TWO hikers are getting their walking boots on to raise cash for charity by completing the whole of the Pennine Way.

Chris Gordon, of North Nibley, and his walking partner George Campbell, of Nailsea, are getting ready to walk the 272 miles of the Pennine Way, which takes you from the Peak District in Sheffield to Kirk Yeltholm in Scotland.

Every step of the way the pair will be focused on their goal of raising £10,000 for a small charity called Wonder Years Centre of Excellence, which is helping families in The Gambia to set up a prosperous community with schools, healthcare and jobs.

Chris, who organises the annual North Nibley Music Festival, heard about the charity just nine months ago after meeting one of the founders.

He said: "I was really impressed by the charity because it was set up by a couple who just really want to make a difference.

"The whole idea is to help people help themselves instead of just sending over food and aid."

So far the charity has built a school and given the community the tools to create a bee farm, which allows them to sell handmade candles and honey.

Chris, a father-of-two who runs his own management consultancy firm, is now in training most weekends going for long hikes.

"Really it is more than just a physical challenge, it is actually your feet that are most likely to suffer. It is going to be a mental challenge to get myself up every morning and push myself on, especially if we have bad weather."

The pair are hoping to complete the journey in 12 days and will be camping at every stage instead of dropping into the odd bed and breakfast.

Chris, 41, said: "The Pennine Way is generally regarded as the toughest and most challenging long distance walk in Britain. I’ve done the Three Peaks Challenge a couple of times, and growing up in The Lake District I’ve always loved hiking but I know this will be far harder than anything I’ve done before.

"The primary reason is the sheer distance, but also because we plan to do it in under 12 days when the standard completion time for anybody daft enough to do it in one go is about three weeks."

The walk gradually takes them up 40,000 feet, staggering in comparison to Mount Everest, which is 29,280 feet and while the trail can be breathtaking many parts can be bleak, with difficult walking conditions.

To support Chris and George and donate to the Wonder Years Centre of Excellence log on to www.justgiving.com/chrisgordon1