By Andy Compton:
A Kington woman is hoping its third time lucky as she finally packs for an epic challenge on the Inca Trail in the Peruvian Andes- after it has been cancelled three times because of Covid.
Elly Ingram will be leaving Herefordshire for South America after waiting almost three years to undertake the fundraising trip for Water Aid.
She has already packed some things like a woolly hat, coat and sleeping bag but she still can’t believe it is finally happening. The five day trek will go up to 4,200 metres above sea level.
“I still keep thinking it is going to be cancelled again but no, this time we have received the flight details. I am a bit nervous but I am more confident than when I first started because I have done more than two and a half years of training.
“I have kept up my training but you still won’t know what the altitude will do to you and that is my biggest worry.”
Massage therapist and dance teacher Elly has raised about £3,300 of the £4,000 she needs and will carry on raising money when she returns, if necessary.
The 37 year-old, who last year completed a virtual Inca Trail challenge, said: “I am doing this challenge to raise £4,000 for Water Aid because I think a lot of people take for granted our access to clean water here and reading some of the stories about people walking miles to water sources makes me realise how lucky we are.
“We are so lucky that we have clean water at the turn of a tap in the UK. Some people don’t have it at all, they may have to walk miles to a water source every day, which may not even be clean.
“The charity is aiming to provide clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to everyone, everywhere within a generation.
“I wanted to challenge myself with something out of my comfort zone, that felt a bit scary for me!”
She decided on the trek as a New Year’s Resolution and signed up before she could change her mind.
Elly, who will be with a group of strangers and a tour guide for the challenge, has been walking around town and up and down Hergest Ridge. Upon her return she will do a presentation for Kington Lions Club which gave her a donation following a jumble sale.
The former Lady Hawkins School pupil is no stranger to fundraising as she did the London Marathon in 2011 and raised £1,600 for Golfal, a Welsh mental health charity.
To support Elly and Water Aid people can visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/elly-ingram-trek.
