A couple have completed a once-in-a-lifetime charity challenge.

Graham and Karen Morgan trekked through Patagonia in memory of their daughter to raise funds for Meningitis Now.

Said Graham, who hails from Begelly: “We had always felt some fascination and intrigue with Patagonia, probably stemming from being told of the Welsh links with this far-flung part of South America. It was the sheer challenge that inspired Karen to immediately sign up for the Meningitis Now 30th anniversary trek to Patagonia back in 2013. We are delighted we have been able to take part in this fantastic event and with the generous support of so many we have raised almost £18,000 for a charity we have been actively supporting for the past four years.”

“The Nahuel Huapi National Park, with the town of Bariloche (1,000 miles south of Buenos Aires) as its gateway, is truly spectacular with some of the most stunning scenery we have ever seen anywhere in the world.

Continued Graham: “Admittedly, some of what we saw was reward for ourselves and our fellow trekkers, but the views from the lakes and various cable cars along the shore were also unbelievable.

“The trek itself was very tough and became a battle of mental rather than raw physical challenge, given the constantly changing terrain that we encountered. It was very much billed as a ‘walk in the wilderness’ and we probably did not fully understand what that meant!

“We could perhaps explain that in terms of day two where we walked for almost 13 hours and did not see another human being or any sign of life outside our fellow trekkers. Something neither of us had come even close to experiencing previously.

“Another example could be day three when we climbed to the base of Mount Tronador - an extinct volcano that presented a 360 degree vista made of literally hundreds of peaks for as far as the eye could see. That night there was not a single light visible on a perfectly clear sky - not even passing planes - just the magic of the stars.”

Highlights of the trek, the couple say, were the crystal clear rivers fed by the glaciers, mile upon mile of dense bamboo forest, amazing lakes and waterfalls, the volcanic rock terrain, crossing a glacier being roped to the mountain guides, total wilderness with little sign of human life and a 400-year-old sequoia forest that was totally natural and untouched.

Plus there were five days without mobile signal and team spirit and camaraderie to make it all memorable.

Added Graham: “A massive thank you to everyone for their fantastic support and the very many words of encouragement. We undertook this challenge in memory of our wonderful and beautiful daughter Katie who lost her life to meningitis at the tender age of 18. We know the money raised by ourselves and our fellow trekkers will be used by Meningitis Now to continue the battle against this horrific disease and prevent other families from the traumatic experience we have been through. Here, a month after we completed the challenge, the total amount raised is standing at £175,000 - a truly magnificent figure.”

Final donations can still be made at www.justgiving.com/karen-graham-2016/