A 24-year-old woman is taking on a 1,500km horseback challenge through Ceredigion and Meirionnydd.

In June, Bethan Matthews, 24, from Cray, Brecon, will ride around the border of Wales in aid of two charities: Blind Veterans UK and Communities for Horses.

Having spent months carefully planning her route and testing the fitness of both herself and her horses, Bethan is ready to depart from Margam, Port Talbot on Saturday, 1 June. She will be travelling on Charm, a part-Welsh breed.

“My horse, Charm, is home bred. I have owned her for five years. We have a very good bond and I have complete trust in her,” said Bethan.

“Charm is one of the youngest horses I have, however, she is not scared by anything. I have known her from the minute she came into this world and have been the one to help shape her behaviour as she has grown up into the fantastic, loyal, trustworthy, genuine horse she is today.”

Travelling anti-clockwise, Bethan hopes to reach Cardiff at the end of the first day. From there she heads north towards Newport and beyond, before reaching the Blind Veterans UK centre in Llandudno on 11 June.

“My grandad, now 94 years old, suffers from glaucoma. He is completely blind in one eye and only has a very small amount of vision in his other," said Bethan, explaining why she has chosen the charity as one of her beneficiaries.

"Blind Veterans UK has helped him live independently in his home by providing him with aids to make home life without sight easier.

“Understandably, my grandad has reached the stage in his life where he can feel uncomfortable visiting new or busy places due to his loss of sight and limited mobility.

But, amazingly, Blind Veterans UK provides him with the confidence to visit these places, including travelling abroad, retracing his steps with fellow blind veterans in Normandy.

"My grandad regularly visits the Llandudno centre and participates in a range of activities that have only been made possible by the charity.”

Bethan was prepared to camp out along her travels, but has been inundated with offers of places to stay along her chosen route, which includes provision of food and shelter for Charm.

The generosity of strangers has been most welcomed by Bethan. She now hopes that people will continue to place donations for her chosen charities through her JustGiving page.

“My grandad is my hero. He joined the army in 1939 when he was 14 years old and continued serving until he retired at 50. He has so many amazing stories to tell about his life in the army,” said Bethan. “Although that alone makes him a hero, he is my hero for being the most gentle, generous, loving grandfather, father and great-grandfather he can be, but also the strongest and toughest man I know.”

Bethan will be travelling around 20km to 65km a day through a variety of terrains. For the busier roads, she will have a support vehicle to ensure she and Charm are kept safe at all times. The support vehicle will also be on hand to provide water and food at various points.

Her progress can be followed on her Facebook page.

Her route includes:

Day 16, Caernarfon

Day 17, Tudweiliog

Day 18, Pwllheli – Criccieth

Day 19, Porthmadog – Dolgellau

Day 20, Tywyn

Day 21, Borth

Day 22, Aberystwyth – New Quay

Day 23, New Quay – Cardigan

Day 24, Fishguard – St Davids

Day 25, St Davids – Saundersfoot