NAOMI House is delighted by the strong take-up for its Clarendon Way Walk on May 31.

So far around 600 people have signed up to take part, treble the usual number of 200.

The 26-mile walk, now in its ninth year, has traditionally begun at Winchester Cathedral and ended at Salisbury Cathedral but this year the charity has decided to reverse the route.

Nicole Denison, events fundraiser for Naomi House, said: “We are absolutely gobsmacked by the response to this year’s Clarendon Way Walk. Nearly 600 people have committed to take on the event. This means we are three months ahead of where we were at this time last year.

The walk is the hospice’s largest annual fundraiser and regularly brings in more than £100,000.

The 26 mile walk starts at 8am and most walkers should expect to arrive in Winchester around nine hours later.

For those who don’t feel up to taking on the full 26 mile challenge, a 14 mile walk is available from Broughton to Winchester.

Among those taking part this year is Naomi House nurse, Shirley Mumford, from Chilbolton. Shirley commented: “I intend to walk the Clarendon Way again this year and this will be my sixth consecutive year. The 26 mile walk is a significant distance over a variety of different terrains, but during the walk I am amply supplied with different views, the comradeship of other walkers, the encouragement of the marshals, the pit stops for snacks and fluids and the elation of seeing the spire of the cathedral at the end. I am a member of the clinical team and witness daily, the value of the services that we aim to deliver to children, young adults and their families.”