GORGE WALKING

The challenge of Welsh Guards 100 is to complete 100 marathons across Wales and countries in which the Welsh Guards have fought and served within the centenary year.

When we think of marathons, we imagine something like the London marathon, with thousands of runners covering the set distance of 26.2 miles on foot. The cycling distance is for a marathon 112 miles.

It would make for a rather dull challenge however, if it only consisted of running and cycling, and the diversity of events organised for WG100 has been impressive.

One of the more unusual trials that 26 members of the Regiment undertook was what is known as gorge walking, but that hardly describes the variety of activity involved. This all took place at the Pontneddfechan Gorge near Neath at the end of June and involved waterfall jumps and climbing, scrambling, climbing, boulder hopping, cave exploring and struggling through raging rapids, at the end of which each member of the team had covered at least a mile to make a cumulative total of the requisite 26 miles.

This definitely seems to have been one of the most enjoyable challenges undertaken so far – there are definitely more genuine smiles visible in the photos.