Welcome to the Great Wall Venture!                                                                                

In August 2008 I plan to undertake the mammoth task of walking the length of the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall spans the whole of China, and in its entirety is 3,948 miles long, or 6,352 kilometres. Walking 6 days a week at a steady rate means that this task will take approximately six months to accomplish; a task I am determined to complete. In addition to satiating my own ambition and succeeding in a personal challenge I will also be raising money for Diabetes U.K, this disease directly affects myself and my family as my father was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Whilst travelling across china last summer, following the old Silk Route, traversed a section of the Great Wall. It was whilst doing this that the notion of whether it would be possible to walk its entire length dawned on me. Upon arriving home I began to research the wall and those who had reported to have walked it all. I discovered that not only was this feat possible but very few people have attempted it and of those even fewer succeeded.

My father is a passionate and energetic man, an enthusiastic sailor and traveller, and diabetes threatens to limit these passions in his remaining life. My father has always inspired me attain my goals, and that any dream is possible if you persevere. It is this attitude that has inspired me to undertake this epic task and to raise money for Diabetes U.K, a charity which undertakes to research the cause, treatment and potential cure of this debilitating disease as well as increasing awareness of it. I hope that my expedition will in its way further raise this awareness as well as providing funds for this vital research.

Additionally exercise is a major concern for those suffering from diabetes, and I am hoping that this expedition will demonstrate that an activity we take for granted, such as walking, is as viable form an exercise as any.

Succeeding in this task will assure that I am the first British solo traveller to have ever trekked the wall in its entirety, in addition to being the youngest person to have traversed its length.  This will be a gruelling task, I will be spending 6 months by myself walking nearly 25 miles everyday, but I am doing this walk for my father as much as myself and to prove to everyone that you can accomplish anything if you set your mind to it.

I have set up this website to not only to allow you to follow my progress whilst I am out there via my 'Travel Blog' , but also to ask you for your assistance, via sponsorship or simply spreading the word, owing to the considerable cost of this endeavour, I will be grateful for any assistance you can give.

Hugo Metcalfe