The group from the Rotary Club of Corby Phoenix hiked the tricky Pennine Way route to raise more than £4,000 for the Parkinson's Society which funds research into the disease.

One of the walkers, Mel Jarvis said: "Sponsorship and pledges have been coming in from many sources – family, friends, colleagues and business associates. Even the owners of two of the bed and breakfasts we stayed at during the walk made contributions as did a complete stranger at the end."

The four left Edale in Derbyshire at the end of May and spent 17 days walking the 270 miles north across the border into Scotland.

The route, known as the Pennine Way, is an arduous trail with daily legs from 12.5 miles up to a peak of 23 miles walked on a very wet day along part of Hadrian's Wall.

Sadly for Mel, that was his last day of the walk. He developed painful shin splints caused by micro fractures of the shin bone. The only way to reduce the swelling and inflammation caused by the condition is to rest, so Mel was forced to put his feet up.

"I still managed 224 miles," he said, "and I'll be back to complete the rest as soon as possible."

Mel went ahead each day to the next accommodation and provided support and, more importantly, made certain there was always a glass of well-deserved beer available.

The three who completed the walk, John Baldwin, John Dixon and Joe Grün, were awarded their official Pennine Way certificates at the Border Hotel at Kirk Yetholm, the designated finish point for the walk.

Besides the need for some rest after the trip home, the only thing left for the four is to collect the sums pledged and send it to the charity.