Office workers scale new heights by taking on the great outdoors

But while this summer's Traiktrekker event in the stunning Yorkshire Dales national park might have its roots in a training exercise for the Gurkhas, the hundreds of people who have already signed up to help raise an estimated 600,000 for charity are anything but hardened athletes.

One of the latest to enter the Oxfam-organised walk is Lucy Dufton, a 26-year-old personal assistant at Leeds-based finance firm The Private Office.

"This is a new experience for me," she said. "I was quite sporty at school, but that was nearly a decade ago now... I haven't really done anything since.

"I've always been the kind to sponsor other people but not take part myself, so this is a first for me."

Ms Dufton will be taking part in the 62-mile sponsored walk in June alongside seven of her work colleagues.

Last year's inaugural event saw more than 600 participants complete the 100km course, starting and finishing in Skipton and taking an average of 27 hours.

For more information or to sign up, visit oxfam.org.uk/ trailtrekker or yorkshirepost. co.uk/trailtrekker2010.