Man and dog walking UK coastline for charity arrive in South Cumbria

Lead by his Staffy Boxer dog, Monty, Tim Jones, 34, from Stoke-on-Trent, set out on the 11,000 mile journey around seven weeks ago from the Welsh village of Dyffryn Ardudwy.

The pair set out on November 18, 2023 to raise funds and awareness for mental health charity Mind.

Tim said: "Touch wood, I haven't had to use's Mind's services however I have always struggled with my own mental health since I was young - particularly around Christmas and New Year, which I know a lot of others do.

"Others have done the challenge however I wanted to make this my own."

Tim is funding the walk full time and needs extra help from the public and businesses for accommodation, food, equipment and a safe place to pitch a tent.

His Walking the UK Coast for Mind Facebook group with over 600 members has helped him reach out to locals and he always gives anyone who helps a 'shout-out'.

The Buy Me a Coffee service takes smaller donations alongside the main Just Giving page which is currently on £1,754.

After arriving in Bolton-Le Sands six days ago, the Royal Hotel in Carnforth offered the pair a room for the night before they headed through some very wet weather to Arnside. 

Here, they stayed in a nice little pod on a hill overlooking Morecambe Bay before getting the train from Arnside to Grange-over-Sands to walk that bit of coast.

On the way, Bullough's Londis of Arnside shop was kind enough to donate food for both Tim and Monty.

They then went from Flookborough to Ulverston with the plan to reach Barrow using trains to cross the estuaries.

Tim said: "Our only rule is that we use transport over estuaries where possible as it can be just one mile across or forty miles all the way around."

The pair reached Barrow during freezing -3C temperatures so they stayed in a Travelodge for two nights as there was no safe place to pitch a tent. 

"The walk around Walney Island was like a day off," Tim said, "I'd previously waded through the boggy marsh between Grange over Sands and Cark Airfield and I ended up falling flat on my face, with the 50kg on my back too - so to be able to leave that at the Travelodge was great.

"Monty loves to walk too and he's loving the journey so far.

Harbour Lights Campsite in Millom offered the duo a lovely, warm glamping pod for the night with The Ski Bar on Haverigg Marina inviting them for food for the night.

The pair have left The Pennington Hotel in Ravenglass where they will then head to St Bees.

Tim estimates that the mammoth challenge will take around four to five years to complete.

The pair are expected to reach Carlisle by January 14 before they take on Scotland - which will take around two years because of its shape before heading for Ireland.