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Big5 Challenge ends...for now

A team of kayakers from Bedford have finished their epic 1,000 mile paddle from Vancouver Island to Alaska.

It was the fifth and final challenge of a mammoth fundraising effort which has already seen them:

• circumnavigate the Isle of Wight
• Paddle the length of the Thames in blizzards
• Cross the English Channel
• Paddle from Lands End to the Scilly Isles

Click here to see the stunning photos from their final challenge...

Richard Harpham completed all 5 of the challenges and came to speak exclusively to Heart. We asked if he was glad to be back in England, with his television and running hot water?

"Well, I suppose for me, sitting on one of the beaches we stopped at, Pat Creek, which was a bear observatory, we lit the perfect fire. You know, it just shot up and there we were sat enjoying the twilight and mountain ranges with snow, beautiful beach and there was just a real sense on inner peace.

"And I don't think I would trade that for all the televisions in the world. Hot bath would be nice though"

Click here to listen to Andrew Commons' full interview with Richard

They also took this video of a humpback whale, Richard believes it was less than 10 metres from their kayaks! 

The whole trip has taken them about 5 weeks to complete.

They're doing it to raise £25,000 for the Muscular Help Foundation - a charity who provide unforgettable experiences to children and young people in the UK affected by muscular dystrophy.

They've already paddled the length of the River Thames, and gone the whole way around the Isle of Wight.  After that they crossed the Channel before kayaking from Cornwall out to the Scilly Isles.

"At night it'll get down to about minus two, water temperatures going to be about four or five degrees and obviously you've got things like icebergs to look out for too" said team member Richard Harpham.  "There's not really time for a day of as we've only got five weeks to do it.

"This all started back in September with five challenges and this is the fifth and the biggest.  As for whether we're ready, we're physically and mentally ready, but there's lots of stuff still arriving daily.  Things like medical supplies and expedition food."

For more information about the team and their challenges, and for information on how you can sponsor and support them, visit their website: www.big5kayakchallenge.com