A HONEYMOON with a difference will see two newlyweds from Bolton walk more than 190 miles for charity.

Stephen Riley, aged 44, and his fiancee, Stephanie Mallalieu, of Ladybridge Gardens, Bolton, will tie the knot at Mere Hall, Bolton, on May 10.

But rather than spend a sun-soaked honeymoon on a beach in the Caribbean, the project managers have decided to walk 192 miles to help raise money for women's refuge Fortalice, run by Bolton women's aid, and Christie Hospital in Withington, Manchester.

They will follow Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk, which starts at St Bees on Cumbria's west coast and finishes at Robin Hood's Bay on Yorkshire's east coast, taking the happy couple across the Pennines and through the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors. Mr Riley said: "When I proposed to Steff in December last year, we thought walking the 192 miles would be an unusual way of celebrating the wedding, especially since we both hate sitting around on a beach.

"We had intended walking the route before now, but when Steff's mum, Anne, was diagnosed with cancer at the end of 2006, we put it off."

Miss Mallalieu said: "My mum had a large melanoma on her ankle and was sent to Christies for an emergency appointment.

"She had to undergo two operations and skin grafts at Christies and the treatment she received made me want to help the hospital for future sufferers."

The couple's honeymoon walk starts on Monday, May 12, two days after the wedding, and will end 13 days later, on May 25.

However, long-distance walking is nothing new to the couple. Since meeting in 1996, they have spent lots of weekends walking, clocking up many miles.

Miss Mallalieu said: "No matter where we go on holiday we tend to do a lot of walking. It's the best way to see and experience anywhere.

"Also, we love each other's company so spending two weeks walking, seeing our fantastic countryside and helping our two chosen charities, made perfect sense."

Over the 13-day trek, a company will transport their luggage from one destination to the next for overnight stops en route.

If you wish to sponsor the couple, contact Fortalice on 01204 523476.