Two sisters have paddled the length of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal twice in 24 hours to raise money and awareness for a national charity close to their hearts.

Catie Gilbert and Bryony Dix-Hope paddled into Brecon Canal Basin in their two-person kayak shortly after 9am on Sunday, September 11 - the same place where they had set off from just 24 hours before.

Catie and Bryony completed the challenge to raise funds and awareness for the charity PSPA - a national cause which provides support and information to people living with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD). Their dad, Dave Hope, was diagnosed with PSP a few years ago.

PSP is a neurological condition caused by the premature loss of nerve cells in certain parts of the brain. By raising awareness of this condition, people will be able to receive an early diagnosis, followed by support and therapy required.

There are no simple tests or brain scans for PSP, and currently there is no cure, but by carrying out therapy on specific functions it may be slowed.

Dave is an ex-member of Brecon Mountain Rescue Team, Laidback Launchers Canoe Club and Llangors Badminton Club. He also competed as a teenager for Great Britain in the C2 canoeing event. Due to the effects of PSP, he is now wheelchair-bound and completely dependent on other for all his needs.

PSP has reduced Dave’s ability to control his body, including walking, speaking and swallowing among other aspects, and unfortunately due to this illness can no longer kayak or canoe, which is his lifelong passion.

“Having a parent with a debilitating condition such as PSP leaves you feeling a little helpless and out of control,” explained Catie.

“Taking part in an event to raise awareness and to raise money for the charity that supports dad’s condition gave us back some control - we could do something that would make a difference.”

A 24-hour event of this nature, paddling well over 60 miles, obviously takes hard work in both training and logistical preparation.

The pair initially chose to practice in a K2 - a lightweight and narrow canoe designed for traveling at speeds on flat water. Although it seemed like a good canoe for the challenge, it turned out to be too unstable on the water.

“We capsized immediately beside the rugby club and after a very wobbly paddle down to the next bridge and back we decided to abandon that boat and instead use a Prijon boat which we knew to be more stable,” said Catie.

“The only problem with that boat was that it is really heavy... I mean really heavy.”

The canal has always been a big part of the sisters’ lives, through both their dad and their own activities. Catie and Bryony grew up in Pencelli - one of the many villages they would pass through on their route. Catie, who is director of health and well-being at Crickhowell High School now lives near Llanddew, and Bryony, a firearms police officer stationed in Llandrindod, now lives in Builth Wells.

The sisters completed four training sessions before the big day approached.

“When training, we discovered that the steering system was no longer working and that garden cushions saved the backside from becoming numb on the hard plastic seat,” explained Catie.

“A good friend Barry Griffiths stepped in and fabricated a spring bracket that forced the rudder back to a straight position after steering adjustments, saving us from many miles zig-zagging into brambles and stinging nettles.”

The longest training session Catie and Bryony undertook before the event was to Llangynidr and back, which took about five hours.

“We really had left training too late but we had an unwavering belief that we could do this and more importantly we wanted to do this for dad,” said Catie.

For the challenge itself, Catie and Bryony give credit to their day time support crew of Steve and Andy Buckley, both Level 4 Kayak instructors. They raised the drawbridge in Pencelli and provided the paddlers with the wheels they needed for the long portage in Llangynidr around the five locks.

They also met them in Gilwern for tea and sausage rolls and again in Llanover for chips.

Throughout the 24 hours, they were also met along the way by friends from far and wide offering drinks, sweets, cakes, hugs and words of encouragement.

“This made such a difference as we always sped up on seeing people,” said Catie.

After setting off from the canal basin under the morning shadow of Theatr Brycheiniog, the sisters paddled for the first 10 hours with relative ease.

It was when they arrived in Goytre at 7:22 pm, 22 minutes behind their estimated time, when the enormity of the challenge sunk in.

Catie said: “We knew that this would be the last time we would see Steve and Andy for the night and that there would be no support from here until Pontymoil and so the decision to keep going away from home was a tough call.

“Then mum (Pat) messaged that they were in Pontymoil waiting for us. This was the inspiration we needed to battle on into the dark.”

Bryony’s wife, Aimee, had just finished a 12-hour shift, so after letting her know they were okay, she set off into the night to grab a power nap, so that she could meet them in the early hours of the morning.

The distance from Pontymoil from Goytre is around six miles, which meant Catie and Bryony would be paddling for an hour and a half into complete darkness.

They had been given glow sticks and wore head torches to help them see any obstacles. It was cold and they hadn’t eaten a meal since 6pm. Their calories ‘in and out’ were not in balance any more and the shivers set in.

The sisters nevertheless paddled through the pain and closer to Pontymoil - the halfway mark of their journey.

“Pontymoil is at the end of the canal and so all the pond weed gathers and collects here - it was like paddling through pesto,” said Catie.

They received a message at 9:25pm that Dave was tired and they needed to leave but some quick messaging meant that they made it to Pontymoil just after 9:30pm and they were still there to greet them.

Catie said: “We were so pleased to see Mum and Dad! We quickly munched on a few chocolate buttons we’d been given earlier and set off back along the long stretch back towards Goytre and beyond.”

They met up with their second support crew at about 1am in Govilon, having paddled without stopping for 16 hours, covering 19 miles.

Catie said: “We were shattered and shivering but hot tea provided by my husband Dave Gilbert and syrupy porridge provided by Bryony’s wife Aimee Dix warmed us up and provided the fuel we needed to finish.

“We paddled on knowing that we’d made the right life choices when we married those two!”

The sisters changed into much-needed dry clothes in Llangynidr, with more tea and bananas, and then were supported by Barry Griffiths and Aimee on the long portage around the locks.

“We knew it was only a couple of hours to the finish and so we paddled hard at first pushing ourselves to make up any time we’d lost with the aim of getting back at 9am,” said Catie.

“Our support crew was invaluable cheering us on and encouraging us to keep paddling, as our backs ached and our legs began to protest. They were beginning to really ache having been cooped up in the same position for a long time.

“We craved a bed, desperate to just lie flat for a little while, to let our backs straighten out and to feel our legs flex.”

At Brynich Lock the police armed response vehicles was waiting to greet them along with Aimee, Lizzie Tiernan and their mum and dad.

“We knew we only had a short distance to go but we were both spent,” said Catie.

“We’d both got to the stage where at 9am we were just going to stop wherever we were. We no longer cared about getting back to Brecon.”

Despite running on empty, Catie and Bryony found the energy reserves to continue paddling.

“Whether it was seeing friends, the energy gel or the paracetamol provided by Emma Prosser who jogged with us all the way to the finish from Pencelli - whatever it was we were inspired,” said Catie.

“We somehow sped up and completed the last section faster than we’d ever paddled, gaining a course record on Strava.”

At the finish they were met by the Laidback Launchers Canoe Club who provided chocolate brownie and hugs, while mum Pat handed out tea and bacon sandwiches.

Catie explained: “This was a mental challenge as much as anything else, a simple case of mind over matter and ignoring personal physical discomfort.

“For dad this has been an ongoing battle for around five years now.

“If you ask him what he thinks of us completing this challenge, you’ll get a thumbs up and a smile that makes it all worthwhile.”

In recognition and celebration of Catie and Bryony’s efforts, generous supporters have donated just over £2000 for PSPA.

“We are so very proud to have raised awareness of this debilitating condition,” said Catie.

“A special word of thanks must go to the canals and rivers trust for giving us permission to complete this challenge on the waterway. Also, to the support crew, Andy and Steve, Aimee and Dave and all our friends that met us on the way.”

To donate to Catie and Bryony’s fundrasier on JustGiving, please click here.

What is PSP?

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) occurs when brain cells in certain parts of the brain are damaged as a result of a build-up of a protein called tau.

Tau occurs naturally in the brain and is usually broken down before it reaches high levels. In people with PSP, it isn’t broken down properly and forms harmful clumps in brain cells.

Symptoms:

•​ problems with balance and mobility, including frequent falls

•​ changes in behaviour, such as irritability or apathy (lack of interest)

•​ muscle stiffness

•​ an inability to control eye and eyelid movement, including focusing on specific objects or looking up or down at something

•​ slow, quiet or slurred speech

• ​difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)

• ​slowness of thought and some memory problems