When one of the trio of End to End founders, Clive Cotton, returned to the Island last week, it was with the determination to again complete the 24.1-mile walk from St. George’s to Dockyard, and when he returned to his native Britain on Tuesday it was with the satisfaction of knowing that his mission had been accomplished.

In fact, Mr. Cotton was the only one of what have now been dubbed “the founding fathers” to do so, and of that he is quietly proud. Fellow founder Paul Rowlerson elected not to undertake the walk, while Jon Borrill completed the middle to end section.

Pointing out that last weekend’s fundraiser was the 20th walk but the 19th anniversary of the original event, Mr. Cotton said he was delighted to see how what had started out as a casual conversation between colleagues and a fairly simple undertaking by approximately 60 walkers in 1988 had not only endured the test of time but also continued to grow and flourish.

“Coming back after all these years and seeing how the End to End has grown in size and sophistication, with all the computerised organisation and websites, is impressive, but at the heart of it it is still very much about volunteers, the people of Bermuda, and a wonderful community spirit — all of which is a great credit to the people who organise the End to End.”

A regular walker in Devon, where he lives, Mr. Cotton said that, in the two months prior to coming here, he had increased both the frequency and distance of his outings, although 12 miles was the longest he had covered. Remembering what Bermuda’s energy-sapping humidity could be like, he said he was very pleased to find that the weather last Saturday was so conducive.

“We were very lucky. It was cloudy for the first couple of miles, then the sun came out but there was lots of breeze, and I drank plenty of water,” he said. “The water stops were wonderful, and the handing out of various snacks, plus all the words of encouragement, were most welcome.”

For part of the route, Mr. Cotton was accompanied by members of his host family, the Bowers of St. David’s, while good friend and former cricketing buddy Julian Sykes joined him at Spittal Pond for the rest of the journey, highlighting points of interest as they went. “This was the first time I have walked 24 miles since the second End to End in 1989, and obviously the years have taken their toll,” the former Bermuda resident and J & H employee said. “I have to say that the last four to five miles were particularly hard, but I was determined to get to the end — hopefully to encourage people who don’t think they are fit enough to do the End to End. You can do it, despite the scepticism of some of my naysayer friends, one of whom I shamed into donating $50 to the End to End charities.

“I never worried about how long the walk would take, I was just delighted to get over the finish line, which Julian and I did around 4.15 p.m.”

Mr. Cotton admitted that the speed and volume of vehicles, particularly heavy trucks, constantly whizzing past the walkers made the going uncomfortable and somewhat unnerving — so much so, in fact, that he wondered if the event might be better held on a Sunday when traffic was lighter.

“The heavy trucks came within inches of me on roads without sidewalks — which was most of the them — and that made it more difficult because I was breathing in carbon monoxide and also looking over my shoulder to see what was coming. Even when facing the oncoming traffic there was always the danger of being biffed by a vehicle, either from the front or the back, but perhaps that is indicative of Bermuda’s burgeoning traffic problem. Equally disturbing was the amount of litter he saw walkers had thrown on the ground along the Railway Trail, despite the KBB representative imploring participants not to do so.

“There were piles and piles of bottles and trash, some of it within a few feet of trash bags,” the founding father said.

“There is no excuse for dumping. Perhaps there were not enough receptacles along the way, but that is still no excuse for not holding on to an empty bottle long enough to find a waste bin. I would never dream of throwing stuff on the ground, and I did think that was a shame.”

Those issues notwithstanding, Mr. Cotton said he was delighted to have returned to the Island to participate in the 20th End to End, and to renew ties with his fellow founders.

“I would like to thank Anne Mello and the End to End committee for inviting me, and for the award they presented me with at the Press reception. It was nice to meet up with Paul and Jon again, whom I haven’t seen or had any contact with for ten years, but I have to admit that, not being a public speaker by nature, I did find speaking at the various functions and media interviews harder than walking 24.1 miles.” So will the man who name will forever be linked to End to End return to do it all again sometime? “I might have hung up my walking boots,” he begins, “but you never know.

As Jon Borrill said to me as we parted, ‘Never say ‘Never’.”

Quite so.