Andrew Fairbairn and Michael Punter kayaking off the Isles of Scilly

Andrew Fairbairn and Michael Punter kayaking off the Isles of Scilly

Like buses, you wait for ages for someone to tackle a challenge the whole length of Britain and along come two together.

Incredibly, two intrepid charity fundraisers hit on the idea of using muscle power to travel from Britain’s southernmost extremity to its northern tip within less than a month of each other. Both hope to raise thousands of pounds for worthy causes by their efforts, which took them, separately, from the Isles of Scilly to the Northern Isles.

Stuart Walker and Andrew Fairbairn each travelled more a thousand miles by kayak, cycle and on foot, starting at the Western Rocks at the south-western tip of Scilly, aiming for Shetland.

Both almost made the whole trip by muscle power alone, 52-year-old Banbury, Oxfordshire, grandfather Andrew resorting to a ferry between Orkney Mainland and Shetland because of adverse sea conditions, while 24-year-old fellrunner Stuart Walker of Pudsey, West Yorkshire, had to end his trip on Orkney after the cost of shipping an ocean-going rowing boat for the leg north proved prohibitive.

Mr Fairbairn’s chosen charity Leonard Cheshire Disability will use the money raised to help disabled children in Uganda gain a primary education, while Stuart Walker’s funds will be split between three charities: the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children; Water for Kids; and Avert, which tackles HIV and Aids worldwide.

Stuart Walker takes a dip, dog-paddle style

Stuart Walker takes a dip, dog-paddle style

Stuart said: “I didn’t quite achieve what I had planned to, mainly because of the cost of transporting the ocean rowing boat to Scotland, but I’m happy with what I did.

“I’ll add up the mileage properly over the next few days but it’s something like 1200 miles in total, about 20 of which were not by human power.

“I went from Pednasthine Head to Brough Head on Orkney via the Three Peaks, Derwent Water, Loch Linnhe, Loch Oich, and about three-quarters of Loch Ness.

“The main thing now is to raise as much money as possible for NSPCC, Avert Aids and Water for Kids. I’m hoping to produce a little DVD made from the videos I recorded on the route to help with this.

“The highlight, I think, was rising up through the very North of Scotland. It is very spectacular.”

Chartered surveyor Andrew’s challenge began on 1 June on Bishop’s Rock, just west of the Western Rocks, and was completed in 27 days. On the way, he walked part of the Pennine Way and all of the West Highland Way. On the sea sections, he was joined by Michael Punter.

Andrew said: “Some of the challenge was really tough but I just concentrated on each day and tried not to look too far ahead.

“There were a lot more highlights than low points. Two highlights came on the crossing to the mainland. We were joined by a seal that swam between the two kayaks for about 45 minutes as though it was checking we were okay.

“Closer to Land’s End I paddled over two huge basking sharks and the second one was so close to the surface I initially thought its fin was going to touch the kayak.

“What distinguishes this challenge from others that go from Land’s End to John O’Groats are the additional kayaking sections, as they add an extra dimension over and above the traditional test.”

Recounting the northernmost section of the trip, he said: “We launched from Scrabster harbour to the west of John O’Groats at 9.10am in a mist.

Andrew Fairbairn completed the whole of the West Highland Way during his challenge

Andrew Fairbairn completed the whole of the West Highland Way during his challenge

“Although we had set the bearing, it was a good feeling when the sun cleared the mist and we could see the Isle of Hoy ahead of us.

“It was a long paddle with the tide taking us first one way and then the other. Michael had planned it so that we should have benefited from the tide. Unfortunately, contrary to the weather forecast, the wind was in the wrong direction and the swell counteracted the benefit of the tide. When we arrived at a beach near Rackwick, a small hamlet, I was totally exhausted.

“There have been so many highlights to the challenge but, as a climber, one was kayaking past the Old Man of Hoy, a 137m [450ft] high rock formation in Orkney.

“Michael and I were on the water at 5am to avoid a tidal race later on in the day. The wind was around force three or four and it was quite difficult to paddle, which kept things interesting.

“Initially we had to contend with launching into surf. I lost one of my spare paddles, which Michael retrieved, and he had several maps torn from his deck. Thereafter we relied upon keeping the cliffs to our right and then previously inputted waypoints in the GPS to navigate across Hoy Sound.

“We passed the Old Man of Hoy at around 6.30am and arrived in Stromness in the Orkney Islands two hours later having paddled through low mist.”

The surveyor, who is a member of Banbury Rotary Club, finally made it to the lighthouse at Muckle Flugga, landed on the island and climbed to the top of the structure. He hopes to attempt the ferry section by kayak in the future.

Stuart Walker on the road towards John O'Groats

Stuart Walker on the road towards John O'Groats

Stuart’s travails included having to resort to the doggy paddle across Derwent Water with the realisation that the front crawl and glasses wearing aren’t a good combination. One pair went to join Nessie at the bottom of Loch Ness, along with his shoes, as he floundered in his capsized kayak, watched by monster-spotting tourists.

His truncated venture was completed in 22 days.

“In a way, Loch Ness was a low point; I just assumed it would be the end. Also having to get the first ferry, I knew it would be difficult, but it was all pretty good really,” he said.

Stuart is now in training for the Lakeland 100 race later this month.

Both men have justgiving websites for their charities. Stuart has links to these on his blog while donations can be made to Andrew’s charity on his justgiving site.

Mr Fairbairn is also keen to know if anyone has accomplished the feat before. If he was the first, he’d like to know.

Use the comment box below if you have any knowledge of previous Scilly to Shetland muscle-power trips, or if you can confirm Andrew’s first.

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