A Chance To Live
Taking it all in their stride
Thousands of people withstood the sweltering heat to walk an eight-mile route through some of the region's most breathtaking scenery yesterday.
About 4,000 walkers converged on Wolsingham, County Durham, to take part in the British Heart Foundation Great North Walk.
The course afforded walkers of all ages views of some of the area's most magnificent countryside, but more importantly provided them with a focus to keep fit and healthy.
The walk is an integral part of a campaign - A Chance to Live - which is a partnership between The Northern Echo, Wear Valley District Council, Durham Dales Primary Care Trust and Northumbrian Water.
It is designed to promote regular exercise and healthy living - and anybody looking to lose weight on the sun-drenched circuit would certainly have sweated out several pounds.
As the first batch of walkers set off at 10am, the tannoy system played 500 Miles by The Proclaimers, and with the boiling hot weather the trek must have seemed almost that long.
But when the walkers did cross the finishing line to receive their medals, they could bask in the glory of their achievement while also knowing that they were just a little fitter as a result.
"We hope that these few thousand people here, and the year before, and the year before, will be influenced," said Max Coleby, of Wear Valley District Council.
"The main health message is the things we do now will benefit them in ten, 15 years time. It's all about people taking the right lifestyle choices. It's been a brilliant day and it's for a good cause."
Many walkers raised money for various charities in the form of sponsorship, with the British Heart Foundation boasting about 1,000 fundraisers, many wearing distinctive red T-shirts.
The regional director of the Foundation, Tony Doveston, said: "We spend £95 every minute of every day on research, so that shows just how much money we need.
"The joy of today is that people are taking part in exercise. It's gone very well. It's been very successful. The national statistics for heart disease have come out this week and the worst area is Scotland, followed by the North-East and north-west Yorkshire. So we're living in the worst area, but we can do something about it."
One man who was prepared for the scorching conditions was ITV weatherman Bob Johnson, who joined walkers on the route. Drawing on his weather expertise, he came armed with a sun hat, the huge brim of which served the dual purpose of shielding him from the sun and later acting as a fan.
Other walkers stopped to eat picnics while many took in the hills and leafy surroundings. Some even dived into the adjacent River Wear for a refreshing dip after finishing the course.
One of the event organisers was sports marketing company Nova International, which is managed by former Olympic athlete Brendan Foster.
Managing director Dave Newton watched the walkers go by in Wolsingham Recreation Ground, where the event started and finished, and hailed the walk as an event which could be copied throughout the country.
"It's been fantastic," he said. "We can take this template that we've developed here and make it into a national programme. I've been to the last three Great North Walks and I love it."
There was also a shorter, wheel-friendly route for wheelchair users and youngsters, while entertainment was provided in the imposing shape of a Scotsman on stilts and several local music acts.
* Tyne Tees Television will broadcast a 30-minute programme about the walk on Sunday, July 17 at 6pm.
2:30pm Monday 11th July 2005
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