A LUDGERSHALL man will experience an adventure of a lifetime during a charity pilgrimage of more than 1,000 miles from Winchester to the north-west Spanish coast.

Matthew Horsfield, 21, will trek to Santiago di Compostela while trying to raise as much money as possible through sponsorship for Help For Heroes.

His destination is said to be the last resting place of St James, a disciple of Jesus.

Matthew will be setting off from Winchester Cathedral on March 31, heading to Portsmouth for a ferry crossing to Cherbourg in France.

From there he will walk via Mont-Saint-Michel, Bordeaux, across the Pyrenees into Spain to head to Pamplona before eventually arriving at Santiago.

It is estimated that it will take Matthew about four months to complete the trek, in which time he will celebrate his 22nd birthday.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge and the adventures as well as all the people I’ll meet along the way,” said Matthew, who wants to follow his father’s footsteps and join the Army.

“I’m really keen to begin the journey and raise money for Help For Heroes as it’s such a good charity.

“Plus it’s connected to me as I want to join the Army and I’m currently a civilian instructor at the DLO Andover with the Air Training Corps.

“It keeps dawning on me just what I’m about to do, but I can’t wait to get going.”

Throughout his adventure Matthew will be regularly updating a travel blog at horseyswalkabout.wordpress.com.

Help for Heroes provides practical direct support to servicemen and women wounded in the line of duty in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

If anyone wishes to sponsor Matthew for his trek, visit justgiving.com/horseyswalkabout.