A team of adventurers including a double amputee Paralympian have completed their unique straight line journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
Nick Beighton, who lost both his legs in a roadside bomb explosion in Afghanistan before going on to compete at the London 2012 Paralympics, is the first person to complete the journey up the UK in a straight line using just the power of his arms. Nick was joined by three fellow hardy trekkers on their epic expedition by kayak, bike and foot.
They covered 685miles on their journey – the first of its kind – and completed a record-breaking open sea crossing by kayak with 34 non-stop hours at sea.
The team were delighted to receive a congratulatory phone call from Prince Harry.
He said: “You’ve done a sterling job. I am so glad you’ve enjoyed it and I am really sad I didn’t get to join you. This was a seriously hard and arduous journey.
“You’ve started something that other people can really latch on to and we’re going to make sure we do our best to support it. It’s a huge feat, I am really proud of you all.”
The record breaking team of four, which is supported by Prince Harry’s Endeavour Fund, featured Nick, Tori James, the first Welsh woman to climb Everest, Ian O’Grady, RAF helicopter crewman and founder of the concept, and Adam Harmer an outdoor instructor and lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University.
They tackled the UK’s toughest terrain including scaling the UK’s second highest peak, Ben MacDui in the Cairngorms – to raise money for BLESMA, the limbless veterans charity.
Nick said: “This has been a tough challenge, my body has been blown up and bolted back together again and I know Beeline Britain would test it to its limits.
“For me I wanted to show how life changing injuries don’t limit your ability to tackle epic challenges and I wanted to raise funds for BLESMA who make a hugely positive impact on injured veterans.
“It’s been quite relentless for me. At least with the other guys they had a bit of respite on the bikes.
“On the kayak I was using my upper body and on the bike I was using my upper body.”