Great Wall walk pays off for husband and wife

May 29 2009 by Yonnie McInnes

FOOTSORE and weary - but pleased as punch to have raised thousands for charity.

Linda and Silvio Galli, owners of Renaldos, in Ayr, walked 108km of the Great Wall of China last month raising over £11,500 for the Ayrshire Hospice and £2,581 for Cancer Research.

But the trip nearly didn’t go ahead after Linda’s friend and neighbour, Eileen Frater discovered in January that work commitments, which had unexpectedly cropped up, simply wouldn’t allow her to go.

“We had spent seven months fundraising, tablet making; organising a Treasure Hunt; and a Nuns on the Run up Goat Fell in Arran; an Italian dinner dance when I cooked a four course meal for 80 people; a Race Night; and our most successful fundraiser – which was Eileen’s idea – of a Ski Everest Challenge in Xscape at Braehead,” said Linda.

“On that particular day we raised £2028 for the Ayrshire Hospice, with a further £2581 for Cancer Research.

“When Eileen found out that due to college commitments she would be unable to go on the Trek my husband, Silvio, bravely stepped in her shoes (or boots).

“The company we went with ‘Across the Divide Expeditions’, were supported with a team of local translators, which maximised the opportunity to interact and learn about the local history and culture. “Together, they planned a route that took us beyond the regular tourist trail and onto sections of the wall that had only been seen by a handful of westerners over the last hundred years.

“We met the group of 20, including our doctor, Chris Haley, at Heathrow and were the only ones from Scotland.

“We camped every day of our trek, which was a first for me, and walked everywhere.

“It was only on the last day we got on a bus.

“On the first day we trekked for 20km starting with a two hour steady climb that took us to the first section of the Wall, which hadn't been restored and was quite overgrown with bushes and trees. After lunch we walked through a number of small rural villages to reach our first campsite, with drop toilets and all, in a valley called Tao Chun.

“From the camp at Tao Chun we rejoined the Wall and continued along the Jinshanling section of it for the whole day until we reached the Simatai section.

“This has been restored in parts, but still involved a bit of scrambling to get up some of the higher steps, and plenty of ups and downs.

“We then took a path off the wall and walked towards the Simatai Camp over the hillside.

“Leaving our campsite in Simatai we retraced our steps from the previous day back up to the wall, crossed over the suspension bridge, before beginning a steep section of path which took us up to the 12th Tower, 700 metres up.

“After lunch we came down off the wall into the woods, eventually emerging into a valley where we followed the stepped crop system down into the village of Gangfang, where we set up camp.

“The next morning the children woke us up with their playing.

“They don't have much, but were happy and well cared for, and delighted with the gifts we all brought. We were so impressed and moved by the children that we all made a donation to the school for some much needed sports equipment.

“After leaving the village we made our way along dirt tracks, through small villages until we reached the Wall and walking on it passed 32 towers. Then we descended into a valley, through villages until we made our last camp.

“The last day of trekking took us through forests with occasional views of towers on the Wall. A final descent brought us to our finishing point, the official end of the Wall, which just disappears into a cliff.”

Linda and Silvio then travelled by bus for two hours into Beijing and enjoyed a whistle stop day visiting Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Jingshang Park, and some Hutongs.

“It was an unforgettable experience and we are so grateful, to certain friends and relatives who sponsored us, and to the customers of Renaldos, who have given us so much support.

“Our total, so far, stands at £11,653 for the Hospice and £2,581 for Cancer Research.

“Money is still coming in, and with Gift Aid some more should be added to that total.

“I’d finally like to thank Eileen Frater, for without her love, support, and encouragement, none of this would have been possible.”