A young actor will set off this week on a John O’Groats to Land’s End marathon on horseback to raise money in memory of a friend.
Louis Hall and Highland pony Irelanda will start the journey on Saturday and aim to cover an average of 18 miles a day in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.
Mr Hall, originally from Fife and who is now also a writer and horse-riding instructor in London, has already raised £4,308 towards his £10,000 target.
He decided to undertake the 1,085-mile Big Hoof in memory of a family friend, Leo van Heyningen, who died aged 26 from Cystic Fibrosis.
Over the last five years Mr Hall has ridden in the desert in Alice Springs, the mountains of Kashmir, around Lake Khovsgol in Northern Mongolia and across the Sierra Morena mountains in Andalucia. He intended making his next fundraising trip from Istanbul to Vienna, but changed plans due to travel restrictions during the pandemic.
He said: “This challenge is something I am doing independently for all those who suffer from the horrors of Cystic Fibrosis, and for Leo. Nothing that anyone does can overturn the suffering that Cystic Fibrosis inflicts upon an individual and their family, but with each step that Irelanda and I take, and with every donation big and small, we will all be fighting the disease and helping to prevent further loss in the future.
“Leo was an inspiration, a friend and an incredible human being. He would have been extremely vulnerable during these times. I am lucky enough to have no underlying health issues and feel that with this fortune it would be timely to raise awareness of this dreadful disease.”
Between John O’ Groats and Inverness, Mr Hall will be accompanied by Ruaridh Ormiston, from Highland pony breeders Ormiston Highlands in Kingussie and owners of Irelanda, who will make the trip in a horse and cart.
Mr Hall said he has made plans for Irelanda’s wellbeing during the marathon, including staying in a prepared field each night.
“I will be camping mostly, always in the field where Irelanda is. She is very used to traffic but this won’t be an issue as our route primarily passes through national parks and tracks.
“Highland ponies naturally walk up to 20 miles a day on their own. I have given us a lot of time so that we can rest during the day, graze, find water, and have a ‘rest day’ whenever it is necessary. I will be walking a lot of the journey on foot to make sure Irelanda doesn’t get too tired.”