Dad inspires mountain man on big adventure
ACHARITY mountaineer is in the middle of a lengthy adventure as he hikes his way across 750 miles of the Pyrenees.
Patrick Davies, 54, of Macclesfield, will spend two months on his journey through the mountain range, which is on the French-Spanish border.
During the trek he will climb the equivalent of Mount Everest six times which represents around 174,000ft of ascent.
It is to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research, a cause close to Patrick’s heart as his dad Roy, 80, was diagnosed with the disease five years ago.
Speaking from France, Patrick, who lives off Bollinbrook Road, said: “It has been tough going, climbing an average of 1,000m a day, but it has been spectacular.
“I’m very much a people person but I’ve not found it lonely because in such beautiful scenery there’s always something distracting you.
“And you meet quite a few people doing the same thing.
“It’s nice when you bump into people more than once and you can swap stories and share tips.”
Last year Patrick walked 1,400 miles across Britain to raise £30,000 for the charity and by the halfway point of this trip the total round stood at around £3,000.
He set off from Biarritz, on the Atlantic coast, in late August and plans to arrive in and ending in Barcelona, on the Mediterranean,
in late October.
After a day’s hiking he either camps or stays in a dorm.
Patrick worked as a diplomat for 20 years, with the job taking him to locations such as the USA, Iran and Morocco.
But he returned to Cheshire in 2020 at the start of the Covid pandemic to help look after his dad.
Patrick said: “My dad is doing pretty well overall although, as time goes on, he’s much more confused and increasingly reliant on help and support for everyday tasks.
“Dementia is a cruel and unforgiving disease which irreversibly changes the lives of those affected by the illness and all those around them
“Seeing the affects of Alzheimer’s close up has driven me to want to do everything I can to support those fighting to find better treatments and ultimately a cure - so others don’t have to face the disease in future.”
To donate visit www. justgiving.com/fundraising/patrick-davies11.
“In such beautiful scenery there’s always something distracting you.”