From the Himalayas to the Pyrenees: Paul Hopcroft’s GR10 Challenge
Supporter Paul Hopcroft is taking on the challenge of a lifetime to raise vital funds for The Gurkha Welfare Trust.
On 16th August 2025, Paul Hopcroft will be heading to the Atlantic Town of Hendaye where he will embark on the gruelling GR10 challenge. With his passion for Nepal and a family connection to the Gurkhas – his nephew being an officer in the Gurkha Signals – Paul has chosen to raise money for The Gurkha Welfare Trust through this epic endeavour.
Paul’s Nephew Harry with his Gurkha Regiment on duty at Buckingham Palace last year.
A Lifetime of Adventure
Paul is no stranger to adventure, having travelled extensively through the years.
“Jungle trekking in Thailand and Cambodia, a long trip by boat on the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, I rode my pushbike from London to what was Yugoslavia in 1985, long before Carbon Fibre was even a thing. A few island-hopping trips around Greece, a ski season in Austria, a train journey the length of India, plus plenty of short breaks in and around Europe, three years living in New York.”
However a trip to Nepal stands out above all others for Paul.
“In 1997 I spent 4 months in Nepal and India, the Nepal section of that trip was spent hiking in the Himalayas. Me and an old buddy of mine hiked the Annapurna Circuit, it was fantastic, some of the happiest days of my life, and prompted a love of Nepal that has not left me.”
The Next Great Challenge: The GR10
In his retirement, his thirst for adventure has far from diminished. Paul has now settled in a village in the south of France, overlooked by the Pyrenees. Part of his retirement plan was to do some hiking up there; then he discovered the GR10! The GR10 is a famous long-distance hiking trail that crossed the entire length of the French Pyrenees. It is renowned for being a challenging adventure that takes walkers from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. The trail stretches approximately 850 – 950 km with challenging hill climbs, totalling around 50,000 to 55,000 meters (over 164,000 feet) in elevation change.
Training for the Pyrenees
Paul has been training for the last six months. “I have ramped things up the last 3 months, 3-4 hour hikes with my rucksack, these hikes are 2-3 per week, and on days I’m not hiking there’s a 45 minute hill run I do. The hardest thing is coping with the heat.”
During the trek, as well as carrying his tent and walking kit, he plans to carry 2-3 days of dehydrated meals, and as much water as he can. “I’ve a tiny GAZ stove and cook set, dried coffee sachets and rehydration tablets. Also there’ll be nice mountain villages to stop and eat, and shops to restock from.”
We wish Paul the best of luck on his latest adventure!