Mansfield pensioner Anthony Allsop is bidding to set a world record by becoming the oldest man to walk between Land’s End and John O’ Groats, solo and back-packing.

He hopes to walk some of Offa’s Dyke Path, the whole of the West Highland Way and much of the Great Glen Way.
Anthony (75), who has registered his attempt with the Guinness Book of World Records, will also take one of the easiest routes up Ben Nevis.

He said: “Although I won’t be officially representing any particular charity, I will be offering my appreciation to Prostate Cancer Awareness UK, having survived that particular malady.

“In the summer of 1993, I completed a back-packing walk (mostly by road because I only had pages torn from an old AA Motorists Handbook of the UK) from Thurso at the very north of Britain, through John O’ Groats and down through Scotland, England and Wales to Land’s End.

“This time I will endeavour to keep to public footpaths and minor country roads as much as possible.

“I will be tracked by two of my own devices and also intend keeping a day-to-day record of where I stop en route, signed by representatives of those places.”