Gary Morley, a Governor at Risedale School, recently completed an impressive walk from Land's End to John o'Groats. He began his journey on Monday, 1st April and reached John o'Groats 61 days later, on Saturday, 1st June 2024, covering a total of 1,240.1 miles. All the proceeds from his walk will go to Prostate Cancer UK via JustGiving and so far he has raised over £4000.

Gary said, “The idea of walking from Land’s End to John o’Groats has been on my mind since 2009 and I loved the idea of exploring and seeing new places.”

To prepare for his walk, Gary, an Army Veteran of the Gloucestershire regiment, sent parcels across the country to friends, family, and fellow Veterans. In the parcels, he included resources, maps, and other necessary items he needed for his journey. 

Along the way, Gary met other walkers, but the adventure was mainly a solo one. He camped in his one-man tent most of the time but also stayed in hostels and with friends along the route. His friends who offered him a place to stay would drop him back at his starting point the next day. During the walk, Gary only stayed at home in Darlington for 2 nights to rest, enjoy some home comforts, and buy a replacement pair of walking boots!

During his journey, Gary posted daily updates to his social media pages, sharing images of the beautiful scenery, changeable weather, and mileage updates. His love of coffee, cake, and the occasional pint of Guinness was also evident in the photos he posted.

Gary remarked, "Every morning, I posted a selfie and it was wonderful to receive everyone's messages of encouragement. It truly motivated me throughout the day, and I enjoyed reading the comments. It felt like everyone was with me, supporting me along the way with their kind messages."

This isn’t the first time Gary has travelled from Land’s End to John o’Groats; in fact, it’s his 5th time, which he completed between 2009 and 2015. However, all his previous Land’s End to John o’Groats adventures were done by bike, often with the Hummersknott Cycle group which he led with fellow Risedale School colleague, Gary Lamont.

Upon reaching Scotland, Gary knew the finish line was in sight. He then set up and shared his JustGiving page to appeal for donations to Prostate Cancer UK. All donations are still welcome. Gary Morley's JustGiving page can be found here.

Gary explained, "I chose not to set up the donation page at the start of the walk just in case I couldn't finish, and I didn't want to disappoint anyone. But the support I’ve received has been astonishing. I am so grateful!"

On 1st June, Gary arrived at John o’Groats where he was welcomed by his wife Emma and one of his daughters, Keziah, at the famous signpost landmark. 

His proud wife Emma said, "It was great to be able to support Gary on those last few days. We are all extremely proud of everything he has achieved." 

Gary received unwavering support from his army veteran friends, colleagues, and of course, his family: his wife Emma and daughters Keziah and Alice. 

Congratulations to Gary from everyone at Risedale School! You are an inspiration to us all!