A RETIRED York vicar and her husband have completed more than 280 miles in their sponsored walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

The Rev Nancy Eckersley, 60, former vicar of Heslington, and her husband John, 68, set off from the Cornish headland at the beginning of April on their 1,200-mile trek, which they hope will raise £45,000 for Christian Aid.

Nancy said they first completed the Cornish coastal path, finding it “tough, but scenic” and then the Devon north coast, which was “scenic, tough, but not quite so much”, and were now almost through Somerset.

She said they had sampled the delights of Cornish pasties, Devon cream teas and Somerset cider, which they saw being fermented first-hand, had been welcomed at churches in Newquay, Bude, Barnstaple and Glastonbury, and had their photograph taken at Wells Cathedral, where their verification form was signed by the head verger.

They had received donations from people ranging from the headmaster of a private boarding school to a group of down and outs, who had a whip round for whatever they could scrape together.

“The idea of walking through England and Scotland for a charity and taking our time about it seems to inspire,” she added.

More information and pictures can be seen at johneckersley.wordpress.com