Friendship and past experiences have driven three charitable trekkers to strap on their walking boots and stride toward an ambitious fundraising total in aid of the Nepal Earthquake Relief effort.

Philip Marns from Littlebury Green and Nick Cross from Saffron Walden, along with fellow trekker Keith Duncan from Bishop’s Stortford, have visited Nepal several times over the years and still have friends there now.

And so on Saturday (May 16), the men walked 18 miles from Royston in Hertfordshire to Linton in Cambridgeshire with an enormous £2,000 fundraising total in their sights.

Property manager Philip Marns said the event has been a success, raising £1,200 already as well as being a positive experience for the group.

“We had perfect weather and got there in about seven hours – it was good fun, a great day out with some friends. Though it is important to remember why you’re raising the money.

“The people of Nepal are great and that’s what prompted me to do this.

“I have friends out there - some of the people I met when I’ve been trekking or doing touristy things. Also a couple of families I stayed with, I gather their villages were absolutely devastated.”

Mr Marns says he has been extremely saddened by the news from Nepal, and that he and his friends felt a responsibility to take some action on the country’s behalf.

“I was last there in 2002 and the valley to the north was the third most popular trekking area; now most of that settlement has been destroyed. The whole valley is uninhabitable, end to end.

“We haven’t got anything else planned at the moment but, if anything more happens and they need more help, then we will do more.”

Anyone who would like to help the mini trek hit its target can visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/minitrekfornepal.