DETERMINED lawyer Charlotte Appleby spent six arduous days trekking along the Great Wall of China to raise £3,200 for the Alzheimer’s Society. Charlotte, who is a licensed conveyancer at Battens Solicitors in Weymouth, covered more than 60 miles in 120,000 steps across mountains, scrubland and farms.

The 32-year-old slept in hotels and farm buildings on the route between the relatively touristy Huangyaguan valley, north east of Beijing, and the much more remote region of Mutianyu. Charlotte, who was part of an official fundraising group, said: “Some of the locals we passed had never seen westerners before and wanted to have their photos taken with us.

“Some bits of the walk were tough and by the end my left ankle was starting to hurt and I had a few blisters on my toes.

“Luckily those were the only issues as I had worn my boots in well.”

The trek was co-ordinated with help from local guides and had the permission of the Chinese authorities.

Charlotte was one of around 50 walkers who took part.

She said: “The ages ranged from 19 to 72 and we varied in ability and fitness.

“Some people were scared of heights which was a concern as the Wall has sheer drops on either side and at times is just ruined or has rough cobbles to walk over. I didn’t realise before how mountainous and undulating it would be.”

Charlotte’s motivation to complete the walk stemmed from the loss of her grandmother Ivy who lived with Alzheimer’s in the later stages of life.

Charlotte added: “It was an overwhelming experience and an emotional rollercoaster but it was brilliant to be doing something for such a worthy cause with a group of like-minded people.

“We gelled really well and overall it looks likes we’ve raised more than £180,000.

“I’m delighted to have beaten my personal target of £3,000 and I’d like to thank my family, friends and colleagues at Battens for their donations and support.”