AFTER a night in the pub, two well-known Hexham personalities are preparing to walk 100 miles!

Friends Geoff Cant (48), the newly-appointed general manager of Prudhoe Waterworld after 27 years of service with Hexham’s Wentworth Leisure Centre, and Kirk Barclay (57), a director of BW Electricals, will take in 102 miles to raise funds for local charity Tynedale Hospice at Home.

Starting out at Lindisfarne on Saturday, May 6, the duo will walk the 97-mile St Oswald’s Way to Heavenfield, Wark, and then add an extra five miles on to the journey to finish in their home town of Hexham.

They are looking forward to the challenge, which they agreed to do over a drink.

Geoff said: “We were having a pint at our local one night, and we had an idea that we would like to take on a fund-raising challenge.

“Before we knew it, we were looking at the different options available and that’s when we hit on the idea of the St Oswald’s Way.

“We both love the Northumberland countryside and the coast, and this walk seemed an ideal choice.”

He added: “We’re a bit daunted by the distance but, having longer legs, I’ll only need to take half the steps that Kirk does!”

No strangers to fitness – Kirk was the fitness coach at Tynedale Rugby Club for years and Geoff has worked in the leisure industry for nearly three decades – they have been training hard as they aim to ward off blisters and sore feet over the four-day challenge.

Kirk said: “We will be averaging around 25 miles a day, although some days may be longer than others.

“We’ve booked into local bed and breakfasts and plan to meet up with friends and family along the way, and they’ll join us for some parts of the walk and encourage us along the route.”

Anyone wishing to sponsor the friends for their charity challenge can contact Geoff on 07467 957964.