Human contact for vicar Michael Heslop will be rare when he walks the boundaries of his parish over the New Year.

The 60-mile boundary, crossing some of the most spectacular countryside in Yorkshire, is home to more sheep than residents.

Michael is vicar of Kettlewell, near Skipton - a parish of thousands of acres, but only about 1,000 souls inhabiting villages including Kettlewell, Conistone, Arncliffe and Hubberholme.

His venture is two-fold. To fulfil the ancient tradition of confirming the boundary of the parish by walking the land-locked route

But also to enable him to launch himself on a seven-day sailing trip on the square rigger, Lord Nelson, around the Canaries from March 8 to 15 next year. The vessel is designed to enable able-bodied and physically disabled people to experience the adventure of off-shore sailing.

Parishioners and friend are sponsoring Michael, who is raising £1,200 for the Mission to Seafarers, which is organising the challenge.

By raising the cash, he will be supporting a charity close to his heart and enjoying his passion for the sea.

He strikes out on his 20 mile a day walking venture on New Year's Day.

"I'm excited but I planned this in the balmy days of summer. Now I have the details planned, I realise the demands.

"I'll walk the whole line except over open moorland because it's a line on a map and I don't want to damage stone walls.

"I have the privilege of walking this fantastic area in contrast to seamen who only have a few yards on board," said Michael, who was previously vicar of Silloth, Cumbria, and seafarers' chaplain in the port. His journey will see him tackling Great Whernside, passing Malham Tarn, climbing Fountains Fell, Peny-ghent, Fleet Moss, Buckden Pike and Cam Head.

"When I saw the route I thought it was a superb concept and grabbed my imagination. It is a walk worthy of putting together to stand as a challenge in its own right," he added. He stressed that if the weather was particularly bad, he would find lower routes running parallel.

Michael enjoys kayaking off the Scottish coast in his spare time and his son Ben, 23, is an officer on a North Sea dredger.

The Mission hopes the challenge will raise enough cash to pay for a full-time port chaplain for a year.

Anyone wanting to support Michael should contact him on (01756) 760237.