I'm attempting the 2026 Northern Traverse from St Bee's in Cumbria to Robin Hoods Bay in North Yorkshire.

I'll be running and hiking/walking my way along the 300km route, starting on Saturday 28 March and aiming to complete the distance well in advance of the 4.5ish day cut-off time.

I'll be carrying all my own equipment, with access to my drop-bag for additional kit at specific checkpoints along the way and also moving for large amounts of time in the dark/overnight.

https://www.northerntraverse.com/northern-traverse

This will be without a doubt the most challenging thing I've put my mind/body through and as a result, I'm hopeful that I can raise a large sum of money for Maxi's Mates - a dog rescue and rehoming centre not too far from the actual route I will be traversing. They do great things for dogs of all shapes and sizes, aiming to leave none behind. Maxi's mates are currently facing tough financial pressures as a result of rising food/electric/etc costs and increased calls for rescues/rehoming (they received help requests for 28 different dogs in one day in mid-October 2025!). I have a personal appreciation of the difference that dogs can make to your life and I would like to do my bit to support a small, locally ran charity that is working very hard in difficult circumstances to ensure that dogs in need are cared for and rehomed to safe, loving homes.

Thanks for taking the time to read and an extra special thanks for anyone that is able to donate, it will make a big difference to Maxi's Mates.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.