Guy and Rubi's Ulti-mutt Cornish Coastal Challenge - GRUCCC

Guy Dunkley, living in Cornwall, with his black Labrador, Rubi, walked over 300 miles along the stunning Cornish coast to raise money for Bowel Cancer UK and The Fire Fighters Charity in tribute to his own diagnosis as well as his friends who have been affected by bowel cancer.

The reason for undertaking this challenge is in recognition of four wonderful people, all who have been affected by bowel cancer. Their journeys have inspired me to undertake this 22-day challenge to raise valuable funds for the two charities that have helped us all through the difficult journey that is fuelled by this horrible disease:

• Kerry B: retired firefighter, ex-colleague and valued friend who sadly died from bowel cancer in January 2018.
• Dave J: next door neighbour, all round top bloke and much-loved friend, who also sadly died in December 2021.
• Angie B: good friend and ex-logistics colleague who I met on the 2021 Land’s End to John O’Groats charity cycle ride, who continues to have treatment.
• Mike N: ex-colleague and much-loved friend who has recently undertaken his second bout of surgery and against all the odds has now returned to work.

In November 2010, I was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer. The surgery went well, and I didn’t need any further treatment.

In 2020 I retired as a firefighter in Oxfordshire and took full advantage of the holiday stamp duty to move to Cornwall. Me and my wife, Rachel have always loved our holidays in the beautiful county. As we moved during covid, we didn’t see much of Cornwall and it was during my Lands End to John O’Groats cycle challenge in 2021, that I came up with the idea of walking the Cornish coastline to raise money for two fantastic charities.

On 29 August, me and my black Labrador Rubi set off on our 302-mile journey from Welcombe, on the North-West border of Devon and Cornwall. We walked anti clockwise with the aim of finishing in Cremyll, on the East coast of Cornwall, just outside of Plymouth. It worked out we were walking around 15 miles per day, not including my rest days that fell during the weekend. It was a quite a challenge – even for a former firefighter! I don’t think I appreciated how hilly it was, the climbs totalled 44,840ft; one and a half times the height of Everest. Suffice to say, I’ve probably seen more of Cornwall coast than the average Cornish person!

Although this was Rubi and my challenge, we were also joined on our journey by some friends, former colleagues, and family members. My father-in-law was brilliant, he was dropping me off and picking me up at various locations every day.

I wore my Bowel Cancer UK t-shirt most days, even Rubi wore a branded bandana – it was a great talking point to passers-by. One family who I got chatting to donated £75 after a two-minute chat. Strangers can be incredibly generous.

We’ve gone beyond our £5,000 target, and so far raised £5,321 for the two charities. I’ve done a few challenges for Bowel Cancer UK now and raised over £50,000 in total – think I’ve earnt a rest!

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