A MAN has walked through Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd and Anglesey as part of an approximately 3,500-mile-long walk in aid of a mental health charity.
Steve Tilley, a retired 62-year-old optometrist from Gloucestershire, started his challenge from his favourite pub, The Tudor Arms in Slimbridge, and has spent nearly the last two weeks walking along the North Wales coastline.
Steve expects the entire walk, which he started in March and encompasses the Wales and England Coastal Paths, to take him about a year to complete, and has so far raised roughly £1,000 of his £100,000 target for the mental health charity, Mind.
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Steve, who has packed a tent with him, so is “wild camping” as well as staying in various hotels, campsites and bed-and-breakfasts, had never been to North Wales previously, but has fallen in love with the area during his challenge.
He said: “Conwy is gorgeous; the castle, the harbour, and the views are superb.
“Anglesey has got some really spectacular scenery, particularly around North and South Stack, and there’s a gorgeous tern nesting site which is absolutely splendid; there were thousands of the little chaps all nesting and flying around.
“In Rhyl and Prestatyn, you’ve got beautiful beaches which are enormous; they’re to die for!
“Caernarfon is so beautiful, and very historic with the castle, and Bangor has the beautiful university building, and one of the friendliest pubs I’ve ever come across, Tafarn Y Glôb (The Globe Inn).
“They were brilliant, they looked after me and we had a really good time there. It was a really friendly family-run pub.
“Llandudno is a proper seaside resort – you can almost smell the sticks of rock there. It’s just great.”
As well as taking on the challenge in support of Mind, Steve also wanted to undertake it to test himself following his recent retirement.
Next, he’s off to Greenfield, Holywell, before visiting Chester, and then starting the England Coastal Path.
When he eventually finishes the walk, he hopes to sign off with a well-earned pint back at The Tudor Arms.
He added: “They (Mind) do a wonderful job. Just read any newspaper and you’ll see stories of people who’ve had problems, be it gambling addictions, stress - people whose lives have been turned upside down cos of mental health problems.
“Sometimes, if they’d have been given a little extra help earlier, the problem wouldn’t have arisen.
“The other reason is I wanted a challenge. I wanted to show that, at 60-plus, you can go and do something physically challenging. I’ve not got one foot in the grave – I’m very much not Victor Meldrew, although on occasion on this walk, I have been standing there going: ‘I don’t believe it’!
“People’s mental health would be greatly improved if they walk, even just round the block or to the end of your street.
“I’ve got a tent with me, so I wild camp.
“I’ll go to a proper campsite if they’re available, or pubs, hotels and B&Bs, but if nothing’s available, it’s wild camping!”
You can donate to Steve’s cause by visiting: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/walkingthecoasts and can follow his adventure at: www.facebook.com/walkingthecoast.
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