This summer, Dad and I are going to walk the End To End Trail, from John O'Groats to Lands End in 2 months, at an average of 20 miles a day, raising money for the Emma Maltby Memorial Fund.

'Where I am going? I don't quite know.

What does it matter where people go?

Down to the wood where the blue-bells grow -

Anywhere, anywhere. I don't know'

A. A Milne

I have chosen this poem because it seems to reflect perfectly why we are undertaking this challenge. I could say that it's a once in a lifetime opportunity to discover the country I love. I could say it's a kind of liberating freedom I pretentiously yearn for having read Huck Finn in my first year at Newcastle. I could say I've always wanted to know what real blisters feel like. Obviously, these are either stupid, pretentious or patently untrue reasons to walk 1, 216 miles. But truthfully, and even more stupidly the real reason is - "I don't quite know". Why not?

Of course, the poem does have flaws as a choice. We do know where we are going. We are walking from John O'Groats to Lands End, deliberately following a route that takes us away from the flat, desolate monotony of roads and naively into the wild hills and rough mountains of Blighty's best, rugged countryside.

The route takes us through the Northern Highlands, the West Highland Way and then the Penines as we return to civilisation and England mid way through. Then, onwards, through Staffordshire and the Welsh Border before we hug the South West Coast until Lands End. The route is by no means the shortest - at 1, 200 miles. But hey, it'll be nice to sing those Proclaimer lyrics of 'being the man to walk 500 miles, and then walk 500 more' with a little integrity.

The charity we are raising money for is one very close to our hearts - The Emma Maltby Memorial Fund. The Emma Maltby Memorial Fund provides educational support for those living with cancer in hospitals - helping arrange their study and mentoring their learning as they recover. We hope you'll agree it is a worthwhile charity - any donations would be immensely appreciated!

Thank you,

Robert Noyes and his father, David.