Ledbury’s marathon mayor says trekking to one of the wonders of the world “exceeded even my greatest expectations”.
Phillip Howells, who is also close to achieving his long-held goal of running 333 marathons, completed a three-day trek to Machu Picchu in Peru.
The trip was not only the fulfilment of a life-long ambition for the intrepid 75-year-old, but is raising thousands of pounds for education charity COCO (Comrades of Children Overseas).
“The magic of my successful trek exceeded even my greatest expectations - and challenged me every bit to my physical limits,” said Cllr Howells.
“We were doing it the hard, but infinitely more satisfying, way. Arriving at 3,350m (10,990 ft) to the historic Cusco city of 0.5m inhabitants with houses sprawled all around on steep hillsides, we were at the heart of the ancient Inca empire we had come to explore.”
READ MORE: Mayor of Ledbury to tackle epic walk to one of the wonders of the world
After three days’ trekking at high altitude, the big day arrived.
'One of the most rewarding experiences of my life'
“A Machu Picchu train journey deposited us at the bottom of the famed 3,000 step, 13km trek up to the Machu Picchu mountain,” said Cllr Howells. “Some seven hours later after a fab and scenic trek through other Inca ruins and sub-tropical glory, we saw up ahead the literally sun-soaked entrance to the Sun Gate.
“Once up and through it there before and panoramically below was, almost unbelievably and at last, our destination and the first glimpse of the immeasurably beautiful Machu Picchu. A vista never ever to be forgotten in my life.
“A stunning descent of about 1km bought us into the ruins and the iconic picture-book photo ops. Just one of the most rewarding experiences of my already full and rich life to finally arrive in Machu Picchu at sunset.
“All other visitors had left to reveal the lovely, lonely drama of the site in all its deservedly reputed magnificence. It made all the effort so worthwhile.”
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Cllr Howells, who needs less than £200 to reach his £3,500 fundraising target, said his long flight home was “bathed in the satisfaction, knowledge and humility of having achieved the rare and genuinely moving lifetime memory that is Machu Picchu”.
You can still support his efforts at https://coco.enthuse.com/pf/phillip-howells
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