A PENARTH woman is set to tackle a mountainous 45mile cross country walk across Wales in one day in aid of charity.

Jo Jones, 42, has spent the last few months training for the ’Across Wales Walk’ challenge and is hoping to complete the route in less than 16 hours.

John Street resident Jo, who will be completing the walk with her friend Kate Wakeling, said she was inspired to take up the challenge after she had to stop running because of injury. She is set to take part in the walk from the English border in Shropshire to the Welsh coast near Aberystwyth on Saturday, September 6.

“We are both absolutely fine about the distance as we have done lots of training for it,” said Jo.

“The only thing we are nervous about is the navigation as it’s not a route that’s marked out, you have got to read the maps yourselves.

“It’s across country and mountains and there are a lot of vague instructions about how to find your way.

“There are five check points and you can do whatever route you want as long as you get through them.

“You could do up to 50miles if the weather was bad.

“We should be fine as long as we don’t get lost.”

She added: “If we don’t keep hydrated and eat enough we could get disorientated and lose the ability to think properly. We don’t want to get lost, so we have been working on getting the right blend of food and drink in.

“The hard thing is eating enough as when you are walking you don’t get hungry.”

The walk, in its 51st year, is organised by Birmingham Rotary Club and has a capacity of around 130 people.

Jo added that one of the toughest parts of the walk would be confronting the Plynlimon mountain, which is the highest point in mid Wales.

She said that in preparation they had been walking up the Brecon Beacons and walking between 25-40 miles a week, with their longest walk 32 miles.

Mum-of-one Jo added: “I am using the walk to raise money for two very worthwhile charities; Wales Air Ambulance and Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND) South Wales branch.

“We are out walking every weekend and we are very aware that should anything happen in some areas that the Wales Air Ambulance is the only way you can get rescued, and they don’t get any government or lottery funding.

“We chose Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND) South Wales branch as well as we are both nurses and work with people that suffer from it.”

The duo are also planning on tackling the Welsh Three Peaks in aid of charity next year too.

Donations can be made at www.virginmoneygiving.com/jojones5