A fundraising legend and an RAF hero are preparing for their next exploit, as they team up to go castle to castle across Wales to raise money and awareness for Cancer Research UK, SSAFA, the armed forces charity, St David's Hospice Care and Brecon Corries.

Brecon man Des Lally is renowned in the area for his fundraising efforts, which saw him appointed with a British Empire Medal in 2022. He’s joining his friend Barry Jones, who has been with the RAF for 24 years.

They will cover over 170 miles and ascend 9,300 feet in the mountains as they walk from Conwy Castle to Cardiff Castle via Yr Wyddfa, Cadair Idris and Pen y Fan - a route known as their Castle2Castle walk.

Mr Lally said: “Barry contacted me back in May and asked if I fancied a coffee as he had an idea about raising some funds and awareness for some great causes. His idea was to walk from Conwy Castle to Cardiff Castle. I suggested why don’t we climb Yr Wyddfa, Cadair Idris and Pen y Fan on the way down just to put the icing on the cake and make it a real challenge, and the rest is history.”

The organisations chosen are close to their hearts. “We have personal connections with them all. We wanted two local ones, St David’s Hospice Care and Brecon Corries AFC and two national ones, Cancer Research UK and SSAFA the Armed Forces Charity.”

They start their walk on September 23, though they’re unsure when they will finish. “There are a lot of variables - the main one being the weather which will impact that date. All we know is we have to be finished by the following Monday as Barry has to be back in work.”

Many people have come together to show their support for the pair.

Mr Lally said: “We’ve got a support vehicle which has been kindly provided by Ian Norman of The Grill King and is being driven by Paul Keddle who has amazingly taken a week off work and time away from his family to help us out not only with whatever we need along the way, but also providing us with moral support and keeping our spirits high with his humour and bundles of energy.”

You can support their course by visiting their donation page: https://www.givewheel.com/fundraising/4803/castle2castle