Two colleagues from Bedford will swap the flat countryside of Bedfordshire for the mountain scenery of Iceland’s Arctic Circle this March to raise vital funds for charity.
39-year-old, Maryanne Hoar and 52-year-old, Tanya Pitt, who both work at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in Moggerhanger, will set off on 8 March for a bracing three-day trek on the edge of the Arctic Circle to raise funds for families needing the hospices’ expert and compassionate palliative care.
The trek will see the pair, alongside a team of Sue Ryder fundraisers, walk through a mix of geothermal valleys and beautiful mountain scenery, streams and waterfalls – with the chance of seeing the spectacular Aurora Borealis – Northern Lights – each evening.
Quite a difference from the countryside they’ve been training in.
“Throughout the summer months our favourite route was along the river path from Bedford to Willington Danish Camp and Sandy, but it is fairly flat, so we’ve also been walking in Chicksands Woods and Marston Thrift,” said Maryanne.
“We’ve completed our latest practise walks in the evening, and it was fairly dark still, so we kept to the main roads favouring Manton Lane and Cemetery Hill for the steep climbs.
“We have been pushing ourselves in various weather conditions and the recent below-freezing temperatures and icy weather conditions have meant that we have been able to test out our cold weather clothing, layering and some of our kit.”
Tanya, a senior administrator at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice, told the Bedford Independent that their biggest challenge would be the difficult terrain in Iceland.
“We’ve been practising walking with two walking poles, carrying weighted backpacks, wearing the correct socks (inside out to prevent blisters) and have broken in our hiking boots,” she said.
“We feel prepared and are confident that we will rise to the challenge and have lots of laughs along the way.”
She said she was inspired to take on the challenge after the mother of a very close friend passed away at the hospice and wanted to support the “amazing work the team a the hospice do”.
And the pair have nearly reached their fundraising target of £6400 thanks to the support of hospice staff, family and friends, who have got behind a series of fundraising events Maryanne and Tanya have organised ahead of their trek.
You can contribute to their fundraiser by visiting their JustGiving page here.
If Maryanne and Tanya have inspired you to take your own once-in-a-lifetime adventure, you can join Sue Ryder’s Saharan Mini Adventure in October 2023. Find out more here.
