Participating in the challenge itself is a great opportunity for me to raise awareness and hopefully a substantial amount of money for Coeliacs UK. It is an amazing charity that supports families and sufferers of the disease, their support further continues as they campaign to raise awareness of the disease and provide funding for research.

Many of you will be aware our son Elijah after many years of being poorly was diagnosed 14 months ago. The charity has been a life-line for us and a great source of help, information and support

It's a huge adjustment for sufferers and their families. The slightest crumb of gluten can make sufferers very poorly and set off an autoimmune response in the body so it starts to attack itself...a real challenge!

THE GREAT OUTDOORS CHALLENGE was the brain child of Scottish mountaineer & writer Hamish Brown. In 1979 he conceived the idea of an organised non-competitive annual event that would attract people from all over the world.

At a distance of well over 200 miles and non stop ascents and descents, not to mention Scotlands infamous mountain weather, the challenge can take up to two weeks to complete.

Starting on Friday May 8th 2015 Paul and his walking partner Wayne Palmer will leave the village of Dornie on the west coast heading for Stonehaven on the east coast.... Why? ..."To navigate across one of the most spectacular, awe inspiring wildernesses on the planet and test your metal against the elements"