There were tired feet and sore legs when a valiant band of Calstock freemasons tramped down the hill into the village on Monday Bank Holiday lunchtime – after walking 120 miles across Cornwall to help bereaved children.

A big welcome and spread of food awaited the weary band at their lodge, Cotehele Lodge.

The walkers were carrying the Cornish flag and a teddy bear, marking their support for the charity bereavement charity Penhaligon’s Friends.

They have raised more than £1,000 for the charity through their walk.

Other freemasons’ lodges lent their support along the way, providing moral support and refreshments and donating money.

The walkers were also given free accommodation by holiday park owners John Fowler Holidays on two nights.

The trip started on Wednesday night in Penzance, where they had special permission to bed down in the lodge itself for the night, braving rumoured ghosts on the premises.

The first day on Thursday was a day of lashing wind and rain which tested their mettle, as they battled from Land’s End to St Day via St Ives – a distance of 35 miles in wind and torrential rain.

Walker Chris Southcott said: “We used all our kit in the first day. We were soaked. I was putting on my trousers at Land’s End at 5.30am and the wind was like a windsock blowing through them, it was so strong.”

Chris did the walk with sons Charlie, 21, and William, 18, who both celebrated their big birthdays along the way. All three live in Calstock.

Things looked up on the Friday, when they headed from St Day to St Agnes, and then on the Saturday tramped up the north coast to Bude, to a welcome from the freemasons there.

On Sunday they walked from Bude to Callington, before doing a home stretch on the Bank Holiday Monday from Callington to Calstock, where the Cotehele Lodge is based.

Freemason Sam Ridsdill, key organiser, said: “It was very very wet and very very windy from Land’s End to St Ives. Then it brightened up after that.

“The lodges along the way have been brilliant. On every leg they have given us refreshments.”

Chris agreed, saying: “The freemasons of Cornwall pulled out all the stops to help us on our way. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

Among the lodges they visited were Bude, Tintagel and Wadebridge. They were made welcome with homemade pasties and other goodies.

See the Facebook page ‘Land’s End to Cotehele Lodge’.