Now you have the opportunity to make a difference – get your hiking boots on and prepare yourselves for an experience of a lifetime.

The Rotary Clubs of Newtown and Llanidloes have joined together to resurrect what was previously known as the Across Wales Charity Walk, to help raise money for a host of local charities.

And here at the County Times, a group of us are putting our leg foot forward to be among the first applicants that pen our names to one of Britain's most famous walks.

The 42-mile trek starts in Glandyfi on the River Dyfi estuary near Machynlleth at 4am on Saturday, June 21, and crosses through the picturesque hills and valleys to Staylittle, near Llanidloes, Llandinam and the Devil's Elbow, near Newtown, before finally reaching its finishing point, the Anchor on the English border near Kerry.

Those who have read up to this point and thought, 'thanks, but no thanks', will be pleased to know that you can reduce the walk to 26 miles by starting at Staylittle, those starting at Llandinam face a 16-mile hike and those starting at Devil's Elbow can enjoy a pleasant eight-mile stroll to the finish.

Coaches depart from the Ladywell car park in Newtown throughout the day to the various starting places. The first bus sets off from Newtown to Glandyfi at 3am, to Staylittle at 7.40am, Llandinam at 12.30pm and the Devil's Elbow at 3.30pm.

But it doesn't matter what distance you complete, because as well as being left with a hatful of ever-lasting memories, you will also be raising money for the Wales Air Ambulance Service, Hope House children's hospice and Rotary charities.

On top of this, walkers are encouraged to seek sponsorship so that their efforts reward a charity of their choice.

Under medical advice, the organisers have imposed a distance limit on junior walkers aged 10 and under who will only be allowed to participate in the eight-mile walk from Devil's Elbow to The Anchor. No child under 13 years will be allowed to walk the full distance, and junior walkers must be accompanied by a responsible adult at every stage of the walk.

A visual fitness assessment will be made of every walker at each checkpoint and if it is considered that a person appears physically exhausted they will not be allowed to continue the walk. If the back marker considers an individual is delaying the checkpoints excessively, they will be asked to stop walking. These decisions are final and are not open to negotiation

Walkers will not be allowed on the coaches or on the walk under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The closing date for application forms is June 1 and the organisers warn that only the first 500 applicants will be accepted. The organisers can be contacted via the website at http://www.newtown-rotary.org.uk/ or by sending a self addressed envelope with a 23p stamp to PO Box 98, Newtown, Powys SY16 2WU.

The walk requires a minimum of 200 applicants to go ahead.