A Hampstead barrister overcame Storm Francis to walk from the UK’s west to east coast for a charity fundraiser.
James Fox, 30, took on the 192-mile walk - the equivalent of more than seven marathons - for Jewish Care in memory of his grandparents.
He battled the British elements to make his way from St. Bees in Cumbria across to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire - raising £2,800 in the process.
James said: “My lowest point was definitely the day that Storm Francis hit. I had a 12 mile stretch to complete, and three miles in, I had hail blowing in my face, my map was so soggy that it was falling apart in my hands, and my phone stopped working in the wet.
“I had no idea how to navigate from where I was standing and the conditions were becoming so harsh that I had no choice but to turn around and walk back to the start and essentially write the day off. It just wasn’t safe to walk.
“But I made up my six lost miles of distance elsewhere - both from taking sometimes very substantial wrong turnings, and also by elongating some of the walks to take in neighbouring villages along the way.”
The barrister’s August challenge comes two years after he ran the London Marathon during the race’s hottest year on record.
James continued: “The coast to coast walk was an experience I’ll never forget. To be able to see so much beautiful countryside, from the peaks of the Lake District, to the rolling countryside of the Yorkshire Dales, and the understated yet majestic North Yorkshire Moors, over 192 miles of walking was a real treat.”
Adam Overlander-Kaye, Jewish Care’s director of fundraising and community engagement, said: “I’d like to congratulate and thank James for this incredible achievement and commitment in raising funds for Jewish Care in memory of his grandparents, Renee and Ben.
“Taking part in a fundraising challenge is a very special way to both honour the memory of loved ones and raise much needed funds for Jewish Care. We are hugely appreciative to James for doing this walk to show gratitude for the care that his grandma received whilst she was a resident in a Jewish Care home.”
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