Campbell Roy plans to walk 540 miles in 2026, from the English Border to the far north-west of Scotland, and he wants company along the way.
The route is the Scottish National Trail. It starts near Kirk Yetholm in the south-east and finishes at Cape Wrath. Roy calls the trail “formidable” and says it passes “some of the most beautiful and rugged landscapes in Scotland.” He adds that it has been described as a long-distance route that compares with the best in the world. The walk goes by the name Trek 500, and every pound raised goes to Prostate Cancer Research.
Roy has put out an open invitation. Walk a single mile, a full day or several stages, he says, and you are welcome. You do not need to be an experienced hiker, only to have suitable clothing and boots and “a good spirit.” The one condition is that walkers draw on their own family, friends and colleagues to help raise money for a condition that will affect 1 in 8 men over their lifetimes.
“This walk is about so much more than mere miles,” Roy says. He describes it as a way to raise awareness, fund research and support the men and families affected by prostate cancer every year.
Joining for a day
Peter and his daughter Shona have signed up for one stretch. On 21 July they will walk with Roy, a friend of Peter’s, on the 12.8-mile section from Linlithgow to Carmuirs. Peter is in his eighties, and the pair describe it on their JustGiving page as “no mean ‘feat’ for the ‘feet’ of an octogenarian.”
They have asked for donations and for good weather.
