A man is taking on a non-stop 140km walk along The Ridgeway National Trail, setting off from Ivinghoe Beacon on June 12.

Alistair Elliott is aiming to raise £150,000 for the Alpine Run Project, a youth development programme helping young people from inner city communities access nature and life changing outdoor experiences.

The walk is in memory of Alistair’s wife, Emma, who passed away in June 2025. Alistair has already raised over £127,000, with every penny raised going directly to the ARP.

To prepare for the challenge, Alistair has logged over one million training steps, a milestone reached in the weeks leading up to the walk.

The Ridgeway is Britain's oldest road, used by people travelling, trading and moving livestock across the country for around 5,000 years. The 87-mile National Trail runs from Ivinghoe Beacon through Oxfordshire and Berkshire before finishing at Overton Hill, near Avebury in Wiltshire.

Alistair will complete the full route without stopping to rest or sleep.

He’ll be joined by John McAvoy, ARP co-founder, professional Ironman triathlete and motivational speaker who will walk alongside Alistair, from Ivinghoe Beacon to Overton Hill.

Alistair said: “140km is a long way to walk without stopping, but the young people in the Alpine Run Project face much harder things every day and they do it with real courage. I wanted to do something that matched that. Emma would have loved this project. The support I've received has been overwhelming and I'm genuinely grateful for every single donation. We're nearly there, but there's still a little way to go, if you haven't yet, please do consider giving.”

John, once one of Britain's most-wanted armed robbers, served ten years in prison before discovering sport, going on to break British and World indoor rowing records while still behind bars. He is now a fully professional Ironman triathlete, Nike-sponsored, published author and a speaker committed to using his story to inspire others to change their lives through sport.

He said: “Sport saved my life. It can do the same for young people who haven't yet had the chance to find out what they're capable of. That's what the Alpine Run Project is about and that's why what Alistair has done matters so much.”

Young people from the ARP will also join Alistair for the final 10km of his walk alongside Alistair’s two sons and other support walkers including wine enthusiast and influencer, Tom Gilbey.

Now in its fourth year, the ARP gives young people aged 16 to 23 from inner-city communities access to trail running, nature and a six-month development programme that culminates at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) in the French Alps - one of the world's most prestigious mountain running events.