Will completes ‘strange and unique’ end-to-end walk in memory of best friend

A 21-year-old charity walker has completed a 1200-mile trek from Land’s End to John O’Groats in memory of his best friend.

Will Riches tackled the end-to-end route in a “strange and unique way” by dividing it into a series of 45 to 50-hour legs, with each section split up by 24 hours of rest and recovery.

It was, he said, a mental challenge as well as a physical one.

He called the journey Hike for Henry in memory of his best friend Henry Hill, who passed away at 18 from cancer in 2022.

Will, who comes from Norfolk and works as a carpenter, is raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust and more than £7900 has been donated so far on his GoFundMe page.

Will, who turns 22 in August, set off on May 18 with a support vehicle as backup. He made it to John O’Groats on Friday night.

“I’ve done similar stuff before,” he said of the gruelling trip.

“It’s all just about management with food and caffeine and sugar and things like that, and taking the knowledge from what I’ve done in previous challenges and trying to adapt it.

“You get really tired. Twenty-hour hours’ rest is definitely not enough to catch up on sleep and rest the body.

“My body, joints, knees and things like that, are feeling very knackered. And it has not been incredibly restful since, just trying to catch up with people and do a few things.

“When you walk 5000 steps now it feels like 50,000!”

Will is pleased with the response to his fundraising appeal.

“We’ve got a lot of pledges back home and we’re going to host a quiz, so there should be some donations there as well,” he said. The fundraising has done really well.”

Henry was never far from his thoughts during his walk. “It definitely helps you to push along through the nights,” he said.

“It is challenging. You do break down at points because you’re just so tired and exhausted.

“It’s not just a physical challenge – it’s definitely a mental challenge as well.

“It’s definitely a big achievement. “Lots of people have done Land’s End to John O’Groats but it’s just a strange and unique way of doing it.”

Henry’s sister, Liv Hill (23), said: “Words cannot explain how proud I am of Will completing this immense challenge. His physical and mental strength is inspirational and I am so grateful to everyone who has supported him along the way.

“Hen would be so proud.”

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