Adventures in fundraising: Columbus trio hikes across England to boost Columbus youth

As three Columbus residents began a coast-to-coast hike across England, they found themselves whipped by unusually strong winds mixed with exceptionally cold temperatures.

For Walter Glover, Ed Eckerly and Vivian Eckerly, it seemed an ominous start to the second annual Foundation For Youth international adventure.

But when the trek concluded eight days after it began, the three Columbus residents were grateful for the cooperative weather they encountered during the remainder of their journey.

It’s not usually that way. The area is known to have the highest average rainfall in all of Great Britain, Ed Eckerly said.

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“It was an unprecedented gift to have no rain from one coast to the other coast,” Glover said in his online journal.

Officially called the Foundation for Youth Expedition England Coast to Coast, the trip raised money for scholarships for youth who otherwise might not be able to participate in FFY wellness and athletic programs.

Preparation

Compared to the 17,000-foot Peruvian mountain Glover climbed during last year’s FFY expedition, this trip — known as the Lakes District Walk — might seem more tame.

Rather than attempting the entire 192-mile distance on foot, the trio did occasionally use vehicular transportation that would link them to specific segments of the walk.

But after climbing some of the highest mountains in the world over the past 11 years, Glover — a retired hospital chaplain — acknowledged in his online journal that he isn’t as young as he used to be.

“Having turned 70 last February, I confess my days of sleeping in tents and technical climbs in all sorts of mountaineering gear on perilous, high peaks and crazy weather are behind me,” Glover wrote.

But age was never his greatest concern. An even more significant challenge were the consequences he encountered each day after crashing his bicycle and suffering multiple injuries just over a year ago.

The road back to recovery, which began with four months of rehabilitation and home confinement, was painful and exceptionally difficult, he said.

But Glover kept working step-by-step each day to regain his strength and agility, Ed Eckerly said.

“When people who have a history of strenuous physical activity suffer a setback, they are generally determined to get back into shape as soon as they can,” Eckerly said. “Wally was pushing himself, but never in a foolish way.”

Just prior to his departure for England, Glover’s exercise regimen had taken him from months of being homebound with a fractured hip and a walker to climbing up and down the Mill Race Park observation tower five times during a single outing.

Challenges

As members of an 11-person group with three hired guides, the trio from Columbus began their cross-country journey at St. Bees, located on the coast of the Irish Sea, about 126 miles north of Liverpool.

After spending their first night in a bed-and-breakfast, the trio enjoyed sunshine and mild conditions when they resumed their eastern journey the following morning.

But then, the group encountered a 1,500-foot hill on their second day that locals called Roseberry Topping, Eckerly said. In comparison, the tallest summit in Brown County is 1,059 feet tall.

To make the effort more challenging, the steep ascent was uneven, with rocky terrain that provided nothing to hold onto, Glover wrote.

While the entire group made it to the top without incident, they would later face the task of climbing two such hills in one day.

“Lost some of my Vroom today,” Glover wrote after the duo hill climb. “I was slow; steady though.”

Their guides referred to each hill as a Wainwright, named after travel author Alfred Wainwright who made the walk across three national parks world-famous in a 1987 book, Glover said.

While the trio from Columbus could see the hills while approaching them, other challenges encountered while crossing the Yorkshire Dales, the Vale of York and the North York Moors were unexpected.

For example, Glover jokingly wrote about stepping into a “deceptively deep inky black bog” that was “so deep, my boot touched Asia.”

Joys

But there were many more positive experiences than bad on the trip. For example, there was a moment of pride when the trio learned the steamship they had just boarded to cross a lake was powered by diesel engines manufactured by Cummins, Inc., headquartered 3,800 miles away in their hometown.

Whenever expedition members made stops to rest and eat, they found the hospitality extended to them by the rural Brits to be extraordinary, Glover wrote.

As the trio enjoyed fresh meals prepared by inns, farmhouses and pubs they came across, Glover said he developed a special fondness for Eccles Cakes, a traditional English pastry mixed with dried fruit and butter that is often topped with light brown sugar.

Pleasant surprises also came from within the 11-member group. For example, the hikers had the opportunity to hear about the experiences of a 30-year-old female guide who once swam the English Channel, Glover wrote.

Later, the Eckerlys and Glover did temporarily part company to visit respective friends in other areas of Europe before their reunion in London, where the trio enjoyed some sightseeing before returning to Indiana.

Success

The final leg of the coast-to-coast journey was through a forest with waterfalls, tree canopies and even a cave used by monks for rituals in the late 18th century.

The group completed their journey after crossing rocky cliffs and descending to the beaches of the North Sea. The trip was completed May 18 near the coastal town of Robin Hood’s Bay.

That date held special significance for Glover. He realized he had successfully completed the challenging walk exactly one year to the day after his debilitating bicycle accident back home.

Glover said he tried to keep his emotions in check that evening, but that became a struggle after receiving a phone call from his son, Columbus attorney Dominic Glover, while alone in his hotel room.

“It wasn’t until we hung up that the flood of tears came,” Glover said. “What a year it had been.”

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While the Foundation for Youth Expedition England Coast to Coast is now history, residents are still being encouraged to make contributions.   

The fundraiser fell short of its goal of raising $10,000 for scholarships for youth who otherwise might not be able to participate in FFY wellness and athletic programs.

Since the hikers paid all their own bills, all money raised will go toward helping kids in Columbus.      

Contributions may be mailed to: Foundation for Youth, 405 Hope Avenue, Columbus, IN, 47201. Attention: Karina Willats.

Checks should be marked to Walter 2Trek4Kids Scholarships.

Donations may also be made online at foundationforyouth.salsalabs.org/trek4kids2018

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The Lake District Walk across northern England is ranked 36th among the world’s Top 100 walks by the Walkopedia website.  

Five of the Top 100 are located here in the United States. They are:

  1. Grand Canyon, Arizona, fourth
  2. Canyonlands National Park, Utah, sixth
  3. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, tied for 75th
  4. Odessa Lake, Colorado, tied for 75th place
  5. Wind River Mountains, Wyoming, tied for 75th place

Each walk is ranked in terms of beauty, natural interest, human interest and charisma.    

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