Friday 21 August 2020

A retired schoolteacher is aiming to walk 1047 miles around Wales in no more than 70 days to raise money for two charities.

Huw Evans, from St Dogmaels, will set off next week (Wednesday, August 26) on his Route 66 Cymru Wales challenge, which will see him walking around Wales via the coastal path and Offa’s Dyke.

The grandfather-of-two, who is aiming to raise £5,000 for the Wales Air Ambulance and the RNLI, had to postpone this challenge due to Covid-19.

Reflecting on the challenge ahead, Huw said: “I’m calling it ROUTE 66 CYMRU WALES because that’s how old I am!

“I will start at Poppit Beach near Cardigan and walk north in a clockwise direction, including Anglesey in the journey. I am hoping to complete the walk to return to Poppit in not more than 70 days.”

The walk around Wales is something that Huw, who is originally from Cwmfelin Mynach, Carmarthenshire, has been wanting to do for ten years.

Despite taking early retirement, the former assistant head at Cardigan Secondary School continued to teach on a part-time basis and later in a student role, which meant he couldn’t dedicate the time to take on the walk. Now that he’s completely retired, Huw has the time to do it.

His family and friends have been very supportive. Huw said: “Having thought about this challenge for ten years, talked about it publicly and regularly for over two years with friends and family, I think it’s only recently that they now know I’m finally going to take up the challenge and are fully supportive of my effort.

“They have given me valuable advice on how to prepare for it, some of whom are very experienced walkers themselves.”

The former science teacher is looking forward to the huge challenge ahead. He said: “Now, I can’t wait to get started and look forward to the first day when I will be ‘sent on my way’ by friends and family from Poppit beach where Cardigan’s RNLI station is based. However, there have previously been moments during preparation and ‘training’ where I have thought “Am I taking on too much?” But I’m looking forward to visiting locations I have yet to see and, hopefully, raise awareness and funds for these charities.”

Huw decided to pick the Wales Air Ambulance as one of the charities to fundraise for because ‘it’s only funded by donations and provides the Children’s Wales Air
Ambulance transfer service’.

He said: “Also, I have seen them in action at close quarters when my neighbour suffered a very serious head injury and survived because of the swift, but calm treatment received and the speed of transfer to hospital.”

The Wales Air Ambulance Mid and South Wales Fundraising Manager, Mark Stevens, said: “Thank you to Huw for fundraising for two important charities. After ten years of wanting to do the challenge we hope he enjoys it! Thank you for your support during these difficult times and good luck.”

You can show your support to Huw by sponsoring him via his Just Giving page Huw Evans ROUTE66 CYMRUWALES.