Matthew Harrison
Matty's page
Fundraising for Parkinson’s UK
Story
My name is Matthew Harrison and on May 4th 2011 I set-off walking from John O' Groats to Land's End in aid of Parkinson's UK, completing the walk 10 weeks later as planned on 12th July .
I decided to walk for Parkinson's UK because my grandad suffered badly from Parkinson's disease before his death and I also have a good friend in Austria who has been diagnosed with the disease relatively recently. I won't go into details about the condition (you can find information on it on the Parkinson's UK website,http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/default.aspx) but I know how adversely it can affect a person's life, having seen the effects first-hand. There is currently no known cure for Parkinson's, although it can be controlled to a degree by drugs, but I hope to be able to give a big donation to boost research into a cure.
The walk took me 72 days, including 4 rest days and 2 days travel. In this time I covered at least 1225 miles with an average walking day of 18.5 miles. Although the vast majority of the walk was solo, I was accompanied by various friends and family along the way, with my friend James Corkish joining me on the whole of the Pennine Way section of the walk from Kirk Yetholm to Edale.
I stayed with family/friends, in Youth Hostels, B & Bs and hotels. Importantly, all donations go directly to Parkinson's UK as I paid all my costs.
A big thank you to everyone who assisted me during the walk.
I really hope that you can donate, it would really mean a lot to me and, hopefully, the money I raise can make a big difference to many lives in the future.
Please check-out my walk webpage at:
My itinerary was as follows:
May 3rd: Travel to Freswick
May 4th: Travel to John O’ Groats
May 5th: Walk to Lybster
May 6th: Walk to Helmsdale
May 7th: Walk to Golspie
May 8th: Walk to Tain
May 9th: Walk to Evanton
May 10th: Walk to Inverness
May 11th: Rest Day
May 12th: Walk to Drumnadrochit
May 13th: Walk to Fort Augustus
May 14th: Walk to Laggan
May 15th: Walk to Fort William
May 16th: Walk to Kinlochleven
May 17th: Walk to Bridge of Orchy
May 18th: Walk to Crianlarich
May 19th: Walk to Rowardennan Lodge
May 20th: Walk to Croftamie
May 21st: Walk to Kelvingrove Park
May 22nd: Rest Day
May 23rd: Walk to Motherwell
May 24th: Walk to New Lanark
May 25th: Walk to Crawford
May 26th: Walk to Beattock
May 27th: Walk to Tushielaw
May 28th: Walk to Traquair
May 29th: Walk to Melrose
May 30th: Walk to Jedburgh
May 31st: Walk to Kirk Yetholm
June 1: Walk to Byrness
June 2nd: Walk to Bellingham
June 3rd: Walk to Greenhead
June 4th: Walk to Alston
June 5th: Walk to Dufton
June 6th: Walk to Middleton-in-Teesdale
June 7th: Rest Day
June 8th: Walk to Keld
June 9th: Walk to Hawes
June 10th: Walk to Horton-in-Ribblesdale
June 11th: Walk to Airton
June 12th: Walk to Cowling
June 13th: Walk to Hebden Bridge
June 14th: Walk to Crowden
June 15th: Walk to Edale
June 16th: Walk to Buxton
June 17th: Walk to Congleton
June 18th: Walk to Weston
June 19th: Walk to Whitchurch
June 20th: Walk to Ellesmere
June 21st: Walk to Llanymynech
June 22: Walk to Montgomery
June 23: Walk to Knighton
June 24: Walk to Gladestry
June 25: Walk to Llanthony -
June 26: Walk to Monmouth
June 27: Walk to Chepstow
June 28: Walk to Bristol
June 29: Rest Day
June 30: Walk to Clevedon
July 1: Walk to Burnham-on-Sea
July 2: Walk to Bridgwater
July 3: Walk to Williton
July 4: Walk to Simonsbath
July 5: Walk to Barnstaple
July 6: Walk to Elmscott
July 7: Walk to Bude
July 8: Walk to Tintagel
July 9: Walk to Wadebridge
July 10: Walk to Perranporth
July 11: Walk to St Ives
July 12: Walk to Land’s End