting the event at its Davidson Park home.
Alan had planned a “bucket list” motorbike trip across America along the iconic Route 66 to mark his 66th year this summer, but that was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and he opted to taken on his own A66 fundraising challenge instead.
He added: “Although I enjoyed the walk, it was hard going at times and I wouldn’t want to do it again. In fact, Heather has already warned me there are no more challenges or I would have to move out.”
Alan has already raised almost £8,500 but people can still make a donation so he can reach his target at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Alan-Dunn-TheA66
