Monday 3 October 2016 16:13, UK
Sky Sports Darts presenter Dave Clark and Sky Sports Head of Formula 1 Martin Turner have raised over £120,000 for Parkinson's UK after completing their 200-mile coast-to-coast walk.
Clark and Turner started their gruelling 13-day journey at St Bees on the Cumbrian coast and climbed higher than the height of Mount Everest as they reached the finish point of Robin Hood's Bay on the Yorkshire coast.
They were joined by over 100 people on the way, including Sky Sports colleagues Wayne Mardle, Miles Harrison, Dewi Morris, Alex Payne, along with former world darts champion Dennis Priestley, darts announcer John McDonald and Ireland rugby international Paul Wallace.
Clark has battled Parkinson's for nearly six years and admits the physically demanding trek was a "life-changing" experience.
"It was a much harder challenge than I thought," he told Sky Sports. "The tide of positivity that followed us as we crossed England was incredible.
I wanted to prove that having a diagnosis of Parkinson's isn't the end. You can still lead a very active and positive life.
"I walked into the sea at Robin Hood's Bay and definitely had a tear in my eye. I almost wanted to get my boots back on and go back the other way.
"You just escape everything, it's a very simple life. You get your boots and rucksack on and just walk and walk and walk - it was a life-changing experience.
"I wanted to prove that having a diagnosis of Parkinson's isn't the end. You can still lead a very active and positive life. Walking 200 miles just proves that."
From the first step until the last, Clark and Turner received constant support, including donations from unexpected well wishers.
Clark said: "We were in the middle of nowhere and this farmer suddenly turned up on his quad bike with a sheepdog. He said: "Are you Dave Clark? Then handed me £10, which was lovely."
Sky Sports Darts pundit Mardle is more used to stepping up to the oche than steep hill walking, and admits he was pushed to the limit when he joined for a 25-mile two-leg stretch.
I was watching Dave and thinking 'I don't know how you do it?'
He said: "There were points where I was thinking 'one wrong move and you're a goner!' You think I'm joking, but some of the gradients are absolutely outrageous. You're more or less on your hands and knees, climbing rocks.
"I was watching Dave and thinking 'I don't know how you do it!'"
