CRICKET legend Sir Ian 'Beefy' Botham - now known as Baron Botham of Ravensworth after he was elevated to the peerage by Boris Johnson in August - is also well-known for his charity walks which have taken him all over the British Isles.

Baron Botham made his maiden speech in the House of Lords this month, so to celebrate we delved into our archives to bring you a story from 2003 when he came to South Wales to stage a walk to help raise funds for the Children’s Hospital for Wales.

He set out from Chepstow on October 3 and over the following nine days trekked 210-miles throughout south east Wales ending in Newport on October 11.

And the South Wales Argus was there to capture the crowds of walkers who were with him as he finished the walk in Newport city centre.

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Here’s the route he took:

  • Day one: Chepstow to Monmouth, passing through Tintern;
  • Day two: Monmouth - Abergavenny, passing through Usk and Raglan;
  • Day three: Abergavenny to Ebbw Vale, passing through Pontypool, Abersychan, Blaenavon and Brynmawr;
  • Day four: Ebbw Vale to Merthyr Tydfil, passing through Tredegar, Rhymney, New Tredegar, Bargoed, Gelligaer, Treharris, Merthyr Vale, Aberfan, Troedyrhiw and Pentrebach;

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  • Day five: Merthyr Tydfil to Rhondda Heritage Park, passing though Aberdare, Mountain Ash, Abercynon, Cilfynydd and Pontypridd;
  • Day six: Rhondda Heritage Park to Pontyclun, passing through Porth, Trealaw, Treorchy, Tonypandy, Tonyrefail, and Llanharan;
  • Day seven: Pontyclun to Caerphilly, passing though Miskin, Radyr, Morganstown, Taffs Well, Tonteg, Pontypridd, Rhydyfelin and Nantgarw;
  • Day eight: Caerphilly to Cwmbran, passing through Llanbradach, Ystrad Mynach, Blackwood, Newbridge, Crumlin, Pontypool and Griffithstown;
  • Day nine: Cwmbran to Newport, passing through Ponthir and Caerleon.

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