Former mayor of Dudley digs in to complete mountainous endurance challenge

Dudley alderman and former mayor Steve Waltho completed a 40-mile walk over 19 mountain tops across the Lake District in Cumbria to raise money for the Prostate Cancer fund at New Cross Hospital and the disability charity Access In Dudley, of which he is patron.

The event should have taken place in early March, but severe weather conditions in which he got his car stuck in snow getting to the start meant rescheduling to another date, with the challenge finally beginning on Monday, June 12 and finishing on Friday, June 16 on the top of Hartsop How in the Lake District.

The 67-year-old, who is a prostate cancer survivor himself, said the challenge was a tough one taking in more than 13,000ft of ascent and himself losing half a stone in weight, and hadn't been without its challenges.

He said: "I drove to the Lakes and immediately climbed the first route of three as I had a timeslot of four days to complete the routes.

"That was my first mistake as the high temperature took its toll and I ended up sunburnt, exhausted and dehydrated, returning to my car very slowly at 10pm.

"On the drive back to my digs, I clipped a lay-by kerb and punctured a tyre so, in the darkness of Borrowdale and by sheer luck a tyre wagon on a call-out stopped to help since I had no phone signal.

"My dear wife Jayne was beside herself when I rang at 11.30pm to tell her what had happened - and she demanded I take my one rest day the day after to recover and remember that I'm 67 years of age."

Mr Waltho said there were further dramas with his car and then with the climbs, describing the next two days of climbing as the toughest he'd ever had to encounter, but was pushed on by memories of his friend, Cradley and Wollescote councillor Richard Body.

He said: "The next two days were two of the toughest I've ever encountered and, on the final day, I had to climb two 2,000ft mountains straight up sixty-degree slopes in 30C temperatures.

"My energy just drained and I think I dug as deep as I've ever done as I sat on a rock on Red Screes overlooking the Kirkstone Pass, wondering if I could carry on.

"I thought of the tragic loss of former councillor colleague Richard Body last month, who I nicknamed Iron Man because of his immense resilience on endurance events, and found the inspiration to carry on in his memory."

Mr Waltho said his latest sponsorship total was near £1500 and said he still welcomes anyone who wishes to contribute to his GoFundMe fundraising page.

To find out more, go to gofundme.com/f/access-in-dudley-and-prostate-cancer-research, email him at stevewaltho@hotmail.co.uk or call 07703 308463.