“I wanted to do something to mark my 70th year” says Kevin Mansell, who turns 69 on the 10th of August, ‘so I decided to hike to the highest elevation (or County Tops) in each of the 70 counties and paddle 10 nautical miles, and to do this in 70 days.”
Kevin first dreamt up his complex challenge during lockdown, “It seemed like we wouldn’t be able to travel around the world for a while so I thought something like this would be a nice adventure closer to home.”
“Wikipedia told me there are 70 counties, in England and Wales (48 ceremonial in England and 22 in Wales)” he says, “There are different ways of classifying them but I’m using this one: It’s my game, so my rules.” He says with a smile.
Kevin is a seasoned kayaker, hill walker and outdoors enthusiast and is no stranger to setting himself challenges. “I’ve kayaked for over 50 weeks in the Arctic in Greenland and Alaska” he tells me, “and a few years ago when I retired, someone told me as a ex teacher a good thing to do was to go away at the start of the autumn term, so while everyone else was starting work, I was taking my new bike on the ferry to cycle from St Malo to Spain, I’d never done any cycling but I really enjoyed it and raised money for a local charity”.
For his latest challenge, Kevin was keen to raise money for Fanconi Hope because two of his nephews, Marcus and Toby were born with FA and died aged 38 and 40. “I saw what they went through at different times in their lives, and I want to raise money to help other families and fund FA research” he says.
“Setting up the fundraising part has been the easiest bit so far” he tells us, “For the trip, I’ve had to think carefully about the most efficient way to do things. I’ll be starting 35 days before my birthday outside Toby’s old house in Cornwall, then moving up the country. I’ve planned one day off for my birthday and will continue for 35 days after, when I’ll end on Snowdon on September the 14th.”
Kevin admits that it takes time to plan a trip like this, “I’ve got a spreadsheet with each day, whether I’m walking or paddling, in which county and where I’m staying. I’ll do the walking or the paddling in the morning, then the driving, so I’m ready for an early start again the next day. There’s some flexibility in the plan, but not much and there are days when I need to be in a certain place. For example, Mickle Fell, the highest point in County Durham, is in the middle of a firing range so I’ve had to get permission from the Department of Defence.”
I ask Kevin what his advice would be for some thinking about inventing a challenge for themselves. “Have a bit of vision and think about where you’d like to go, or what you’d like to do – It doesn’t have to be objectively difficult or on the other side of the world!” he says, “I’ve never been someone who likes to be led, so doing something like this works well for me, I can make up my own rules, enjoy my challenge and do a bit of good along the way.”
Is there a challenge you’ve been thinking of setting yourself? Perhaps you could raise money for Fanconi Hope as well. No challenge is too big, too small or too complicated!