An army veteran sold all his belongings to walk 16,000 miles along the entire UK coastline – and met his girlfriend along the way. Daniel McNeil, 26, packed up his home in Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway, and sold everything before starting the epic trek in March last year.
Just two months into the walk Daniel met girlfriend Charlotte Brook, 25, and the couple have spent the past year exploring Scotland. The pair met in Dunoon, Argyll and Bute, where Charlotte offered to show Daniel around.
But an afternoon turned into four days together and Charlotte decided to quit her job in a hotel last November to join Daniel on the walk. The pair, who are currently in Edinburgh, walk around 15 miles a day and camp in a tent along the way.
So far, they have completed 4,100 miles but said the whole trip will take them another two years to finish. Daniel said: “I started thinking about the walk during lockdown, I just wanted to do something positive, so I sold all my items and gave my house back to the council.
“Two months in I met Charlotte in Dunoon, she sent me a message saying she could take me around the coastline there. An afternoon turned into four days together and then she joined me in the summer to go around the isle of Coll, Skye and Iona.
“Last November she decided to give up her job and spend the winter with me in Orkney. We walk about 15 miles a day but can do as much as 22 and as little as six – it just depends how we are feeling and what the weather is like.
“We pack up around 9am and walk all day until 7pm. Sometimes we don’t know where we are going, other days we have a plan – we just go with the flow.
“We camp the majority of the time, which we love, but sometimes people will offer us accommodation. We are in Edinburgh just now but will move down Newcastle way soon and spend Christmas and New Year in England.
"We are two years in and think it will take us about four years to complete. We pick up odd jobs now and again to top up our funds for over the winter, but the kindness of people has helped a lot.
“We have gifts of clothes, hotel stays, people offering us accommodation – the best part has been seeing the kindness of other people.” Charlotte, originally from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, was living in Strachur, Argyll and Bute, when she met Daniel.
She said she went from being single to spending 24-hours a day with her new boyfriend – and although it’s her first relationship thinks they are meant to be. Charlotte said: “Daniel was staying at a friend’s house in Dunoon and I just knew I needed to meet him.
“I didn’t know what he looked like or anything, it was an instinctive feeling. I took him for a tour and what was meant to be an afternoon has turned into a relationship.
“I joined him for some islands over the summer and then last November I decided to quit my job and join him the whole way. I would never have classed myself as a walker or a hiker before, it has been a lot to get used to.
“I dived straight in. Meeting Daniel was not something I ever expected to happen.
“This is my first ever proper relationship so it’s unique. It’s not your typical ‘we met on Tinder’ story.
“I went from being single to us being together 24/7 but I think we are meant to be." Daniel joined the army in 2012 but left five years later after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.
The couple hope to raise £100,000 for veteran charity SSAFA and Women’s Aid. Daniel said: “I left the army in 2017 and it all just went downhill from there.
“I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease so some days I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t get of bed - I was really struggling with anxiety and depression. SSAFA were there to help me and give me that kindness I really needed, they lifted me up.
“After that I completely turned my life around. I started meditating, going to the gym, and looking after my body.
“We are hoping to raise £100,000, and so far we have about £10,600.” To donate visit here or here.
