A father who was homeless and struggled with his mental health has revealed how he completely changed his lifestyle and spent eight months walking along the British coast while wild camping.
Before this incredible journey, Jim McIlwain, 45, spent the last six months of 2022 in his hometown of Bristol on couches, trying to hold down a job despite depression.
Things came to a head last November when he temporarily went missing and attempted suicide, something he and his two children hope never to experience again. Jim, who previously worked as a roofer, told MailOnline: “I’ve always struggled with my mental health since I was a teenager. “I tried to take my own life when I was 18 and have always struggled through the life struggled without fighting help.”
He became homeless on Christmas Eve. He said, “I was at breaking point.” I sat in my car with nowhere to go and thought, “I have to find a way out of this situation I’m in.” I tried to find my way To stop thoughts from going in that direction again and I was just so sad and depressed.”
Jim has always enjoyed hiking and camping and found it helped him mentally in the past. He recalled, “I had a little dream and a little vision of walking along the shore.” The next morning I went to my daughter’s mother and told her my idea and she said, “Jim, that’s the best idea you’ve ever had.”
After becoming homeless last year, Jim McIlwain (above) decided to completely change his lifestyle and go wild camping along the British coast
Jim has always enjoyed hiking and camping and has found that it has helped him improve his mental health in the past. “I’ve always struggled with my mental health since I was a teenager,” he said. Above is Jim’s view from Ben Nevis in Scotland
To earn money for hiking equipment, he sold his car for £700 and left on January 8 this year, his backpack mostly full of clothes.
He originally planned to walk along the coast of England and Wales, but that plan soon changed. He said: “I just kept going and got a lot further than I expected. I just wanted to walk around England and Wales, but then I chose Scotland and fell in love with it.”
His starting point was Lilstock beach near Bridgewater in West Somerset. His route took him along the coast of Devon, Cornwall and Dorset, as well as a visit to the Isle of Wight.
He then moved along the south coast to Dover before venturing to London and traveling up the east coast to Aberdeen. The last part of his journey took him through the north west of Britain to Wales, where he visited Snowdon, before going all the way to Weston-super-Mare, where his journey ended.
Jim on the first day of his eight-month walk. Bad weather was one of the biggest challenges during the hike
Jim’s gear at the start of his journey. He struggled with the weight of his bag and carried 50 pounds on his back every day
In the early days of the hike, Jim carried a 50-pound bag on his back every day and struggled with the weight. “Wherever I went, that backpack went with me…anything I didn’t use on a daily basis, I got rid of quickly,” he said, adding: “When I left I had seven pairs socks and had seven pairs. of trousers and extra clothes. “I quickly realized that I really didn’t need to carry all that stuff around.”
Three weeks later, he bought a gas stove so he could prepare meals. Jim has set up a GoFundMe page to help him pay for food, gear and the occasional hostel stay during inclement weather. He donated the rest to charity.
He said: “I had to go to a hostel or a campsite once a week so I could just shower and charge my power banks and stuff. “I washed my gear and then went on.”
Waking up to a beautiful view and fresh air helped Jim improve mentally
Wildlife became a source of joy for Jim and he regularly spotted animals, including seals and dolphins
He said: “I slept in bus stops, in beach shelters, in churches, in abandoned caravans, in all sorts of places, everywhere, just so I could survive the night somewhere with a little shelter.”
The adverse weather conditions were one of Jim’s biggest challenges.
He said: “The weather was one of the hardest things… if I got wet, I basically had to stay wet. “And if I packed a wet tent, there was nothing worse than getting a wet one later that night. pitching a tent. ”
Despite the challenges, the outdoors helped Jim mentally and created fond memories.
He said: “I think it helps to get out into the world and get the fresh air in my lungs.” And nature just amazed me. The amount of wildlife I saw…thousands of seals, dolphins, birds – it just made my day.
“I could have a very difficult day, struggling with my feet, not eating… but I would see the game and sit there for hours.” It was great. Nature was definitely one of the best things.”
In Scotland, Jim made some of his fondest memories walking up Ben Nevis and around Loch Ness.
He said: “I didn’t know what a beautiful place Scotland was.” Ben Nevis was probably my biggest achievement and just blew me away. It took me hours to walk there and I did it all by myself. I thought, “I can’t believe it, I’m homeless and I’ve walked all the way to Scotland, the long way there, and now I’ve just climbed Ben Nevis.”
He described the view as “breathtaking”.
“I only wanted to walk around England and Wales but I chose Scotland and fell in love with it,” said Jim
Climbing Ben Nevis was one of Jim’s fondest memories of his walk – he hopes to return next year. Above is the view from Mt
Jim walked along Durdle Door in Dorset (photo). He described the views he experienced along the way as “breathtaking”.
Jim met many “absolutely wonderful” people during his eight-month walk, including a soldier in Wells, Somerset. The couple walked 25 miles together and are still in touch.
He said: “Towards the end of my walk I thought to myself, ‘What am I going to do when I get back?’ Because I’m still homeless, I can’t go anywhere, I don’t have a job, “I have no income, what should I do?”
He reflects: “I thought: ‘I’ll just go away and, well, camp somewhere.'” But then I thought: “That’s no longer possible, I’ll have to think of something.”
When Jim finished walking, a friend offered him a room to rent and he recently got a job. He said: “I’ve been there for over three weeks now and I’m really enjoying it.”
However, Jim is not done walking yet. He goes hiking regularly and has high hopes for big hikes and wild camping trips next year.
He said: ‘I want to do the Yorkshire Three Peaks.’ There are the Outer Hebrides [in Scotland]. I want to climb mountains. Do Ben Nevis again. There is so much I want to see and do in the future.
“I’ll keep doing it.” [hiking] at the end of the day because I need to focus my mind and avoid wandering into a dark place again. I never want to get to the point in my life where I think suicide is the solution.”
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
