My Great Wall of China Challenge & The Dales Recipe Book

On 19th April 2012, I headed to China to trek 80km along the Great Wall and raised money for a fantastic charity.

To help along the way, I've created a recipe book 'Dishes from the Dales recipe book' which is still available for those who still wish to support Crossroads Care EM.

The book is just £5 and features over 35 recipes donated by local residents, plus some special additions from Ellen MacArthur and The Dutchess of Devonshire!

The Trek

The trek itself was utterly breathtaking. Our group of 23 ventured deep into China’s remote mountains to the 700 year old defensive wall. Some days, we followed what is now simply ‘rubble’ on the ground, others, we battled through thunderstorms and torrential rain. But the best days were when the storm cleared, the skies were blue and cloudless, and the sun shone on a wall which weaved atop of the mountains for miles after the eye could see.

I met some incredible people on this trip, many of whom were raising money for charities very close to their heart and had overcome heartache and illness to help their charities to change lives. On top of the mountain, at the meeting point of 3 borders, our guide made an emotional speech which culminated in the following:

“Life is not about how long you live, or how many breaths you take. It’s about the moments that take your breath away.”

The trip truly took my breath away from start to finish, as did the generosity of those who supported and continue to support me.

The purpose of this was to raise money for Crossroads Care East Midlands - a charity which does incredible work to help carers in the East Midlands. Crossroads offers support to those who care for a loved one by providing essential breaks from the stresses of caring, allowing them to take part in activities that many of us take for granted.

Please give as much as you can. Thank you.